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.  

BIOGRAPHY

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.  Cantrel’s 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.