The Art of Cassandra Christensen Barney

Art by Cassandra Barney


Influenced by art of the 16th century and the princess postcards she collected as a child, Cassandra Christensen Barney loves the simple storytelling found in portraits. “I loved that the characters were not always pretty, but looked like regular people playing dress up,” Cassandra says. “Ambiguous and poignant, they are not vain, not beautiful in the classic sense, unafraid to bare their melancholy and even show some sadness,” she says. “Their beauty is in their simplicity, which easily allows the viewer in and to wonder what they are thinking.”
Adara and Her Sister is rich in symbolism. The name Adara translates as “beauty,” the butterfly is fragile and short-lived, and the vines which surround them subtly suggest the bonds of family.

Adara and Her Sister


“If there is no opposition, nothing to push against, we would merely float. If that was the case, how would we grow?” begins Cassandra. How can we know joy if we never know pain? “We all have our issues to contend with and it is through that conflict that personal growth is found. Reward comes from engaging in challenges, finding solutions and learning endurance.”
At the same time, is it necessary that this process of resolving has to be a fight? By changing our perspective, could we see those challenges another way? What if instead of fighting through life, we dance?
And Then They Danced is a painting about finding beauty in the battle. The figure chooses this dance, aware and onstage, sharing her conquest and what she is to gain.
“Bullfighting is traditional, dangerous and potentially beautiful but cruel. If I were a matador, I would rather dance. I would turn that fight into something beautiful.

And Then They Danced

Size

Edition Size

Type

Price

19 x 15

75

Giclée Canvas

$495


“I was listening to a talk in church about the Atonement. It's something I've heard about my entire life, but never really tried to understand. As used in the scriptures, ‘to atone’ is to suffer the penalty for sins, thereby removing the effects of sin from the repentant sinner and allowing him or her to be reconciled to God. Jesus Christ was the only one capable of carrying out the Atonement for all mankind and did so.
“I had a moment of clarity and while I thought, I drew in my sketchbook. I did a sketch of pure white petals falling from the sky like a gift. The petals are mallow which is a symbol of gentleness. As they touched the figure they took away her impurities, leaving her clean and perfect. The red petals symbolize the blood that Christ spilt for us ... and all the figure had to do was look up and accept the gift.”

Atonement

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
17 x 26	75	Giclée Canvas	$495

All That I Have I Give To You

Be Where Your Feet Are

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
13 x 26	75	Giclée Canvas	$250

Christianna
Small Works

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
9 x 12	95	Giclée Canvas	$195


Fresh and funky, stirring and enigmatic, Cassandra Christensen Barney’s portraits charm the viewer with their unique take on the feminine mystique. Ask any of Barney’s growing circle of loyal collectors what makes them anxiously await each new portrait and the answers may be wildly diverse. Simply, each viewer brings their own meaning to each canvas. Inspired by mythology and folklore, Barney’s women often take on layers of rich symbolism and Demetria is no exception. Named for the Greek goddess of harvest, Demertia glows with fertility and abundance.

Demetria

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
12 x 24	100	Giclée Canvas	$495


At first glance, the viewer is drawn to the rich imagery and color of Cassandra Christensen Barney’s Fine Art Limited Editions. One of the staples of Barney’s exquisite portraiture is her ability to layer her work with rich symbolism. The Engagement explores concepts of promise, commitment and hope. The uncaged bird chooses to offer a gift, presenting our heroine with a poppy—which is both beautiful and fragile. Within the poppy is a ring, the symbol of eternity and a flame, symbolizing desire. There are also a pair of poppies entwined and waiting to blossom.
Influenced by art of the 16th century, artist Cassandra loves the narrative aspect of portraits. Each of her truly unique paintings is a frank, compelling and often mysterious portrait of the “muses” of our daily lives.The feminine charms of her characters have captured the attention of the sophisticated fine art collector

The Engagement

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
24 x 12	100	Giclée Canvas	$495


Cassandra Barney evokes the emotions of the viewer through her frank, compelling portraits of the "muses" of our daily lives, with their soft, gentle eloquence and mysterious beauty.
Courting Pandora, Barney's recent show of original paintings, was based on the female archetype of Pandora who, according to legend, could not resist opening a mysterious box which unleashed evil on earth (but also contained "hope"). "I don't feel that Pandora was tricked into, or was naively curious about opening that box," says Barney. "Remember, she was the culmination of all the gods' gifts to man and not just some passive beauty. I think she intentionally brought the balance of good and evil into the world.
The elusive butterflies that flutter about Pandora, Etta and Ramona whisper of the women's passions, hopes and fears, inviting you into their intimate reflections. Displayed on their own, or combined with Cassandra's other works, these distinctive gems capture the simple eloquence of life's many moods.

Etta


"I think of the garden as a sanctuary, a safe place," says Cassandra Christensen Barney. "The women in this painting finds herself in a world of their own creation, having discovered the bliss of her own space." The feminine charms of Cassandra's exquisitely stylized portraiture suggest the "muses" of our daily lives. Perhaps they suggest someone we know, or someone we are or want to be. And the artist loves this narrative aspect of portraits. Once staple of creating any story, the setting, is chosen, the characters take over. In Fleur, our heroine wears a flower in her hair so she can be reminded of her special place wherever she may roam."

Fleur

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
12 x 18	100	Giclée Canvas	$395


When I was a young girl, my first trip away from home on my own was to Murcia, Spain. Murcia is a very historic city, which offered me insight into everyday Spanish life, as well as their rich legacy of art. The Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians, Phoenicians and Moors have all left their mark on Murcia. Founded in around 831 AD, the city is home to many beautiful cathedrals and palaces around its many narrow streets. Although I found myself on a wonderful journey, something was missing. But the friendship and comfort of the four Spanish sisters with whom I had stayed eased my homesickness.

Four Spanish Sisters

Genevieve


"Don’t pick it up, and don’t put it down." - African Proverb
“I once saw an interview with Maya Angelou,” says artist Cassandra Barney, “in which she talked about praise and criticism. She said that if you keep to yourself—here symbolized by the figure’s hands folded in her lap—then the harsh words of others won’t bring you down and their flattery won’t over-inflate your ego.This regal woman understands the importance of community and family, but she knows, too, that in the end you must believe in yourself and be able stand on your own two feet. It is her inner strength that gives her such beauty.”
The popularity of Cassandra Barney’s elegant portraits has gained momentum over the last few years, from gallery walls to the Internet. “Thanks for making my heart happy with your art,” wrote one recent visitor to Barney’s weblog. This is essential art for a new generation—loving, growing and strong.

The Incumbent

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
12 x 18	100	Giclée Canvas	$395

Little Secrets

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
12 x 18	100	Giclée Canvas	$395

Minerva

My Fate Is Not Your Fate

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
14 x 28	50	Giclée Canvas	$495


The rose has been used for centuries to convey messages without words. The Latin expression sub rosa (literally “under the rose”) means something told in secret, thus the rose has long been a symbol of confidentiality.
The woman here sits sub rosa. Your Name is Safe in My Mouth means that she will never speak badly of you. This is means more than simply your-secrets-are-her-secrets. This painting is about discovering the trust in love because having trust in a partner is invaluable. Nothing that will hurt the ones you love should come from your mouth. It is one way of honoring the people that you care about.
The flower she holds is the lily of the valley. Some think this flower is referred to in Song of Songs: 2.1 ("…a lily among thorns"), concerning the idea that the true path is able to thrive in even the harshest environment. This flower also carries with it the sentiment, "You will find happiness." In either case, this woman’s relationship will thrive because she chooses to base it on honor and trust.

Your Name Is Safe In My Mouth

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
9 x 23	75	Giclée Canvas	$325

Only Eve Could Hear the Bird's Love Song

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
30 x 15	100	Giclée Canvas	$595


Cassandra Barney evokes the emotions of the viewer through her frank, compelling portraits of the "muses" of our daily lives, with their soft, gentle eloquence and mysterious beauty.
Courting Pandora, Barney's recent show of original paintings, was based on the female archetype of Pandora who, according to legend, could not resist opening a mysterious box which unleashed evil on earth (but also contained "hope"). "I don't feel that Pandora was tricked into, or was naively curious about opening that box," says Barney. "Remember, she was the culmination of all the gods' gifts to man and not just some passive beauty. I think she intentionally brought the balance of good and evil into the world.
The elusive butterflies that flutter about Pandora, Etta and Ramona whisper of the women's passions, hopes and fears, inviting you into their intimate reflections. Displayed on their own, or combined with Cassandra's other works, these distinctive gems capture the simple eloquence of life's many moods.

Pandora


“While I worked on this painting, I often thought about paradise,” says artist Cassandra Barney. “I was thinking about the times in my life when I have felt absolute contentment, a beautiful feeling that has come at times when I’ve lost myself in the care of others. The figure in the painting holds a strawberry, which has many associations including fertility, chastity, heaven, holy trinity, humility, paradise and purity. Fruit is considered to be evidence of God’s kindness and a symbol of his Providence. Fruit is also a symbol of good luck and several kinds of fruit frame the top of the painting. The lambs are in the care of this ever-vigilant shepherdess and she is in a state of bliss.”

Presence

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
20 x 15	100	Giclée Canvas	$495


“You can’t have it all,” they told her. “It’s just not realistic.” But she took a different path and persevered, and after a while she found that her hard work and belief had brought the things that mattered within her reach. The brave and lovely bride rests now, enjoying the fruits of her dreams.
Cassandra Barney’s portraits offer a glimpse into the inner lives of women. Each woman is a mystery and each painting her story. She Wanted Fame, Fortune, and Flowers, Too will make an inspirational gift for the brave and lovely woman in your own life.

She Wanted Fame, Fortune, and Flowers Too

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
12 x 18	100	Giclée Canvas	$395

Queen Bee

Ramona

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
5 5/8 x 11 5/8	250	Giclée Canvas	$95

Theodosia


"I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -Maya Angelou
“The first time I put on an apron,” says artist Cassandra Barney, “I thought it created an illusion of working very hard, which I enjoyed. I also thought it was sassy to stomp around the kitchen in heels and my apron…but that symbol has transformed for me into an image of charity and hard work. It’s not necessarily about motherhood because there are, I think, opportunities in every season of our lives for us to give to those around us.With this painting, I’d like to pay tribute to those who give because they love.”

Together They Could Do So Much More

Size	Edition Size	Type	Price
24 x 18	75	Giclée Canvas	$495

Violetta