Annette Townsend

Annette Marie Townsend is a Welsh interdisciplinary artist specialising in the field of Natural History.

After graduating with a BA (Hons) Design in 1995, she was employed by Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales as a Scientific Artist. Her career at the museum extended over 20 years, during which time she produced illustrations for academic publications and three dimensional models and dioramas for gallery display. She also trained and qualified as a Natural Science Conservator, helping to preserve and care for the millions of botanical, geological and zoological specimens in the natural science collections.

Now working as an independent artist, Annette creates exquisite artwork inspired by the natural world.  It embodies her fascination with intricate detail, realism and beauty while referencing her experience in preserving, documenting and storing scientific specimens in a museum context. She is widely known for her unique expertise in wax botanical sculpture and has presented papers and demonstrations at the Royal College of Surgeons, Chelsea Physic Gardens and the Hay Festival.

Annette has undertaken both private and public commissions including work for the National Botanic Garden of Wales, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Manchester Museum, English Heritage and the BBC.

Her scientific drawings and sculptures are held in the collections of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales and many of her models can been seen on permanent display in the public galleries at the National Museum Cardiff and Big Pit National Coal Museum.  

In 2020 Annette was selected by the Crafts Council to exhibit at ‘Collect Open’, Somerset House, London and in 2022 she was selected as a master artisan by the Michelangelo Foundation to give a live demonstration at ‘Homo Faber: Living Treasures of Europe and Japan’, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice. 

 All photo credits: Dewi Tannatt Lloyd