The Art Box - Episode 164 - Science, Art, and Waterfowl We Love Duck Stamps

Our good friends from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Jennifer Heroux and Rob Vinson drove to Mesquite to enlighten our listeners about the history of US wildlife refuges and how the Federal Duck Stamp Program has positively impacted wildlife through land preservation. Jennifer oversees the Nevada Junior Duck Stamp program and she takes time to explain how teachers and young artists can engage. 

The Nevada Jr. Duck Stamp original art is displayed at the Pharanaget National Wildlife Refuge in Alamo, Nevada, it is worth the trip to go see.

Where are the original art pieces? Suzanne Fellows the Program Chief provided us the following:

The federal art itself is owned by the artist and after the stamp is designed the original is returned to them.  They can then sell their original, reproduce it, make prints, put it on shirts/mugs, etc.  The artist owns the copyright to the art and this is basically how they can make a living off being a "duck stamp" winning artist (since we don't pay them).  

The stamp image is copyrighted by the DOI/USFWS - you have to have a license from the USFWS (Duck Stamp Office) to reproduce an image of the stamp and there are specifics that need to be followed (set up to prevent counterfeiting).  Royalties are collected for the image use and goes back to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund for conservation.  

Currently, approximately 70 pieces of the original winning art are now owned by the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT.  Artists/owners sold their piece to a collector who then donated it to the museum.  There are about 3 other originals in museums elsewhere, several still held by the artist or their family, some that were sold to other collectors prior to the Bruce collection being assembled, and a couple that have been stolen or otherwise disappeared.  The Bruce is putting on an exhibit of the entries in Sept that will run for a few months.  After that it is hoped that the collection will be lent/used to other wildlife/art/conservation organizations across the country

To learn more about the Federal Duck Stamp Program click here.

To learn more about the Jr. Duck Stamp Program click here.

Southern Nevada Fish and Wildlife Refuges