In November 1991, Jan Lukens was awarded a painting exhibition at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC for winning top honors in a national portrait competition. This fueled his decision to leave an illustrious advertising career behind for a life in the fine arts.In July of 1992, he started Jan Lukens Portraits, specializing in equestrian portraiture. Marketing was accomplished by exhibiting at regional and national showjumping events across the country. His work has been featured on the covers of The Chronicle of the Horse, and in the pages of The Artists' magazine, The Equine Image, & Show Circuit. Jan has exhibited his paintings several times with the American Academy of Equine Art, and is a member of the American Society of Portrait Artists.He currently serves clients in 37 states & 7 foreign countries.
In 1999, Jan moved from his native North Carolina to the famous artists' colony of Old Lyme, Connecticut to receive classic academic training at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts. For 2 years, he studied anatomy and drew and painted from the live model for 25 hours a week, while maintaining a 50 hour a week studio schedule for his portrait commissions.In the fall of 2001, Jan transferred to the National Academy of Design in New York, where he opened a studio in Tribeca and also studied privately with legendary painters Daniel Greene, Burton Silverman, and Joe Rubinstein. As part of his study, he made copies of old master paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 2002, he was featured in the 2002 PBS documentary, 'A Day At The Met', which was broadcast nationally in 200 markets and included singer, Tony Bennett, director Julie Taymor, artist Faith Ringold, NY Times art critic, Michael Kimmelman, and Philippe de Montebello, the Met's director.In May of 2004, Jan received a commission from Paula Zahn and Richard Cohen to paint an equestrian portrait of their daughter and her horse. In March of 2005, Jan received two commissions from Hal & Kathy Kamine to paint Chris Kappler and the late Royal Kaliber, the individual silver medalists on the 2004 US Olympic showjumping gold medal team. One painting was for the Kamines' private collection, while the other was for the United States Equestrian Federation's collection in Lexington, Kentucky. In May of 2005, Jan moved his primary studio to an 1892 carriage house on the Long Island Sound in Groton, Eastern Point, Connecticut.
On February 5, 2006, Jan participated in the presentation of his painting of Chris and Roy to USEF president David O'Connor at a private party to memoralize Royal Kaliber and celebrate the Olympic gold medal showjumping team, minutes before they received their belated gold medals. Also in February 2006, Jan completed a portrait of another famous USA Olympic showjumping team horse and rider, Margie Goldstein Engle and Hidden Creek's Perin, for owner Mike Polaski. In December 2006, Jan completed a portrait for owner, Anne Whitten, of Olympic rider, Dr. Cesar Para on Galant du Surein, who won the Grand Prix at Dressage at Devon in September, 2006.In early 2007, Jan is currently working on a portrait of U.S. Equestrian Team member Marilyn Little on Rarete, and AGA 2006 Horse of the Year, Madison, for the Weeks family.
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Clients may commission Jan by contacting him to arrange a visit to their home or barn, or simply meeting him at a horse show. Travel expenses, other than horse shows where Jan is exhibiting or artist's receptions, are covered by the client.After the portrait commission is confirmed, the photo reference session is scheduled. Jan takes approximately 100 photographs during the session. His goal is to compose the portrait, and to have excellent reference for the pose and all necessary details, including face(s), hands, clothing, setting, and background.
When photography is completed, the client pays a deposit of 50% of the portrait fee, and is then placed on the commission schedule, which currently has a six to twelve month waiting list. A cd of the best digital photo files is mailed to the client as soon as possible, usually within a few days.
Before Jan is ready to begin the portrait painting, he e-mails the photos that he has selected to work from, usually with optional choices, to the client. The painting is not begun until the client approves the selection of reference photos.
Jan paints commissioned portraits exclusively in oil on canvas.
As the painting nears completion, the artist e-mails photos of the portrait in progress to his client for their review. This process has provided a phenomenal success rate for acceptance of final art without changes. When the portrait is completed, the client sends Jan the balance of the portrait fee. The day the check or credit card payment is received, the painting is packed and shipped FedEx overnight delivery, so that the client has the painting in hand the next morning.
Occasionally, at the client's discretion, Jan suggests a final sitting to complete the portrait painting from life.
