CASSANDRA CHRISTENSEN-BARNEY
LIMITED EDITIONS

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. C. C. B.

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."

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. C. C. B.