Painting Featuring East Haddam Bridge Wins Second In Art Contest

EAST HADDAM, CT — In a contest filled with great artwork, a panel of judges recently selected Indiana artist Jeffrey Klinefelter’s depiction of buffleheads flying across Barn Island Wildlife Management Area as the winner of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) 2018 Connecticut Migratory Bird Conservation (Duck) Stamp Art Contest.

Klinefelter is a previous winner of the Connecticut contest, winning in 2015 with his depiction of canvasbacks in front of the Ledge Lighthouse in New London. His painting of buffleheads was chosen out of 29 entries submitted by artists from across the country, including a record 18 from Connecticut artists, according to a release.

Paintings were judged in six categories: suitability for reproduction, composition, habitat suitability for that species, anatomical correctness, eye appeal, originality, and whether a recognizable Connecticut landmark or habitat was used.

Klinefelter’s painting will be the image for the 2019 Connecticut Duck Stamp.

A pair of Canada geese on the Connecticut River with the East Haddam swing bridge in the background, submitted by Colchester artist Melissa Barker, placed second. Third place went to Chris Goins of Sheridan, Arizona, who submitted a painting of a pair of redheads.

The DEEP Wildlife Division continues to encourage local artists to submit paintings for this contest. The top three paintings will be on display through the end of September 2018 at the DEEP Wildlife Division’s Sessions Woods Conservation Education Center (341 Milford Street, Burlington).

The education center is open to the public on Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Connecticut Duck Stamp Program was initiated in the early 1990's when concerned sportsmen worked with DEEP to develop legislation that would generate revenue for wetland conservation. Modeled after the federal Duck Stamp Program, Connecticut’s program requires the purchase of a state Duck Stamp, along with a hunting license, to legally hunt waterfowl.

By state law, funds generated from the sale of Duck Stamps can only be used for the development, management, preservation, conservation, acquisition, purchase and maintenance of waterfowl habitat and wetlands, as well as the purchase and acquisition of recreational rights or interests relating to migratory birds.

“The Duck Stamp Program is a great example of how the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation works – users of the resource pay into funds whose monies are solely dedicated to conservation,” DEEP Wildlife Division Director Rick Jacobson said in a release.

The Connecticut Duck Stamp fund is a vital source of money for many of the wetland projects that are conducted in our state. Federal aid dollars from the hunter-funded Pittman-Robertson Program can also be used for wetland conservation.

Stamps can be purchased for $17 each wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold. Upon request, stamps can be sent through the mail.

To learn more about the Connecticut Duck Stamp and the Art Contest, go to www.ct.gov/deep/ctduckstamp.

Reproduction prints of the winning duck stamps signed by the artists that are suitable for framing and display are also available. Please contact the Migratory Bird Program at 860-418-5959 for more information on purchasing reproductions.

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Photo credit: Chris Collibee