Connect
To Top

Check out Krista Townsend’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Krista Townsend.

Krista, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Painting has always been a driving force in my life, but when I started my career, I wasn’t quite ready to put my faith fully into following that passion. My path wove around the creative fields though. I got my Masters Degree in Medical and Biological illustration, and I have worked a lot in web and graphic design. All of which fed into how I paint, but for a long time, I only had time to paint “on the side.” Painting was my rock though. It was where I turned to find focus, quiet, and clarity in a busy life. In the past ten years, as my family has grown and life has become more settled, I’ve been able to explore letting my paintings out into the world. They still serve the same purpose of creating calm in my life, but it’s been exciting to see others responding to them.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I care deeply about the natural world and see it being damaged and destroyed by a lot of the choices we humans make. I paint to not only process this but to hopefully inspire people to see the beauty and the awe of nature and maybe, just maybe, to create some awareness that we can all make a difference in the health of our planet. I think that art can bring change and inspire, and I hope that my work makes some impact.

I paint the landscape of where I live and travel, but not the typical landscape. I am most intrigued by the hidden areas, or less noticed nuances of nature, the things you may walk right by on a hike. I paint the tangles of wildflowers in a meadow, sticks, and leaves, moss growing on rocks, or bare trees in winter.

I love the physicality of the whole process, from finding the inspiration to executing the painting. I don’t typically sit still for long, and that restlessness affords opportunities to find interesting subject matter. I am likely to frequent the places that interest me and absorb them in a repetitive manner. Then in the act of painting, I love the movement of gesture, stepping away for contemplation, and turning back to the palette than the canvas. I move back and forth between a series of marks to the composition they create. I like playing with that line between abstraction and realism and letting the painting pull me in one direction or the other.

What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
Always make time for practicing your art. Because of the rest of life, work, family, I let art take a back burner too often. Every time I would make time for it though, it was such a relief and made all other aspects of my life better because of making that time. Take classes if you don’t have space at home to work. Draw, sketch, just make the time for it.

Also, don’t get too connected to the final product. It’s all about the process. Every painting is just a “study” until it’s done and then maybe its a masterpiece. Who knows, but if you get too caught up in creating a masterpiece, you’ll never get there. We are all always students, even if we teach if you stay open to the process, you will learn with each painting or each student, and you will become a better painter for it. All while enjoying and getting lost in the process.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
In Texas, I am represented by Bee Street Gallery in Dallas and Fort Worth. I am also represented by Glavé Kocen Gallery in Richmond, VA and Les Yeux du Monde in Charlottesville, VA.

Bee Street Gallery, Dallas. 6445 Cedar Springs, suite 103, 75235 469-233-5505

Glave Kocen Gallery, Richmond. VA, 1620 W Main St, 23220 804-358-1990

Les Yeux du Monde, Charlottesville, VA, (434) 973-5566

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Krista Townsend

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

1 Comment

  1. Sarah Jones

    May 2, 2019 at 1:01 am

    Gorgeous work. Great to hear the inner workings of an artist’s mind and life.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in