Redmetal Barn
26960 River Road, Cloverdale, CA 95425
MEDIA ADVISORY – September 14, 2016
Contact: Tod Hill, todjhill@gmail.com, 415.218.3242
Redmetal Barn Presents:
MOTHER, TEACHER, PAINTER, SPY – THE ART OF MARLYN AGNEW
Redmetal Barn, a private art space, will host a one day exhibit of the art of Marlyn Agnew on October 16
from 2pm to 5pm. The title of the exhibit – Mother, Teacher, Painter, Spy – comes from Agnew’s unusual
and amazing life and her uncanny talent. After raising seven children in Madison, Wisconsin, Agnew
discovered her passion and talent for painting, acquired her MFA and taught art at the University of
Wisconsin. In the late 1980s she moved to Virginia where she secured significant portrait commissions
while working for the Defense Intelligence Agency until her retirement in 2004. She had once expressed a
desire to “retire to the Greek Isles to run a safe house and paint” but sadly, the onset of Alzheimer’s took
that dream away. She passed away in 2012.
Agnew’s portraits brilliantly capture a person’s likeness while reflecting the spirit, mood, and character of
her subject, often with a direct stare or knowing gaze. Her landscapes –really dreamscapes—emerged
from her sub-conscious, and are bright and soaring, celestial and surreal. As an artist, she often painted
her children, with the loving eye of a mother. Like the best teachers, her work challenges and inspires us.
And perhaps like a spy, her work demonstrates deep insights into the human psyche.
This exhibit will be the second exhibit at Redmetal Barn which is bringing the work of national and global
artists to Northern Sonoma County.
WHAT: Paintings and drawings by Marlyn Agnew, refreshments, conversation, and a chance to meet
Agnew’s children, Theresa, Peter and Michael.
WHO: Lovers of art, mothers, teachers, and spies; Jenness Brewer, curator at Redmetal Barn; and
Agnew’s son Peter McAweeney, Cloverdale resident.
WHEN: Sunday, October 16, 2pm to 5pm.
WHERE: Redmetal Barn, 26960 River Road, Cloverdale, CA 95425. Visitors should park through the
barn entrance gate, to the right in the field.