Shelley D. Townsend, born in Houston, Texas, began her artistic journey in Europe, where her family moved to support her mothers opera career. Living in Paris and Milan for eleven years, she was inspired by Italian sculptor Ernesto Ornati to pursue sculpture. Townsend honed her craft at Loretto Heights College in Denver, Colorado, earning BFA degrees in both Sculpture and Painting. Her career flourished in New York City and later in Connecticut, where she studied under Peter Rubino. Now back in Houston, Townsend has produced a significant body of work and enjoys teaching sculpture, sharing her passion for creating beauty in its most natural form.