Acrylic portrait selected at festival

By From staff reports
Published in Sports on February 13, 2009 1:46 PM

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RALEIGH -- A portrait entitled "Widgeon Trio" by nationally-renowned wildlife artist Gerald Putt was selected as the 2009 North Carolina Waterfowl Conservation Stamp and Print at the annual East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival.

The acrylic portrait, which depicts a trio of beautifully-patterned American widgeons resting among the cattails, was unveiled at the N.C. Decoy Carving Championships at the Washington Civic Center in Beaufort County during an evening preview reception on Friday.

The unveiling of "Widgeon Trio" marks Putt's fifth honor as artist for the state's waterfowl conservation stamp and print, also known as the duck stamp. He has also won Pennsylvania's prestigious duck stamp contest an unprecedented eight times, more than twice that of any other artist.

Putt was one of more than 30 wildlife artists from across the United States to submit entries for the second annual State of North Carolina Waterfowl Conservation Stamp Competition.

In 2008, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission partnered with the East Carolina Wildfowl Guild to conduct a nationwide competition open to the public. At the inaugural competition, more than 50 wildlife artists from around the country, the United Arab Emirates and Mexico submitted entries with Minnesota artist Scot Storm taking top honors.

Representing the Wildlife Resources Commission at the unveiling were Wildlife Commission Chairman Wes Seegars, Commissioners Durwood Laughinghouse and Mitch St. Clair; and former Wildlife Commissioner and N.C. Rep. Arthur Williams.

The N.C. Waterfowl Conservation Stamp and Print program, established in 1983 by the Commission, generates revenue for waterfowl conservation in the state, including acquiring and improving habitat. Proceeds from the sale of stamps and prints are designated for the Commission's Waterfowl Fund, which has raised more than $4.3 million since its inception.

Proceeds from sales of the print and stamps will go to the Commission's Waterfowl Fund. The money is used to help North Carolina meet its financial obligations in implementing the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, the international agreement helping restore waterfowl populations throughout the continent. In addition, funds have been used to support waterfowl research and to buy equipment used to manage wetlands.

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