A Revolving Art Exhibit Right In Your Community
Signal has partnered with The Compass Atelier to showcase ongoing monthly exhibitions of visual artists from the Washington Metropolitan area.
We’re excited to announce our new partnership and monthly exhibition with the art students of The Compass Atelier Master Artist Program. Our City Center branch will morph into a revolving art show, giving students a stage to display their visual artwork and get recognized in the community. A new artist will be highlighted each month with an opening celebratory reception taking place on the first Thursday of every month. Come by and enjoy wine, food, and music as we celebrate and recognize the artists of our community. Come back monthly to see which new artist we’re featuring at our City Center branch.
September art exhibit featuring Francie Dougherty and Carol Kaye
For the month of September, we’ll be showcasing the work of two local artist, Carol and Francie. The exhibit featuring their colorful sketches and paintings, will run from September 1 – September 31 at our City Center branch with a celebratory reception happening on Thursday, September 5 from 6pm – 8pm. Hope to see you there!
Meet the Artists
Francie Dougherty grew up in Charleston, SC and has lived in Poolesville, MD for the last 35 years. The margins of all of her school books were filled with sketches of horses which led her to a career in veterinary medicine. She built a practice, took on boarding, training, showing and rehabilitating sport horses, while raising a family. After her daughter became an adult, she sold her practice 
and her business. Francie now has a limited veterinary acupuncture practice and her passion for art has been rekindled. Soon to finish the Master Artist Program at Compass Atelier, she has had the privilege of working with some great artists and teachers Including Glen Kessler, Steven Assaels and Allysa Monks.
Artist Statement
My artwork takes as it’s primary subjects the flowers and places of my roots in the deep south. Although I haven’t lived there in many years I return to the sights that first inspired my art. The magnolia and camellia are two flowers that can transport me back straight back to our garden in Charleston. Giving life to them today through my paintings is a way to recapture those memories and offer them up to viewers who can experience them afresh through my brush strokes. Sunrises and sunsets at the farm I call home fascinate and astound me. The gorgeous scenes at the beginning and end of the day also speak to me about beginnings and endings. The ephemeral qualities of these moments seems a perfect metaphor for the fleeting nature of life’s memories.
Carol Kaye was born and raised in the old Roman City, St Albans, near London, England. As a young girl she developed a love of horses which directed her to extensive schooling in the equestrian world and she achieved the British Horse Society certification enabling her to become a teacher. She became the proprietor of a successful Thoroughbred racing 
and breeding establishment producing many fine racehorses. Carol has been honing her skills as an artist since 2016. Working with oil paint, she has blended her skills at art with six decades of equestrian experience primarily in the world of Thoroughbred racing and breeding. Carol works mostly with landscapes and the horse but is also an award winning still life artist. She studies at the Compass Atelier in Rockville.
Artist Statement
As a young girl in England I developed a passion for horses. Their power and majesty proved to be the primary motivation for the next six decades of my life’s choices including settling on the shores of America. Although starting my life in America as an equestrian teacher, I discovered Thoroughbred racing and found my true passion. I then dedicated my life to these magnificent animals eventually finding myself running a breeding farm. It was a wonderful life living in nature and I raised many horses. More importantly I raised three amazing sons. Time passes quickly though and as the challenges of running a farm become rather wearing, I find myself drawn to the beauty of nature in a different way, through the art of oil painting.
Whereas once I found the Thoroughbred to be a singular beacon of beauty in the natural world I now find beauty in so many different ways. I have a love of travel and I so enjoy portraying scenes from different countries besides paintings of the horse.
Photographs and/or videos will be taken at the opening reception event.