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Townsend
is a self-taught artist, with more than twenty-seven years' experience in the
field to date. His sculptural study of dance during the 12 years he lived in New
York City had a profound influence on his style, leading to the clean lines and
focus on motion that he has become known for. His background in classical music
was instrumental in developing the preference for structure and form that
permeates his work today.
For many years Townsend focused on the complement between etched glass in which light is captured, and clear glass in which light can play. In the last six or seven years, he has considerably broadened his palette by the incorporation of color into many of the pieces that he makes. Relatively new development in the manufacture of colored borosilicate glass has made available for the first time colors that can be mixed, blended, shaded by differential heating, and affected by the gas/oxygen ratio of the flame. It is also possible to incorporate many traditional Italian techniques such as filigrana and murrine within figurative sculptural works - largely because of the use of borosilicate glass.
His current
works focus on the human figure, exploring themes of transition, passage and
relationship.
"I create visual metaphors by arranging figures in concert with one
another, illustrating some of the myriad aspects of the relationships which so
powerfully shape the reality of our lives. Many of these images appear fully
formed in my mind's eye. I feel a responsibility to bring them from that world
of spirit, of idea, into this physical realm where other eyes than mine can see."
After a succession of stores in the Rochester area in the 70's, Townsend moved around the country, exhibiting in many shows, finally settling in the New York City area. He has created works for Pres. George Bush, Arnold Palmer, and Cyrus Vance. Corporate clients include Bristol-Myers, Squibb, AT&T, Ford, and Business Week magazine. He has been featured on the cover of Omni magazine, Aviation Week magazine, and has work in the Corning Museum of Glass. He has taught in RIT's School for American Crafts, at Urban Glass (formerly the New York Experimental Glass Workshop), and The Studio at the Corning Museum. He and his family currently reside several miles outside a small village in upstate New York.
