About
Hello
My name is Cassandra
Thank you for visiting my website.
I love oil painting. Any day I get to spend creating in my studio is the best day; it's like eating ice cream! I hope you see that love through my work. If you are interested in a piece please send me a message through this site or email me at cassandrahahnart@gmail.com for pricing. I accept payment with cash, Venmo, or personal check (for local Maine residents).
Biography
Cassandra Hahn was born in Vermont and graduated from Bennington College in 2003, receiving a B.A. in liberal arts with a concentration in photography and printmaking. During college, Hahn (née Hotaling) exhibited works at the Chaffee Art Center in Rutland, VT, and the Bennington College Senior Art Show in 2003. She also completed internships at the Chaffee Art Center, Vermont Arts Exchange in North Bennington, and the Lower East Side Printshop in NYC.
After college Hahn worked for 8 years as a staff photographer at the Rutland Herald. During her photojournalism career she won multiple awards including: 2008 Vermont Press Association first place sports photograph and second place general news photograph, 2009 New England Associated Press News Executives Association first place deadline news photograph (class II), and 2010 New England & Newspaper Press Association second place feature photograph.
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Hahn then embarked on her second career as a physician assistant, graduating from Franklin Pierce University in 2017 with her Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies, and subsequently moved to Maine to work in family medicine. In 2020, Hahn realized that she needed to find an outlet to relieve the stressors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, so one day she picked up a paint brush and started painting with acrylics. Finding the painting process cathartic, she tried oil painting and took to this medium instantly.
With a newfound love for art, Hahn can be found in her studio in Kennebunk (when not in the clinic), and has begun exhibiting work in Maine. In 2023 Hahn's work has been juried into the Yarmouth Art Festival, four group exhibits at Munka Gallery in Lewiston, and a group exhibit at York Public Library. Hahn has a selection of paintings hanging at Bev's Cafe in Kennebunk which are available for sale, and has had work on exhibit at Ocean House Gallery in South Portland and Engine in Biddeford. Hahn is also an artist member of the Kittery Art Association, York Art Association, and River Tree Arts in Kennebunk and has exhibited work in multiple group shows at these galleries.
Artist Statement
I work in oil painting, depicting seascapes of coastal Maine and landscapes inspired by memories from my Vermont childhood. I sometimes use my own photos as a reference, but usually for only a portion of the composition, such as an interesting cloud or a foreground; with the rest of the painting being created from memories or my imagination. I find painting to be a meditative practice, and my intent is to make images that give my audience a sense of calm, as well as an appreciation for the New England landscape. Depending on my mood and the time of day I want to portray, my paintings may include bright and bold colors, dark clouds contrasted with bright skies, or muted pastels and grays. I often use dry brushing, but may also add defined brushstrokes that stand out on their own, sometimes with thicker layers that provide dimension and texture. Throughout my life I have been most drawn to the luminists, expressionists, impressionists and post-impressionists, and I continue to draw inspiration from these art movements as I visit museums and galleries.
