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Paint this goose and win $3,500! |
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Monday, January 16, 2012 15:13 |
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Ross's geese in flight. Courtesy of photographer Ryan Askren and Ducks Unlimited
A love of art and wildlife can pay off by creating the scene for the next Colorado wildlife stamp.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is soliciting artwork for its 2012 Colorado Waterfowl Stamp Art Contest. This year's species: the Ross's goose, a small white bird that is often confused with the snow goose. The deadline for artists to submit entries is 4 p.m. March 2.
"We have a relatively large format entry for waterfowl stamps art and that really lets artists be creative with their depiction of the birds we choose each year," Brian Sullivan, who coordinates the program, said in a news release.
The Ross's goose is white with black wingtips and looks like a small snow goose. The Ross's shorter neck and smaller head are more apparent in flight. They generally are seen over the plains or in western Colorado during migrations between their Canadian tundra breeding grounds and their warmer southern wintering areas.
Artists must submit a 13-inch-high by 18-inch wide, full-color original artwork. There is a $50 fee for each entry. The winning artist will receive $3,500, with cash prizes going to second- and third-place artists as well. Complete requirements are explained in the application packet.
The Colorado Waterfowl Stamp program was implemented in 1990 and provides funding - more than $6.7 million to date - to conserve wetlands for waterfowl and other wetland-dependent wildlife. Almost 20,000 acres of wetlands have been protected with stamp funds.
In 2011, waterfowl stamp funds were used to help improve water management at the Andrick Ponds State Wildlife Area in Morgan County.
Waterfowl hunters age 16 and older must purchase validation annually before hunting. Also, the stamps are popular with collectors. Hunters can purchase the required $5 waterfowl stamp validation where hunting licenses are sold. The gum-backed stamp is available for a small fee.
Collector gum-backed stamps and art prints of the 2012 waterfowl stamp will be available in late July. Collector stamps and prints are sold through the Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation.
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