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.

October art exhibit featuring Frank Cantrel and John Weber

For the month of November, we’ll be showcasing the work of two local artists, Frank and John! The exhibit featuring their delicate yet vibrant paintings, will run from November 1 – November 30 at our City Center branch with a celebratory reception happening on Thursday, November 7 from 6pm – 8pm. Hope to see you there!

Meet the Artists

Frank Cantrel, Jr. is a third generation Washingtonian.  After a career of nearly forty years in law and public policy – including ten years working on Capitol Hill and nearly forty years in the telecommunications industry – he is pursuing a lifelong passion for art and fashioning a second career as an oil painter. Cantrel is participating in the Master Artist Program at the highly-respected Compass Atelier in Rockville, Maryland.  His artwork has been exhibited in four shows at the Yellow Barn Studio and Gallery in Glen Echo, Maryland and in a variety of art shows in the DC metropolitan area.  His work can be found in numerous private collections. Cantrel is a graduate of Fairfield University and George Mason University School of Law.  He and his wife, Anne, reside in Chevy Chase, Maryland.  They have three adult children – Katherine, Madeleine and Joe.

Artist Statement
Through the medium of oil paints, I capture the color and light that reflects the beauty and feeling of my chosen subject matter: an arresting landscape, the fiery glow of a sunset or the translucence of a flower petal.  Those are among the subjects that I find interesting, beautiful or inspiring, or all three.  They are ones that I’d be happy to look at day after day and am pleased to share with others.  

Oil painting offers a different and stimulating challenge and represents a new chapter in life after nearly four decades in law and public policy.  The act of creation is a source of enjoyment and fulfillment.  I prefer to work in a loose and painterly style, feeling the dance of brush on canvas and enjoying the energetic results of bold brushstrokes. Nature’s beauty, as well as its intersection with human creation — such as architectural elements, ancient ruins and golf courses — compel my attention.  I experience the greatest pleasure in the spontaneity and challenge of plein air painting.  

John Weber is a Washington D.C. area artist and graduate in the Master Artist Program at The Compass Atelier in Rockville, MD. A long time painter while working as a journalist at National Public Radio (NPR), he received degrees from Montgomery College and the University of Maryland with a concentration in Studio Art.  He also studied in Valladolid, Spain and Bergamo, Italy.

Artist Statement
My representational and plein air oil paintings of people, landscapes and flowers are based on experiences in the Washington, D.C. area and foreign travel. I use sketches and photos to create subjects that reflect the beauty and sometime quirkiness the eyes capture in a quick glance. The work that gives me greatest pleasure is that which evokes a response of wonder.

Photographs and/or videos will be taken at the opening reception event.