First-time Contestant Wins Waterfowl Stamp Art Competition

by Staff February 28, 2018

written by Staff February 28, 2018 0 comment

Kirk Wickizer of Huntsville, Ala., is the winner of this year’s Alabama Waterfowl Stamp Art Contest with his painting of a male Red-breasted Merganser. The winning artwork will be used as the design of the 2019-20 Alabama Waterfowl Stamp, which is required for licensed hunters when pursuing waterfowl in Alabama

MONTGOMERY-Kirk Wickizer of Huntsville, Alabama, is the winner of this year’s Alabama Waterfowl Stamp Art Contest with his painting of a male Red-breasted Merganser. The winning artwork will be used as the design of the 2019-20 Alabama Waterfowl Stamp, which is required for licensed hunters when pursuing waterfowl in Alabama.

This was Wickizer’s first time entering the state contest and the win came as a surprise.

“I was a little nervous and didn’t think I would win,” Wickizer said. “I was having lunch (in Huntsville) with my wife during the judging. When I got the call a few hours later, I was extremely pleased. I’m very happy about it.”

Kirk Wickizer

Seven other artists entered the 2018 contest. Eric Greene of Mobile, Ala., took second place with his painting of a pair of wood ducks. Third place went to Barbara Keel Lunsford of Auburn, Ala., who also painted wood ducks.

In addition to his career designing airplane structures for Boeing, Wickizer runs a YouTube channel that showcases his true passion – painting. The channel, Kirk Wickizer Art, features several short videos on subjects ranging from how to paint landscapes to how to make your own canvas panels.

“I’ve been painting for a long time, but after my experience in this year’s contest I’m going to focus more on wildlife,” Wickizer said.

When deciding which waterfowl species to paint, it was the visual flair of the duck’s breeding plumage that drew Wickizer to the Red-breasted Merganser.

“Unlike more common breeds, it has a unique look,” he said. “From the long mohawk, the slim saw-toothed bill, and the wide spectrum of color, I couldn’t resist!”

In Alabama, the Red-breasted Merganser is usually found on estuaries, bays, shallow coastal waters, lakes, and deep, slow-moving rivers during its seasonal migration.

The 2018 contest was judged by a panel of experts in the fields of art, ornithology and conservation during the Fins, Feathers and Flowers event at Lakepoint State Park in Eufaula, Ala., on Saturday, February 17.

Representing the field of art was Lynn Schmidt, Chair of the Art Department at Wallace Community College in Dothan, Ala. Representing the field of ornithology was John Trent, Wildlife Biologist with the Alabama State Lands Division. Representing the field of conservation was John Earle, Refuge Manager at Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge.

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 – American Wigeon, Mallard, and Green-winged Teal – were not eligible subjects for the contest this year.

Since 1978, the Alabama Waterfowl Stamp Art Contest has helped conserve waterfowl habitat and foster a connection with the outdoors. The annual contest is sponsored by the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) and is open to resident Alabama artists only.

“Seeing ducks in the wild is a reminder of the importance of state and federal conservation efforts,” said Seth Maddox, WFF Migratory Game Bird Coordinator. “When someone purchases a waterfowl stamp they are ensuring that future generations of hunters and bird-watchers can continue seeing these animals in the wild.”