Indiana artist claims fifth victory in Nevada Duck Stamp Contest
Submitted by editor on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 9:31am
After winning more than 60 wildlife stamp art contests, including this year’s Nevada Duck Stamp Art Contest, most people would probably start getting a little cocky. But artist Jeffrey Klinefelter isn’t like most people. No matter how many wins Klinefelter gets, he never takes anything for granted.
“I’m very surprised,” he said. “There are a lot of talented artists out there and winning one of these contests is really hard to do.”
The win marks the fifth time the Indiana artist has claimed the Nevada Duck Stamp contest with wins in 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2009. He also won the Nevada Trout Stamp art contest in 2002.
Klinefelter’s work has been featured on several other states’ duck stamps as well including California, Indiana, North Carolina and Ohio. When asked why he thinks he has had so much success in Nevada’s contest, Klinefelter responded as he always does, with modesty. “I honestly don’t know. I just do what moves me and hope others will like it.”
The contest was sponsored by the Nevada Waterfowl Association and sanctioned by the Nevada Department of Wildlife. This year there were 17 entries to the contest from 13 states including three entries from Nevada. All of the winning entries can be viewed on the NDOW website here.
The winning entry in the annual art contest was selected by a panel of seven judges including two wildlife commissioners. Klinefelter’s painting of a white-fronted goose standing on the shore while three geese fly by will now grace Nevada’s 2015-2016 State Duck Stamp.
The subject of this year’s contest was the greater white-fronted goose. The greater white-fronted goose is mottled brownish-gray overall with a black tail, white rump and a white band at the tip of the tail. The belly has a varied pattern of large black splotches. The bird is named for the patch of white feathers bordering the base of its bill. But even more distinctive are the salt-and-pepper markings on the breast of adult birds, which is why the goose is sometimes referred to as the "speckle belly."
The Nevada Duck Stamp sells for $10 and is required to be purchased by any person who hunts migratory birds in Nevada. Stamps can also be purchased by collectors and the general public to support Nevada’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts. A limited number of prints may also be issued, and are available for fundraising for wildlife-related and other conservation organizations.
