about Margaret Townsend
I am a painter and installation artist living and working in Bath.
Education: Foundation Certificate in Art and Design
The City of Bath College, 2003
BA (Hons) Fine Art
Bath Spa University, 2009
My journey from foundation level to degree began with the fascination I held for the development of Appropriation as an art form and my attraction to the decorative. The most particular form of decoration that I admire is the art of Japanese pattern construction, which is a key influence on my style of painting, where I often use the motifs found on patterned origami papers and kimono fabrics. As well as these designs I frequently take my ideas from fashion, theatre and other design sources.
Fashion and advertising designers often plunder from the world of Fine Art for their inspiration and I feel that I am reversing that trend. These twin strands of decoration and appropriation inform and enliven my practice.