Solo Exhibition | Jackson, Wy
Once upon a time, California artist Robert Townsend bought some slides on eBay, hoping to find the Americana scenes he paints in his hyperrealist style. Thus begins the heartwarming story of a contemporary painter who discovered far more than material inspiration: he found his muse—a woman who lived her life in full-color Kodachrome. And the more he learned about Helen, the louder the call became to spend the next two decades of his life painting her life—her marriage, her travels, her panache and her personality. “Helen will keep him busy for years,” says her surviving niece Cheryl. “He just has to follow the trail.”
And follow her trail he does in his new paintings at Altamira and in a new documentary, My Indiana Muse, by Serena Creative, which is sweeping up awards at recent film festivals, including Best Short at the Beverly Hills Film Festival. On canvas and onscreen, Townsend conveys the magic of this midcentury-meets-modern fairy tale: how two lives, separated by time and place, can share the same joie de vivre. “I think she’s teaching a lesson—to me—about celebrating life,” Townsend says.
Altamira Fine Art is proud to feature an artist as intuitive and inspired as Townsend. Having spent decades diligently painting commonplace icons of the American landscape—neon signs, hotel billboards, old cars cast in a style influenced by the likes of Wayne Thiebaud and Robert Bechtle—he has finally found his raison d’être: To celebrate the joy of living the American dream, as Helen did every day.
Wanderlust, the solo exhibition of new Helen paintings, opens on August 13, and the artist will attend the ArtWalk Reception from 5 to 8pm on August 16.
FILM SCREENING | MY INDIANA MUSE | AUGUST 25
To close the memorable show on August 25, Altamira Fine Art is hosting the Wyoming premiere of the award winning documentary film My Indiana Muse at the Center for the Arts in downtown Jackson. Townsend, the film's directors, Ric and Jen Serena, and Helen’s niece Cheryl will be in attendance and will host a Q & A following the film.
My Indiana Muse Film Screening and Retro Cocktail Party
Saturday, August 25th, 2018
Center for the Arts, Jackson Hole, WY
6pm Cocktails
7pm Film
Q & A to follow
1960's attire encouraged
Tickets will sell out quickly, and are sold through the Center for the Arts box office. Purchase tickets online here.
For more information, please contact Altamira Fine Art by email (connect@AltamiraArt.com) or phone (307-739-4700).
