Born in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Jan Mapes became a sculptor and painter of animal subjects, particularly of horses, and has first-hand knowledge as a rancher in southern Colorado. Recognized for outstanding sculpture, she won the 1997 Gold Medal in Sculpture for "No Score" at the Knickerbocker Artists 45th Grand International Open Juried Exhibition. "Lickity Split" won the 1997 Grand Prize for Excellence in that same exhibit.
Her work has also been featured in the Loveland, Colorado Invitational Show and Sale; the Mountain Oyster Club in Tucson, Arizona; the Garden of Sculpture and Tent Show in Littleton, Colorado; and the Pendleton Roundup in Pendleton, Oregon. For 10 years, she has created the sculpture award to the Champion of the Colorado Stallion Breeders Association and has won many awards from the All American Limousin Association.
Her interest in horses was inspired by her mother and visits to her grandparents' horse farm in Arkansas. In 1969, she moved to Colorado and became much involved in western life and ranching by helping local ranchers with branding and shipping. She married a rancher, Jim Mapes, and her studio is on their ranch near Rocky Ford, Colorado. Her activities center around fine art, cattle and horses, and currently she is a horse trainer and active competitor in the National Cutting Horse Association.
From 1980, Mapes has been a self-employed professional artist working in sculpture, watercolor, oil, pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, silversmithing and western folk art painted furniture. Of her devotion to fine art, she writes: "Art is created to share a vision, free your imagination, and open doors to the soul.
She is a signature member of Knickerbocker Artists, USA, a member of the National Sculpture Society, the La Junta, Colorado Fine Arts League, and the Colorado Artists Register of Boulder, Colorado. She has attended numerous workshops, including ones at Ghost Ranch in Abique, New Mexico, and Rocky Ford, Colorado.
Her work has also been featured in the Loveland, Colorado Invitational Show and Sale; the Mountain Oyster Club in Tucson, Arizona; the Garden of Sculpture and Tent Show in Littleton, Colorado; and the Pendleton Roundup in Pendleton, Oregon. For 10 years, she has created the sculpture award to the Champion of the Colorado Stallion Breeders Association and has won many awards from the All American Limousin Association.
Her interest in horses was inspired by her mother and visits to her grandparents' horse farm in Arkansas. In 1969, she moved to Colorado and became much involved in western life and ranching by helping local ranchers with branding and shipping. She married a rancher, Jim Mapes, and her studio is on their ranch near Rocky Ford, Colorado. Her activities center around fine art, cattle and horses, and currently she is a horse trainer and active competitor in the National Cutting Horse Association.
From 1980, Mapes has been a self-employed professional artist working in sculpture, watercolor, oil, pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, silversmithing and western folk art painted furniture. Of her devotion to fine art, she writes: "Art is created to share a vision, free your imagination, and open doors to the soul.
She is a signature member of Knickerbocker Artists, USA, a member of the National Sculpture Society, the La Junta, Colorado Fine Arts League, and the Colorado Artists Register of Boulder, Colorado. She has attended numerous workshops, including ones at Ghost Ranch in Abique, New Mexico, and Rocky Ford, Colorado.