Brent Townsend was born in suburban Toronto in 1962. It was around the age of ten that he discovered his talent for drawing and by the age of twelve his teachers were purchasing his work. This newfound income offered him the opportunity to purchase art supplies, with which he truly began to create the images of the world around him.
Brent started painting in acrylic, but changed to oils, as he feels that oil allows him the freedom to create his own textures. It offers the possibility of layering pigment and with this, he has the opportunity to capture the diversity of intricate detail that distinguishes his work from that of other artists.
Townsend's passion for the outdoors, combined with his talent, allows him to create works of art that aren't just portraits of wildlife, but scenes that relay the intimate connection the animals have with their habitat. He doesn't consider himself a wildlife artist to the extent of painting any and every animal. "I paint animals as part of the land. Their habitat is a significant part of the statement I am trying to make and the mood I want to evoke. I try to capture a feeling that expresses the fascination I have for the world around us".
Although he studied commercial art at the Wexford Collegiate Institute, Brent is essentially a self-taught painter, and was inspired by Carl Rungius, Andrew Wyeth, and other artists who, in his words "paint with their own independent spirit".
Now an established artist, Townsend is as passionate as ever about his work and has gained an international following. As he continues to strive for improvement with each new piece of art, his future promises to be as fascinating as the paintings he creates.
* Many collectors in America are proud owners of one of Brent Townsend’s supremely detailed views of the North American wilderness. But almost every Canadian has a piece of Townsend art in their possession—in their pockets, perhaps, or on a desktop. His is the polar bear image on Canada’s two dollar coin, affectionately known as the "toonie."
That is only the latest acknowledgment that Townsend is one of Canada’s favorite and foremost wildlife artists. In fact, he was both the first Canadian and the youngest person ever to be named "Artist of the Year" by the 1989 Western and Wildlife Art Exhibition. Pretty impressive for a man who considers himself essentially self-taught and started selling his artwork in the seventh grade.
His lifelong fascination with the details of wilderness and the wealth of wildlife that could be found just outside, started when he grew up in a house bordered by a ravine on one side and a creek on the other. Inspired by Carl Rungius, Andrew Wyeth and other independently spirited artists, he started trying to capture on paper what he discovered in the wild. "I’d rather be out exploring, studying, sketching, photographing and painting," he says, "than discussing history, technique or career."
His incredibly detailed, yet clear and precise art has gained admirers across the world. Named the featured artist at the Vancouver International Wildlife Art Show and a participant of the World Wildlife Fund’s "Spirit of the Wild" Show, he was also one of just five artists asked to exhibit with the Canadian Wildlife Art Exhibition in Osaka and Tokyo, Japan.
(Biography Courtesy of The Greenwich Workshop)
Art Prints from Z ART GALLERY are of the highest quality printing available.
The signed and numbered editions are guaranteed to be the original,
limited edition. Each print is individually signed by the artist.
 After The Rain |
Early Morning Rain |
Misty Morning |
Shoreline Encounter |
| Algonquin |
Edge Of The Barnyard |
Mother And Cub |
Silent Watch |
| Algonquin Bull Moose |
Forest Floor |
Mountain Light |
Snow Owl |
| Amongst The Sunflowers |
Gathering Of The Head |
Nothern River |
Solitude |
| Apple Blossoms |
Granite Ridge |
October Morning |
Spllit Rail |
| Autumn Hillside |
Hailstorm Creek |
Old Maple |
Sundown |
| Autumn Leaves |
Hastings |
On The Fence |
Teanquil Waters |
| Away from cover |
Into The Light |
Open Ridge |
Tree Top Great Horned Owl |
| Beaver Pond |
Jobes Lane |
Out Of The Shadow |
Twilight |
| Belgians |
Killarney Evening |
Out Of The Valley |
Windswept |
| Black Ice - Wolves |
King's Farmhouse |
Polar Bear |
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| Ceader Medow |
Lake Crossing |
Ragged Rock |
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| Cedar Woods |
Lake Edge (CANVAS) |
River Otter |
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| Dusk |
Lake Edge (PAPER) |
Riverbed |
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