May 20, 2005

Original Duck Stamp Art to be Exhibited at Janice Mason Art Museum

Cadiz, KY—The Janice Mason Art Museum presents Original Winning Art from the US Fish and Wildlife Service 2005-2006 Federal Duck Stamp and Junior Duck Stamp Competitions June 1-June 15, 2005.  Wildlife enthusiasts will be familiar with the annual Duck Stamp competition. Each year artists from around the country are invited to submit original artwork to the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington, D.C.  The first-place winning image is reproduced on the Duck Stamp the following year.

Sponsored by Fourshee Building Supply, this local exhibition consists of the twelve winners from the adult competition and the first place winner from every state competition in the junior division. With the exception of the first place adult winner, which does not travel because of its value, all artwork in this exhibit is original.  (The first place winner is represented by an exact photographic duplicate.)

As an added bonus this year, well-known local outdoorsman Harold Knight has loaned several pieces from his duck decoy collection.     All waterfowl hunters 16 years and older must purchase an annual Duck Stamp.  Ninety-eight percent of Duck Stamp sales proceeds go directly to acquire important habitat in the National Wildlife Refuge System.  Although hunters purchase the majority of Duck Stamps, anyone with an interest in wildlife conservation may purchase a Duck Stamp. Over 77 percent of the 56,000-acre Cache River National Wildlife Refuge, core "home" of the rediscovered Ivory-billed Woodpecker was acquired through funds from the Duck Stamp program. The new stamp goes on sale July 1, and can be purchased for $15.00 locally at the Post Office.

The exhibit opens on June 1 and will show through June 15.  The Museum brings the Duck Stamp art to Cadiz and Trigg County annually during this same time period.  Museum hours are 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Monday - Saturday and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Sunday.  Admission is free; donations greatly appreciated.  For more information visit the Museum's website at www.jmam.org, or call 270 522-9056.  For more information on the Federal Duck Stamp program, visit www.fws.gov.    Major funding for this exhibit is provided by Fourshee Building Supply of Cadiz.  Partial funding has been provided by the Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.  

 

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