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The second book published by Blue Moon Press,
'Making & Marketing Better Work ',
specifically address the issues and concerns
raised by artists who have achieved some level
of success, who know that they can accomplish
more, and are looking for a way of upgrading
their work and/or methods of working. In pages
of this second book, Milon Townsend brings to
the situation an active understanding that there
is no one-size-fits-all solution. He instead
seeks to inculcate, within each practitioner of
art or craft, the skills and perspective needed
to make informed decisions. All decisions to be
made are held up to the artist's own set of
goals, compared against self-defined standards
of success. In the book, he lays out a logical
and orderly sequence of steps. These begin with
defining your goals, and continue, exploring the
choices and options available to you, once you
have established the fundamentals. He has
learned, through personal experience, how to
handle many of the problems and issues that
confront the working artist. His ideas and
methods are based on the solid foundation of 30
years of experience in the worlds of craft and
art. Milon Townsend has been making and selling
his work since 1974. His career has ranged from
retail craft shows to solo exhibitions in fine
galleries. He currently sells his work and that
of his studio to over 300 stores and galleries
throughout America and the world.
Also available through Blue Moon Press are
the first 2 videos that Milon has produced,
'What Is Man?'and 'Flameworking with Teamwork,
Technology & Scale' 'What Is Man?'Aspects of
Scale in Flameworked Sculpture, is a videotape
that will help flameworkers think on a different
scale, to be willing to try a larger piece than
they might have thought possible. 'Flameworking
with Teamwork, Technology & Scale'
illustrates how artist Milon Townsend
collaborates with other glass artists to create
one of his 'Tidal Pool' series of paperweights.
The camera then follows one of his 'Body
Language' sculptures through from beginning to
completion, bringing together the waterjet,
diamond grinder, abrasive blaster and
ultraviolet adhesives to serve the idea
represented in the artwork. Finally, the tape
gives a brief glimpse into the setup and process
involved in making large solid flameworked
pieces. High quality T-shirts, featuring images
of Milon's work, produced in collaboration with
Northstar® Glassworks, the premier manufacturer
of colored borosilicate, and CBS® - Coatings By
Sandberg, the best dichroic coating sandblasting
available, may be ordered as well. A poster
commemorating Milon's appearance at the Eugene
Glass School in Oregon, may be ordered
separately. He lives and works just outside a
small village near Rochester, NY, with his wife
Kiyoko and their son Timo. Milon works with a
loosely configured team of skilled glass
artists, who are an integral part of the
creation of his pieces.
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Blue Moon Press was
founded by glass artist Milon Townsend to facilitate his
desire to impart advanced information on the subjects of
making flameworked glass as well as marketing artwork.
In the beginning, the focus was strictly on his own work
and methods. Blue Moon Press will soon be offering
information based on the technique and method of artists
other than Townsend. Milon Townsend has been working
with glass in the flame since 1973. Self-taught, he has
developed a host of unique technical approaches and
ideas that have helped to define his singular style.
Within the pages of 'Advanced Flameworking, Volume I ',
Milon clearly explains and illustrates his methods of
flameworking, as well as ways of thinking about working
with glass. His approach is different and will have a
profound and lasting impact on the field of flameworking.
Although the process sequences in the book do show
specific ideas for applications, the reader is
encouraged to experiment, recombine, and apply these
techniques to their own ideas. Beyond illustrating how
to make specific objects through flameworking technique,
Milon models a way of thinking about using the material.
Special attention is given to the human figure. A
reasonably realistic execution of the human form is an
essential skill when it comes to expressing ideas that
relate directly to the human experience. Milon Townsend
continues to develop his artwork, as well as designing
and coordinating the production of the studio pieces
that serve as his economic foundation. His sculptures
can be seen on his own website, 
