Collection: Rachel Townsend

Rachel Townsend

RTown (Rachel Townsend) is a contemporary artist and curator, and the founder of RTown Gallery. Working primarily in painting and mixed media, her work explores identity, place, and lived experience through a bold, intuitive visual language. Townsend balances expressive mark-making with layered symbolism, creating work that is both deeply personal and culturally resonant.

A graduate of the University of North Texas, where she earned a BFA in Drawing and Painting, Townsend’s academic training informs her strong command of composition, line, and material experimentation. Her practice embraces imperfection and process, allowing each piece to evolve organically through texture, gesture, and color rather than rigid planning.

In addition to her studio practice, Townsend is an active art curator, shaping exhibitions that elevate emerging and established artists while fostering accessible, community-centered dialogue around contemporary art. Her dual role as artist and curator offers a nuanced understanding of both creative production and presentation.

As a wife and mother of three, Townsend’s lived experience adds layers of resilience, intimacy, and emotional depth to her work. Rooted in storytelling, her paintings often reflect themes of femininity, transformation, and connection, inviting viewers into moments of shared humanity.

Under the moniker RTown, Rachel Townsend continues to build a distinctive artistic voice that bridges contemporary aesthetics with heartfelt narrative.

Curriculum Vitae

View Curriculum Vitae

EXHIBITIONS

Winter 2025 / Evolve Solo Exhibition / RTown Gallery / Grapevine / TX / US
Fall 2025 / Falcon & Owl / Round Top / Texas / US

Summer 2025 / Isla / The Art Lounge / South Padre Island / Texas / US

February 2024 / For the Love of Kettle / Kettle Art Gallery / Dallas / Texas / US

March 2023 / Mark Making - Celebrating the Art of Storytelling / Pencil on Paper Gallery / Dallas / Texas / US

March 2023 / Grapevine Contemporary 2023 / RTown Art Gallery / Grapevine / Texas / US

January 2023 / Extended Collection / RTown Art Gallery / Grapevine / Texas / US

July 1 - September 26 2022 / 2022 Tower Gallery Grapevine Artists Show / Grapevine CVB / Grapevine / Texas / US

2022 / Vitality Group Exhibition / Envision Arts / UNT Colab / Denton / Texas / US

2022 / Texas Now Online Showcase / ArtSpace 111 / Fort Worth / Texas / US

July 2022 / Art Reframed / RTown Studio + Showroom / Grapevine / Texas / US

July 2022 / Language of Light / Art Gallery Pure / Plano / Texas / US

March 2022 - June 2022 / Wait Gain / Group Show (Virtual) / Dab Art Co. / Artsy.net

May 2022 / The Other Art Fair / Saatchi Art / Dallas Market Hall / Texas / US

April 2022 / Spring Revolution Collection / RTown Studio + Showroom / Grapevine / Texas / US

April 2022 / In Bloom / Mata Hari House / Dallas Design District / Texas / US

March 2022 / Amethyst III / Group Show (Virtual) / Envision / Texas / US

January 2022 / Soft Grunge Collection / RTown Studio + Showroom / Grapevine / Texas / US

2021 / ARToberFEST / Historic Strand / Galveston / Texas / US

2021 / Downtown Street & Art Fair / Bryan / Texas / US

2021 / Texas Now Online Showcase / ArtSpace 111 / Fort Worth / Texas / US

2019 - 2021 / Sloan & Williams Winery / Grapevine Historic Main Street / Texas / US

December 2019 / Full Circle / Solo Show / Tom's Daiquiri / Denton / Texas / US

EDUCATION

2018 / BFA – Drawing and Painting / University of North Texas / Denton / Texas / US

2017 / "Art on Location" / Harlem / New York / US

AWARDS

2017 / Honorable Mention (Top Ten) / Junior Exhibition / University of North Texas / Denton / Texas / US

PRESS

2023 / Meow Wolf Impact on Art Culture in Grapevine / CBS Local News / Texas / US

2022 / RTown Studio + Showroom opens in Grapevine / Southlake Style / Southlake / Texas / US

2022 / RTown Studio + Showroom opens in Grapevine / Community Impact Newspaper / DFW / Texas / US

2022 / RTown Studio + Showroom Opens in Historic Grapevine / Glimer Mirror / Grapevine / Texas / US

2022 / Alumna shows contemporary side of Grapevine art scene through new studio, showroom / North Texas Daily / University of North Texas / Denton / Texas / US

2021 / Art as an Outlet: Finding your Fun + Paving your Own Balance / In the Kaleidoscope Podcast

RELATED EXPERIENCE

2022 --- Present / Gallerist / RTown Art Gallery / Grapevine / Texas / US

2020 --- 2021 / Collaboration / Pollyanna / Grapevine / Texas / US

2017-2018 ART Z / Teacher / Trophy Club / Texas / US