Celebrating the work of Marie Tosto '92, this exhibition is on view at the Kimmel Center in the First Tier Promenade from February 14 – June 6, 2026. Working across canvas, paper and panel, Tosto creates largely nonrepresentational paintings and drawings using oils, nupastel, metal pigment powder and graphite. Her work embraces chance and process, inviting open-ended interpretation and encouraging viewers to engage beyond formal critique. Elegant, curious, occasionally aggressive and sometimes humorous, these works suggest narratives that feel transparent at first glance, yet hint at something more unfolding beneath the surface.
About the Artist
Marie Tosto has been formally honing her skills since 1986. She received her BFA in Textile Design from Moore College of Art & Design and earned her Post-Baccalaureate and Master of Fine Arts degrees from The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
Tosto’s nonrepresentational imagery balances the recognizable and the obscure, using dichotomy, tension, line work, color and humor to invite personal interpretation. Central to her practice is the belief that mistakes are universal and essential for growth. By welcoming missteps as part of the creative process, her work creates space for deeper inquiry and dialogue beyond academic convention. This philosophy—learning how to listen to the work as it evolves—is one Tosto continually practices and teaches.
Marie Tosto resides in Philadelphia, PA with her daughter, Taylor, her grandpuppy, Ginger, and her two foster-fail cats, Alice and Myrtle.
Image: Marie Tosto, Daffodils & Fireflies (Detail), 2025, Oil, Nupastel, Metallic Pigment Powder on Panel, 8 x 8 in. Courtesy of the artist.
