MONTGOMERY-Jim Denney of Alexander City, Ala., is the winner of this year’s Alabama Waterfowl Stamp Art Contest with his painting of a pair of American wigeons. This makes Denney a three-time winner, having previously won the 2008-09 and 2012-13 contests. Artists are ineligible to submit an entry for three years after winning the contest.
The judges and contest coordinator with the winning artwork. Left to right: Jerry Johnson, Eric Soehren, Leslie Ellis and Keith Gauldin of the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.
The wigeon artwork will be used as the design of the 2016-17 Alabama Waterfowl Stamp, which is required when hunting waterfowl in Alabama. Funds generated by the sales of waterfowl stamps at both the state and federal levels are used for conservation of waterfowl habitat.
Nine artists entered the contest this year. First runner-up was Bill Stem of Madison, Ala., who also painted the
. Second runner-up was David Nix of Cottondale, Ala., with his painting of a blue-winged teal. John Romine of Owens Crossroads, Ala., was third runner-up with artwork depicting a hooded merganser.
Denney missed the judging because he was sick, but was represented by his wife, father and brother John, also a previous winner. Asked a few days later how he felt about winning, Denney said, “I am honored to be a three-time winner. Considering some of the great talent we have here in Alabama, I do feel very fortunate.”
On selecting the wigeon as the subject of his acrylic painting, Denney said he wanted to paint a species he had never tried before. “Even though the wigeon’s colors are more subtle than some of the more colorful ducks, I think they are very pretty,” he said.
American wigeon by Jim Denney
A panel of experts in the fields of art, ornithology and conservation judged the contest. Representing the field of art was Jerry Johnson, a professor and past chair of the design department at Troy University. Representing the field of ornithology was Eric Soehren, a biologist with the State Lands Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Representing the field of conservation was Leslie Cole Ellis, the current chairwoman of the Montgomery area chapter of Ducks Unlimited.
Entries were judged on suitability for reproduction as a stamp, originality, artistic composition, anatomical accuracy and general rendering. The designs were limited to living species of North American migratory ducks or geese. Winning species from the past three years – Ross’s goose, pintail and mallard – were not eligible subjects for the contest this year.
The annual contest is sponsored by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division and is open to resident Alabama artists only. Artists should visit www.outdooralabama.com/alabama-waterfowl-art-contest for complete information on how to enter future contests.
MEDIA RELEASE/KIM NIX/ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES
