Philip Townsend
San Francisco Art Exchange
San Francisco, California
Thurs, May 14, 2009

Before departing Toronto for San Francisco
A Valentine tells me...
"Stop by the San Francisco Art Exchange
You may find the exhibit of Marilyn Monroe
And James Dean of interest
And say hello to my friends who run it"
So of course we stop by
However, when we arrive
We’re greeted by big beautiful b&w prints of
The Rolling Stones
It appears Marilyn and James have left the building
And men are carrying new pieces of art into the shop
Tearing the brown paper apart
And hanging the enormous frames
Over the chatter of ringing phones and clicking keyboards
Many of the images of the Stones I've seen before
But I’m drawn by the larger than life photos of Keith Richards
"Look at Brian Jones, he looks 12", I say to Amy
When suddenly I feel a tap on my shoulder
And a woman says...
"If you'd like to know more about that photograph
This gentleman here knows a little something about it"
We’re immediately introduced to Philip Townsend
60s culture and rock & roll photographer
The first photographer, by the way, to ever shoot the Rolling Stones
And a perfectly charming British gentleman, I might add
We chat with Mr Townsend at length over the images
His favourite Stone is Keith
Whom Townsend still sees from time to time, so he tells me
Needless to say
This is a great surprise to our San Francisco day
"Fourteen Reknowned Photographers, One Immortal Band"
Is the name of the exhibit opening on the weekend
But we’re leaving San Francisco by then
So we consider ourselves lucky to have dropped by today
After extending my Valentine greeting to Jim the owner
We prepare to leave just as boxes start arriving
Jim says, "if you'd like the first copy of Philip's book
Now's your chance"
Sorry You Missed the Sixties ~ The Limited Editions
Is a lovely collection of Townsend’s work
So of course I buy it
And he signs it...
"congratulations for being the first person to buy my new book"
And Townsend says not once, but twice...
“be sure and contact me if you’re ever in London”
Gosh, damn, darnit, I truly believe he means it!
A photo is taken of me, Philip Townsend and Amy
Standing beside the rock photographer’s photo that started the conversation
I'm holding the book



Townsend is only one of the photographers
taking part in the exhibit
"Fourteen Renowned Photographers, One Immortal Band"
http://www.sfae.com/index.php?action=search&table=keywords&item=decca&lower-limit=15&start=15&orderby=

http://www.philiptownsend.com/index.html