California –-(Ammoland.com)- A painting of a sooty grouse has been chosen by a panel of judges as the winning entry in the 2013 Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest. The painting by Broderick Crawford of Clayton, Ga., will become the official design for the 2013-2014 stamp.
“I was elated to win,” said Crawford, a professional wildlife artist. “I did an out of focus background which really makes the image jump out at you.”
The competition was sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Artists submitted their own original depiction of a sooty grouse. The setting and details were determined by the individual artists, but entries had to include at least one adult sooty grouse and if background detail was included in the design it needed to be accurate and representative of the species’ natural habitat in California.
The winning entry, which features a male sooty grouse, will be reproduced on the 2013-2014 California Upland Game Bird Stamp. An upland game bird stamp is required for hunting migratory and resident upland game birds in California. Money generated from stamp sales can only be spent on upland game bird-related conservation projects, hunting opportunities, and outreach and education. CDFW sells about 170,000 upland game bird stamps and validations annually, including sales to art collectors.
The judges praised the winning entry’s tone, realism and attention to detail. One judge said, “It is a very accurate depiction of the sooty grouse and will make a distinctive stamp.”
The entries were judged by a panel of citizens selected for their expertise in the fields of ornithology, conservation, art and printing. Designs were judged on originality, artistic composition, anatomical accuracy, and suitability for reproduction as a stamp and print.
Larry Simons of Lebanon, Ore., was awarded second place.