MARILYN BRENT
Title of Work: Garage in Back Yard
Oil (47" X 94")

Marilyn Brent of Linwood, NJ has lived and painted in New Jersey for the past fifteen years.  Her South Jersey surroundings have figured prominently in her work, which includes drawings and paintings of landscape, figure, and genre subjects.   Rather than seeing her vicinity as mundane, she feels that “believing in our surroundingsand possessing an energy or spirit endows power and prevents taking them for granted." She seeks to convey this spirit and power through the evocation of mood in her work. She cites Edward Hopper as an influence: "I like the way Edward Hopper regards a place-deeming it significant without supplying an obvious storyline." Using oil sketches and photographs from real life, the artist adapts them in the studio, creating moods of apprehension or mystery that may not be immediately present. In addition to being featured in exhibitions and awarded numerous prizes, Ms. Brent's work will be featured in the Arts Center’s gallery for the entire month of January, 2007