1. Cassandra Barney It Was Her Heart $295.00
2. Cassandra Barney Angelinas Paradise $495.00
“At times I have had delusional ideas about surrounding myself with perfection and about how I defined paradise,” explains Cassandra Barney. “I tried to picture what my paradise looked like. Is it a blissful garden where nothing ever happens? Does it smell like coconut and sound like trickling water and birds singing? Or is it something totally different. Maybe paradise is where I am; a place where the only thing at rest is my heart. It's a place where a lot is happening. Maybe it smells like dish soap as I clean the kitchen after dinner and sounds like raucous music, children discussing homework and my parrot who really wants out of his cage.”
“'Angelina’s Paradise' is not a place; it is how she chooses to perceive her surroundings. She has the wisdom to see Paradise about her. The idea is not all that different from my painting 'Be Where Your Feet Are.'”
3. Cassandra Barney Comfort $450.00
“Some paintings just flow off the end of your brush, others evolve over time. Comfort was one that took a while,” Cassandra Barney explains. “My husband said that every time I worked on it I would repaint the whole thing and lose what was a beautiful painting in the process. I think that happens sometimes. You have to be willing to give up on something that is not quite there in the process of finding something better. The layers of color and luscious texture the painting has taken on are a result of that repainting process.”
“That approach also gave the painting the time to evolve into a more pertinent reflection of the feeling I wanted to express about motherhood. We all want to be a source of strength when it comes to caring for and protecting our children and at the same time we have that time need to be loved and protected as well. It's about giving comfort and the comfort you receive in return. In providing comfort to my little lambs, I receive the same in return.”
Cassandra Barney’s distinctive style and voice are an exceptional blend of contemporary vision and sincere values. Comfort, like its sister work Mary Magdalene, stands out for not only the extraordinary beauty of its execution but for the warmth of its message. This Greenwich Workshop Fine Art Edition can be ordered gallery wrapped for a frameless, contemporary presentation.
4. Cassandra Barney If You Should Leave Me $495.00
“I paint strong women who take chances in life,” says the artist. “They really put themselves out there by giving everything to all they do, including their relationships. I think that with such great passion comes great vulnerability. I don’t think it’s the fear of being alone, but a deep understanding of the loss of something so beautiful.
5. Cassandra Barney Three Graces $595.00
This trio of figures represents Faith, Hope and Charity. Faith has a sprout rising up from her heart like the line in a song, “Faith is like a little seed, if planted, it will grow.” In the center, Pandora’s box rests at Hope’s feet. If you remember the story, after evil was released from the box all that remained inside was hope. Lastly, Charity stands to the right, apron on and ready to get to work.
6. Cassandra Barney And Then They Danced $495.00
“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.
7. Cassandra Barney Presence $495.00
“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.”
8. Cassandra Barney Atonement $495.00
“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.”
9. Cassandra Barney Your Name is Safe in My Mouth $325.00
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 (àa 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.
10. Cassandra Barney The Incumbent $395.00
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 yourselfùhere symbolized by the figure’s hands folded in her lapùthen 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 generationùloving, growing and strong.
11. Cassandra Barney Together They Could Do so Much $495.00
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 apronàbut 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.”
12. Cassandra Barney Minerva $495.00
Also known as Athena, this Greco-Roman goddess personified wisdom, the arts and war. She was typically portrayed accompanied by an owl (a traditional symbol of wisdom) but this Minerva takes a new approach to the symbol, grasping it tightly in her fist, holding fast to her hard-won wisdom. I'm fascinated by the idea that she brought art as well as war to the earth, says Barney. Does the war make the art necessary? Is the art she brings worth the high price of war?
13. Cassandra Barney Theodosia $495.00
The name Theodosia means God's gift in Greek. The scarab beetle, an Egyptian symbol of resurrection, flies close to her hand. 'Theodosia' is about embracing spirituality, says the artist. We don't know if she's reaching for the beetle or letting it go, but it's never far away. Teh gentle golden glow on Theodosia's hair suggests a heavenly countenance just may be keeping watch.
14. Cassandra Barney All that I Have to Give is Yours $595.00
We all know women who find their greatest joy in giving to and caring for others, women who are only content when the ones they love are safe, healthy and happy. I had originally intended this to be a reverent and solemn piece, but when it was finished, I realized this woman is happy, really happy, to be giving all she has, says Cassandra Barney.
Life is full of these moments of change and the figures in these paintings are striving for something. The quartet is about committing to an action rather than expecting an answer. Rather than the traditional blessing of poetry, dance or music, these extraordinary, elegant muses inspire us to grow, to change and to never give up.
15. Cassandra Barney Violetta $595.00
Violets are a symbol of innocence and purity. The Violetta in this painting is reaching up for that innocence; she's really trying to improve herself and her life. Violetta's searching gray eyes and curved half-smile strenghten each of us in ourn quest for personal growth.
16. Cassandra Barney Only Eve Could Hear the Birds Love Song $595.00
Listen. Can you hear it? That little tune in the air, a simple reminder to stop and smell the roses - or perhaps, a clue to the meaning of life itself. Each of us are given little gifts, moments that make us see the people, places and experiences which comprise our world in a whole new way. In Cassandra Barney's latest limited edition, Eve is experiencing one of those moments. She appears doe-eyed, lost in her own song, as her companions stare at the viewer. It is the beauty of Cassandra's charming women, combined with this evergreen message, that gently remind us to look and listen to the little moments.
17. Cassandra Barney She Wanted Fame Fortune and Flowers Too $395.00
“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.
18. Cassandra Barney Little Secrets $395.00
In Greek, the word is ornis; in Latin it is avis; and in Hebrew it is mopeth. When translated into English these words each have the same two meanings: “bird” and “omen.” The association of birds with prophecy is a primeval one and can be seen in augury, the ancient art of predicting the future by observing the behavior of birds.
In Little Secrets, a woman is visited by a small bird with a secret trapped in its beak. Whether the woman has just confided in the bird, or is hoping to hear its news, one thing is clear: this bird is not telling.
The subjects of Cassandra Barney’s compelling portraits are instantly recognizable for their grace and their enigmatic gazes and the woman in this painting is no exception. This is one Little Secret you will love to keep.
19. Cassandra Barney My Fate is not Your Fate $495.00
The figures in Cassandra Christensen Barney's paintings have the grace of angels, the enigmatic gazes of sphinxes and a history stretching back through millennia of mythology and literature. Inspired by portraiture of the sixteenth century, Barney has brought us such portraits as Demetria, Eve and Pandora. Her newest piece however, My Fate is Not Your Fate, draws on the collective unconscious-what we all share and what is common to all of us.
The two women in My Fate is Not Your Fate represent the fork in a lifelong road. As children, they may have shared similar experiences, but in adulthood their paths take different directions. Although they stand beside one another as they have for years, their postures indicate alternative possibilities. We all may share many common threads but, says Barney, we don't all have to want the same thing.
20. Cassandra Barney Demetria $495.00
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.
21. Cassandra Barney Fleur $395.00
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.
