Cassandra
Christensen Barney was born and raised in Orem, Utah. She received her
Master’s degree in Fine Arts from Brigham Young University in 2000.
“I've had a passion for the craft of the portrait since I was a child.
As a young girl, I visited museums around the world with my father,
collecting postcards adorned with 16th century art. Exploring these
simple images captured my imagination, unlocking a world of discovery. I
love the art of storytelling, the layers of symbolism, and would create
my own stories of these quiet women, making the paintings my own. Today
I paint portraits that share my passion for storytelling while revealing
my personal journey of transition and discovery.”
Christensen Barney’s
images capture the souls of heroines, everyday women who have found
strength and personal victory in their diverse experiences. Her
portraits carry a range of emotion reflective of the events that have
shaped their character. Ambiguous and poignant, Cassandra’s women find
strength in their femininity. “They are beautiful and strong, because of
the complexity of their feminine nature” “My portraits may not always
feature the outwardly pretty or majestic, but they all share a quiet
beauty that asks us to listen and to feel. My work reflects my personal
narrative, yet my intent as an artist is to create an experience that
will allow the viewers to bring new interpretations to the symbols,
creating their own narrative and own sense of understanding and place.”
Christensen Barney and her father, James C. Christensen, delight in
working together. “My Dad inspires me to experiment with my own style,
media and interpretation. Painting together in his studio, we have
developed a wonderful synergy, critiquing each other and encouraging
each other to experiment with colors, surfaces and textures.”
Life is
truly art at Christensen Barney’s home as her husband is also an artist
and teacher. Her three daughters enjoy creating along side their
parents. In addition to her children, Barney encourages many others to
explore the world of art. She taught at The Waterford School for four
years and part time at BYU.