Judging takes place Mar.16 at Wheeler National Refuge Visitors Center
The 2019 Alabama Waterfowl Stamp Art Contest will take place at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in Decatur, Ala., on Saturday, March 16. All eligible entries will be on display at the Wheeler Visitors Center beginning at 12 p.m. The contest judging will begin at 1 p.m. Three experts from the fields of art, ornithology and wildlife conservation will select the winning waterfowl art to be featured on the 2020-21 Alabama waterfowl stamp. The media and public are invited to attend.
The competition is open to resident Alabama artists only. Only original horizontal artworks depicting a species of North American migratory duck or goose will be eligible. The Canada Goose, American Green-winged Teal, and Wood Duck -- depicted in the winning artwork of the three previous years contests -- are not eligible as the subject for the 2020-21 waterfowl stamp. Entries must be postmarked no later than March 1, 2019.
The judging criteria will emphasize uncluttered design suitable for printing as a stamp, anatomical accuracy of the illustrated species and artistic rendering. Close attention must be given to tone and detail, since those aspects are prerequisites for printing artwork as a stamp. Wing and feather construction must be particularly well defined. Entries may be drawn or painted in any medium. Entries cannot exceed 9 by 12 inches (15 by 18 inches matted).
The Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Waterfowl Stamp Art Contest has helped conserve waterfowl habitat and foster a connection with the outdoors for 40 years. But after 2019, the contest will be discontinued.
“Since the state implemented a lifetime waterfowl stamp and added a waterfowl stamp validation section to the regular hunting license, demands for a physical stamp have declined in recent years,” said Seth Maddox, WFF Migratory Game Bird Coordinator. “Declining need for physical stamps combined with a decreased rate of participation in the art contest has made production of the physical stamp and sponsoring an art contest cost prohibitive at this time. For these reasons, this will be the last physical stamp issued by the Division.”
Contest entry forms are available online at https://www.outdooralabama.com/programs/waterfowl-stamp-art-contest-rul…. Artists may also receive an entry form by contacting Seth Maddox with the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries at seth.maddox@dcnr.alabama.gov, or by calling 334-242-3469.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit www.outdooralabama.com.
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