March 27, 2025 – The James Millikin Homestead has created a new art competition to honor local artist and lifelong Decatur resident, Lucien Kapp.
Lucien Cyril Kapp (1933–2024) was an artist and lifelong resident of Decatur. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (1955) and a Master of Fine Arts degree (1959) from the University of Illinois. He served in the Navy in 1956–57, spending most of his time in Japan. From 1960 to 1963, he taught art at Millikin University.
His style is representative of Abstract Expressionism. In the 1950s and 1960s, he exhibited work in the annual exhibitions of Central Illinois artists; from 1970 to 1973, he was represented by Oliva Associates, a New York art gallery. His work can be found in several private collections in America and Europe.
Lucien and his wife, Brigitta, have been supporters of the James Millikin Homestead for many decades. You can learn more about Lucien and explore his art in the book, Lucien C. Kapp: Between the Mur and the Mississippi, which is available at Amazon at this link: https://a.co/d/cleFSMg
