Frank Cannas is a New Yorker, born in the Bronx in 1936 of Italian immigrants. His Father was from the island of Sardinia and his Mother from the Abruzzi region of Italy.

Frank remembers at six years old being encouraged by his (usually stern) Father's esteem for art. "Poppy" found young Frank etching a fine design into his Mothers' dresser with a pin. Instead of reprimanding him he gave Frank a pad and pencil and told him, "This is where you draw. Not on the furniture."

Frank graduated from the School of Visual Arts illustration program in 1958 and apprenticed with the Illustrators Group before joining the the Ross Art Studio in his first staff artist position. From 1960 to 1967, he was a staff artist at Equitable Life Assurance Society.

Frank spent 1967 to 1970 freelancing-producing illustrations primarily for school textbooks, book covers and children's books, for such publishers as Dell Books, Holt Reinhard & Winston, Harcourt Brace & World, Western Printing, McGraw Hill, Rutledge Books, RC Gibson Co., and Random House. He also produced Illustrations and designs for advertising studios.

From 1971 to 1997, Frank joined Philip Morris Companies Inc's art department. Illustrating full color posters for company-sponsored horse, car, bicycle, sailboat, motorcross races and tennis tournaments, he also produced graphic designs for company promotions and charitable organizations.

He was commissioned to do portraits for the Tennis Hall of Fame of Don Budge first triple crown winner and Virginia Wade. One of his posters was reproduced in a very large lighted sign and hung in Grand Central Station during the US Tennis Open.

Frank began to exhibit in 1981 showing in national exhibits while still working at Philip Morris. In 1992, The Artist Magazine featured Frank's paintings with cover art and article about hard and soft edge painting. In 1997 he retired from his commercial art career and has been showing fine art in galleries in New York, New Jersey, Washington, Ohio and Connecticut.

In May 2001 he was featured in Art Times News with a front page review of his show at Shahinian Gallery by Raymond J. Stiener.

Frank has always painted for his own pleasure and loves to paint outdoors. Now painting is his way of life,and he paints plein-aire or in his studio at home.