About Jan Kornegay Dappen

Jan Dappen, a Southern girl from Columbus, Georgia, is a realist oil painter with a dollop of Impressionism. She is self-taught and loves the journey of learning, experimenting with the lights and contrasts and playing with the colors.  Although oils were not her first love, they will probably be her last. She started drawing and showing talent at the early age of three. Her Mother and Father were both very supportive and encouraged Jan to pursue her dreams as an artist. She mostly worked with graphite pencils, charcoal, pastels and painted some early simple compositions in watercolors.                                               

Jan did not truly develop her personal style until later in life …after many years of drawing for others, taking care of her family of three children and finding the time to donate to her art,  She considers her children to be her true masterpieces! Her husband was Career Army and stationed in Frankfurt and Stuttgart, Germany where they resided for eleven years. Besides an Honorable mention in the Georgia State Fair when Jan was in the first grade (because they did not believe she drew it alone), her first exhibition was in Frankfurt for the German/Military Community. She exhibited three graphite portraits.  Living in Europe only inspired her to draw more and provided her to experience the amazing art displayed in the museums and churches.  Jan captured many ideas in her mind, through photos and sketches, as she walked down those cobblestone roads and through the vineyards soaking up the history.

Jan’s growth and development accelerated after moving to Ellijay to their Cabin in the North Georgia Mountains. In Jan’s words… “Finding an old, neglected, weathered barn or homestead and recreating it into a piece of art that sparks your interest in the story behind the painting inspires me to paint. Seeing the laughter and tears of a young child inspires me to capture the moment.  It is the natural, the untouched, the beauty of nature and the world that surrounds me that takes my breath away and leads me to the easel. Perhaps my life experiences have led me to seize the imperfect as well as the perfect moments.”

Born and raised in the South and settled here in the Southern portion of the Appalachian Mountains, most of her compositions reflect the culture and history of the South and North Georgia mountains. Her goal is to share what her eyes see, what her heart feels, and to provide a pleasure or memory. There is a desire to embrace the natural talent God has given her and share with others.

Jan and her husband are both retired. She spends most of her time, when not with her family and six grandchildren, painting in her studio; while Rick takes care of the photography, framing, matting and everything else, he says, but painting.  Jan was commissioned to paint a portrait of Popcorn Sutton in 2013. The painting of this well-known moonshiner became very popular and along with her Rustic Barns and North Georgia/Ellijay compositions, her artwork is now recognized and on display in several places in Ellijay, Blue Ridge and Cartersville.  

Jan is proud and honored that she has 6 large canvases (3 originals and 3 Giclee Prints) displayed on the walls of the State Capitol Building in Atlanta, GA in the offices of the Speaker of the House David Ralston since May of 2019.  Her art can also be found at Gilmer Arts, NGAF Gallery in Blue Ridge, Cartecay Vineyards, Chateau Meichtry Vineyards and Winery, Ott Farms and Vineyard, Mountain Treasures, Cartecay Wine and Craft, River Street Tavern, Appalachian Café and at JZ’s Taste of Georgia in Cartersville, GA. During special tours at Chateau Meichtry, you can see her original oil 9’x 11.5’ Mural in the Winery located in the Cellar. Jan painted and drew several wine labels for Chateau Meichtry, painted most of their outdoor signage and three paintings and 2 prints of the Mural in their new tasting room. Jan painted the large mural chimney logos for Cartecay Wine and Craft in Ellijay and Blue Ridge and the signs that hang over the doorway. Restoring the old menu on the wall at Cartecay Wine and Craft so it could be read was challenging physically but most enjoyable. Along with a talented photographer from Mylor Bridge, UK – Terri Waters, she and Terri painted and designed the logos and wine labels for Ott Vineyards.

During Covid, Jan filled her time with painting and teaching online classes, providing her students from various Wine and Canvas classes a place to continue painting.

Plein Air Awards

Sunshine Bridge at the Cartecay Vineyard, Chosen by Larry Lykins as “Vintner’s Choice Award at Ellijay Vineyard Plein Air Event in 2015

River Street Tavern, Awarded Best in Show at Plein Air in the Mountains 2017

Willard’s Path, tied Runner-up in Quick Draw Competition at Plein Air, Art in the Mountains 2020

Juried Exhibition Awards

Sunrise at Misty Lake, Honorary Mention at 2020 Gilmer Arts Juried Art Exhibition

Drewby Meets Buddy Second Place-People’s Choice Award at 2021 Gilmer Arts Juried Exhibition

International Awards

Reflections at Lake Louise won Best in Show at Fusion Art’s International Juried Waterscapes Exhibition Oct 4 – Nov 4, 2020

Please visit all her work at

https://www.JanDappen.com

Contact her at jan.dappen8@gmail.com  or call 678-778-3711