Federal Duck Stamp Competition Featured at Museum

Artists, art sales, family activities, and Federal Duck Stamp Art take center stage at the San Bernardino County Museum on the weekend before Thanksgiving. Festivities kick off on Friday evening, Nov. 20 with a reception for the artists open to invited guests and Museum Association members. “Duck stamps” are not postage stamps; they are revenue stamps called the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp purchased by waterfowl hunters to validate their hunting licenses each year. The proceeds from stamp sales are the single largest source of funding for wetlands habitat conservation and enhancement. The stamp design, new each year, is chosen through a prestigious, federally sponsored art contest. Since 1934, the “Duck Stamp” program has raised more than $770 million to preserve wetlands acres within 186 national wildlife refuges. These refuges are used by one-third of our threatened and endangered species, two-thirds of our most important commercial and sporting species of marine fish, and songbirds, shorebirds, and countless other species. Birdwatchers, photographers, fishermen, and others who enjoy wildlife can contribute to the conservation of wildlife habitat by purchasing Duck Stamps at most post offices, wildlife refuges, and many licensed hunting retail stores. Headlining the roster of participating artists at the museum is Joe Hautman, the winner of the 2015 Federal Duck Stamp contest. In fact, a trio of brothers from Minnesota made history this year as they took the top three spots in the contest. Joseph Hautman, of Plymouth, Minn., won the contest with his acrylic painting of a pair of trumpeter swans. This is Hautman’s fifth Federal Duck Stamp contest win, making him one of only two artists to have his art appear on five duck stamps. Hautman’s painting will be made into the 2016-2017 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or Duck Stamp, which will go on sale in late June 2016. Robert Hautman of Delano, Minn., placed second with his acrylic painting of a pair of mallards. Robert Hautman has won the Federal Duck Stamp contest twice. James Hautman of Chaska, Minn., took third place with his acrylic painting of a pair of mallards. He is a four-time winner of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Among them, the Hautmans have won 11 Federal Duck Stamp contests. Other wildlife and landscape artists exhibiting and selling their works at the County Museum during Art and the Great Outdoors are Mike Diaz, Pat Gilmore, Truong Giam, Circe, Cliff Barnes, Mark Junge, Rob Sutton, Gary Johnson, Lee Kromschroeder, Dennis Schroeder, Lindsey Foggett, Kim Shaklee, Sue Knoll, and master carver Dennis Schroeder. A special exhibit of children’s art depicting endangered species will also be on display. On Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., programs for families focus on outdoor activities; on Sunday, the focus is art. All activities are included with paid admission. Saturday programs include a 2 p.m. talk by Curator of History Jennifer Dickerson on the history of recreational camping, fly casting and fly tying demonstrations, and an assortment of fun and useful activities, from making your own binoculars to the care and feeding of horses. Joining the activities will be The Wildlands Conservancy of Oak Glen, San Gorgonio Council Girl Scouts, Redlands Conservancy, Nassar Ranch, and the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society. On Sunday, families can enjoy art lessons, a wide variety of holiday-themed crafts and art projects, arts and crafts with Cal State Arts Connection, and a special talk on prehistoric rock art, “Drawn on Stone,” by Curator of Anthropology Tamara Serrao-Leiva. The top entries from the Federal Duck Stamp art competition will be exhibited at the museum during the weekend.