A painting of white-winged doves has been chosen by a panel of judges as the winning entry in the 2024-25 California Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest. The painting was created by Kathy Holeman of The Dalles, Oregon.
Sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the annual nationwide contest determined the official design for this year’s California Upland Game Bird Stamp.
Contest entries were judged by a panel of experts selected for their knowledge 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.
Judges were immediately struck by the color in the painting, noting the contrast between the vibrant blue sky and the pink flowers of the beavertail prickly pear cactus. The white-winged doves sitting atop the cactus also popped against the background, the sky mirrored in the blue rings around their eyes, creating a sense of cohesion throughout the scene. Judges appreciated the use of multiple doves and the opportunity to showcase different body positions, as well as accuracy in posture, and the depth, texture and shading of the foreground against the sky. All in all, judges praised the painting as a unique, eye-pleasing composition that drew focus to the doves.
This is exactly what Holeman intended. “This painting was made even more fun by including cacti, and surrounding the composition with blue sky helped to make the scene pop more,” she said. Holeman enjoyed focusing on the subtle color shifts in their plumage, the bright blue eye rings and their brilliant orange eyes. “It is always a challenge to paint birds and capture them in a way that interprets their natural beauty and spirit,” she added. “This painting was no less a challenge and yet I felt like I knew the species better and had a greater appreciation for them after I finished.”
Jeffrey Klinefelter of Etna Green, Indiana, placed second in this year’s competition. Xochitl Acosta Brent of Redwood City, California, received third. Ryan Kniss of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, received an honorable mention.
An upland game bird validation is required for hunting migratory and resident upland game birds in California. The validation replaces the stamp through CDFW’s Automated License Data System, but the stamp is still produced and available to hunters upon request. Monies generated from upland game bird validation sales are dedicated solely to upland game bird related conservation projects, hunting opportunities, public outreach and education. CDFW annually sells about 140,000 upland game bird validations and distributes approximately 24,000 stamps.
Any individual who purchases an upland game bird validation may request their free collectable stamp by visiting wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/collector-stamps page. An order form is also available on the website for collectors who do not purchase a hunting license or upland game bird validation, or for hunters who wish to purchase additional collectible stamps.
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Media Contacts:
Matt Meshriy, CDFW Wildlife Branch, (916) 801-8708
Amanda McDermott, CDFW Communications, (916) 738-9641