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DISCOVERING THE KINGDOM OF NEEP: The Whimsical World of Jan Walker
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STORY BY ALISON REEGER COOK PHOTOS BY DAVID COOK
ometimes, the story begins in the least expected place — even on a knee. What began as adorable pictures of small, gnomish creatures that local artist and author Jan Walker would facepaint on children’s knees at the Chattahoochee Mountain Fair, became an entire race of creatures called Neeps that live in their own magical, miniature kingdom. Their exciting exploits are told through her children’s books titled “The Kingdom
of Neep,” “Gloomy” and “Christmas Tea at Harvest Hall.” Written in a Seussian style of bouncy rhyming couplets, the books are immensely popular with children and parents, and Walker has sold 4,000 copies of her books to date. “I’ve been an artist all my life, since I was three years old,” Walker says. “In 1984, John Kollock — a well-known artist up here — saw a coloring book I made and said that I should write a book. I had never dreamt of writing a book. He said,
‘go to the schools and tell your stories.’ All my friends were teachers, so I asked them if I could speak in their students. I would make up stories on the way to class. I don’t have any blocks. I just flow.” In many ways, Walker is a present-day Beatrix Potter: a self-taught artist, a children’s storyteller, a lover of nature and animals which feature prominently in her stories, and a businesswoman who has immortalized her characters for generations to come. Coincidentally, Walker’s mother
TOP LEFT: Drawn in colored pencil, Jan Walker depicts her Neeps living in their miniature kingdom, having larger than life adventures. TOP RIGHT: Published in 1996 by Children’s Gallery Publications, “Gloomy” is one of three children’s books taking place in the magical Kingdom of Neep, with a fourth already planned to be released in August. BOTTOM RIGHT: When students walk into Jan Walker’s home, they will be greeted with a classroom equipped for just about any need that a young artist might have. BOTTOM LEFT: Author of “The Kingdom of Neep”, “Gloomy” and “Christmas Tea at Harvest Hall”, Jan Walker stands over one of fifty illustrations that will be shown in her newest book that will come out in August.
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