North Carolina Waterfowl Conservation Stamp and Print Unveiled

Friday, February 18, 2011

RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 17, 2011) - Delaware artist Richard Clifton's painting of a pair of Canada geese standing in a pasture was selected as the 2011 North Carolina Waterfowl Conservation Stamp and Print.

The painting, "Canadas in Pasture," was unveiled at the 16th Annual East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and the N.C. Decoy Carving Championships in Beaufort County during an evening preview reception on Feb. 11.

Representing the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission at the unveiling were Deputy Director Mallory Martin; Wildlife Commissioners Wes Seegars, Ray White and Mitch St. Clair; former Wildlife Commissioner Arthur Williams and Sen. Stan White, who succeeded Marc Basnight in the N.C. State Legislature earlier this year.

The unveiling of "Canadas in Pasture" marks the first time Clifton has won North Carolina's waterfowl conservation stamp and print competition. He placed second in last year's contest with his portrayal of snow geese.

Clifton, an avid hunter, is a self-taught wildlife artist who uses his experiences in the field as inspiration for his work. His waterfowl paintings have won more than 30 duck stamp competitions, including the 1996 Australian duck stamp and the 2007-2008 federal duck stamp, the oldest and most prestigious wildlife art competition in the United States.

Clifton was one of more than 30 wildlife artists from 19 states and Mexico to submit entries for the fourth annual State of North Carolina Waterfowl Conservation Stamp Competition. In 2008, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission began partnering with the East Carolina Wildfowl Guild to conduct a nationwide competition open to the public.

This year, artists could submit portraits of redheads, brant, Canada geese, tundra swans or gadwalls. In addition to Clifton's painting, four others, rounding out the top five entries as selected by a panel of judges on Jan. 31, were unveiled during the reception. They were:

2nd Place - Tim Donovan of Lovettsville, Va.; Canada geese
3rd Place - Scot Storm of Freeport, Minn.; redheads
4th Place - Jennifer Miller of Olean, N.Y.; gadwalls
5th Place - George Lockwood, Santa Wuez, Calif.; gadwalls

Signed and numbered regular edition prints with mint stamps of the winning portrait will be available from the Commission on July 1 for $145. The stamp is $10.

Proceeds from sales of the print and stamps go to the Commission's Waterfowl Fund, which generates revenue for the conservation of waterfowl habitat in North Carolina.

About the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission
Since 1947, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has been dedicated to the conservation and sustainability of the state's fish and wildlife resources through research, scientific management, wise use, and public input. The Commission is the state regulatory agency responsible for the enforcement of fishing, hunting, trapping and boating laws and provides programs and opportunities for wildlife-related educational, recreational and sporting activities. To learn more, visit www.ncwildlife.org.

Get N.C. Wildlife Update - news including season dates, bag limits, legislative updates and more - delivered to your Inbox from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Go to www.ncwildlife.org/enews.
Contact:
Jodie B. Owen 919-707-0187 or jodie.owen@ncwildlife.org