Tony Foster, Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective
February 21–May 17, 2026, Gallery 120
Between 2007 and 2025, Tony Foster embarked on his 19th Journey, building it around a profound and layered theme: time. Across this body of work, he investigates how time shapes the land—from the quick shifts of light and weather, to the slow rhythms of seasons, to the immense scales of biological and geological transformation. As Foster explains, his aim is “to draw attention to the unseen forces that create place.”
Exploring Time brings together a remarkable series of watercolor diaries that capture nature in motion. His paintings reveal signs of change on multiple fronts: geological upheavals, biological cycles and the marks left by human activity. With a discerning eye, Foster records not only nature’s strength and resilience but also its vulnerability, even in landscapes once dominated by industry and later reclaimed.
In a world where environmental change is often conveyed through striking images of global warming, Foster offers a different perspective, one that considers Earth’s continual evolution and the visible traces of time’s passage. Organized into four themes: geological, biological, human and the fleeting, this exhibition invites viewers to engage with time at every scale, from the span of a moment to the stretch of millennia, while reflecting on the enduring impact of human presence.
Plan your visit to see these and other incredible works!
Featured Image: Tony Foster, Cornish Oak, c200 Years Old, 2020 Photo: Paul Mounsey, courtesy The Foster Museum
“The work is all about trying to bring to people’s attention the extraordinary nature of the world we live in, its fragility and its complexity, and hoping to evoke a sense that we should protect everything we’ve got.” – Tony Foster
Tony Foster, Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective is organized and toured by The Foster Museum
Tony Foster, Mt. Everest, From Ocean Floor to Roof of the World, 45-50 Million Years, 2007 Photo: Paul Mounsey, courtesy The Foster Museum
Tony Foster, Rewilding: Minions to Crow’s Nest · Copper Mines Abandoned 1914, 2023. Photo: Paul Mounsey, courtesy The Foster Museum
RELATED PROGRAMS:
Dive Deeper Into the Journey! Several related educational programs will be offered in conjunction with the exhibition. They include:
Guided Tour: Tony Foster, Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective
Dates: Select Saturdays: February 28, March 14 and March 28, from 1–2 PM
Cost: Members: Free | Non-Members: Included with the price of admission
Location: Dayton Art Institute Special Exhibition Gallery
Ages: All
REGISTER HERE
Artist’s Talk: Tony Foster
Join us for a special presentation by artist Tony Foster, as he discusses his process, his long career of painting remote reaches of the world and his latest Journey.
Date: Saturday, March 28, from 2–3 PM
Cost: Members: Free | Non-Members: Included with the price of admission
Location: Dayton Art Institute Mimi and Stuart Rose Auditorium
Ages: All
REGISTER HERE
Documentary Screening at The Neon
The DAI is pleased to partner with The Neon for this special screening of Tony Foster: Painting at the Edge, a documentary by David C. Schendel.
Date: Wednesday, April 15, at 7:30 PM
Cost: Tickets are $12.50. DAI members get free popcorn when they show their DAI membership card.
Location: The Neon, 130 E. 5th St, Dayton
Ages: All
BUY TICKETS HERE
EXHIBITION SPONSORS
2026 SPECIAL EXHIBITION SEASON ENERGIZED BY
AES Ohio Foundation
BENEFACTOR
Patty & Jerry Tatar
DIRECTOR
The Berry Family Foundation
Charles D. Berry Foundation
SUPPORTING
Wagner Subaru
PROMOTING
Martha & Mark Shaker
SPECIAL THANKS
Bernstein’s Fine Catering
The Flower Shoppe
ONGOING SUPPORT
Ohio Arts Council
Montgomery County
Culture Works