Great Article On Jennifer

[Lawdwaz]

Today's Buffalo News has a great story on Jennifer's winning the Federal Duck Stamp competition.

A black & white picture accompanies the article along with some background on her and her art career.

Funny thing though, there is no mention of this web site that I would say has propelled her to stardom.

Congrats again Jennifer!

[mlammerhirt]

Just finished reading the article in the Buffalo News, congrats on a beautiful stamp and this huge accomplishment!!

[Lawdwaz]

Here's a link to the article.........

 

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/outdoors/olean-artist-gets-national-stamp-of-approval-20140928

 

And the article.........

 

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By Will Elliott

NEWS OUTDOORS WRITER

Jennifer Miller, 32, an Olean artist, has established her prominence in a series of threes.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service officials last week announced Miller as the 2014 winner of the service’s annual contest to select the illustration for the 2015-2016 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. Miller, a painter of wildlife and mainly birds since early childhood, is only the third female artist to win the honor.

Contest entrants this year had the option of painting either a brant, a Canada goose, a northern shoveler, a red-breasted merganser or a ruddy duck. Miller decided to do a portrait of a pair of ruddy ducks and won the competition. This was only the third time a ruddy has been selected as the duck stamp.

“I chose the ruddy duck even though it’s not a popular hunter option, but it’s a neat looking, comical bird with its distinctive blue beak, body colorations and just its personality,” Miller said of the bird she has observed around Lake Ontario and along the Oregon coast.

The duck stamp win was her first first-place win in competition, but during a decade of painting professionally and about five years of entering competitions she has done well at state stamp contests in Delaware, North Carolina, Michigan, Oklahoma and Colorado. Her next-best win was in the Oregon Conservation Stamp contest where her pileated woodpecker entry took second place.

She has set up exclusively as a self-employed wildlife artist for the last two years and looks forward to a career in art work. She got an early start.

“I recall my aunt Deborah Greenwood would bring me into work at the Department of Environmental Conservation office in Olean when I was just a little kid and I marveled at the fish, birds and animals they had on display there,” she said.

Miller developed observation skills as a bird watcher and recalls the many times she accompanied her dad on hunting trips and became interested in hunting as well as art work.

“I just haven’t had enough time to get into waterfowl hunting or archery, but my husband and I do a lot of turkey and deer hunting,” she said. Involved in the hunt before her husband got started, Miller has assumed the predominantly male role of interesting a mate in hunting after marriage. Along with several wild turkeys, she has taken a fair share of whitetail deer, including a 10-point buck that sported antlers on one side only.

Her win in the Federal Duck Stamp competition is impressive. This year, 168 artists submitted entries and 17 were chosen for the final round of judging. Many of the artists had been doing wildlife art longer than Miller has been alive, and she emerged as the contest winner with an acrylic painting of a mating pair of ruddy ducks coursing the surface of a mountain pond or lake.

This win and her other accomplishments have led her to set up her own studio and Web site. For details on Jennifer Miller’s win and work, visit featherdust.com.

This year’s top three duck stamp winners are well-known, established wildlife artists. Second-place went to Ron Louque of Charlottesville, Va., who did a stunning red-breasted merganser; third-place recognition went to Frank Mittelstadt of Beaver Dam, Wis., for his Canada goose done in acrylic.

In announcing the top three winners, USF&WS deputy director Rowan Gould highlighted artists’ accomplishments and the important work done with duck stamp fund money. “You just need to look at the more than 6.5 million acres of waterfowl habitat protected by funds provided through the purchase of the stamps for proof of the power of this art.”

The stamp is available for $15 at any U.S. Post Office or online. In June of 2015 the 2015-2016 stamp goes on sale with Jennifer Miller’s ruddy ducks colorfully shown on its front. Even if one does not waterfowl hunt, it would be good to buy one and then possibly two more for friends. Jennifer Miller’s art work seems to go well in threes.

email: [email protected]

 

[coonhunter]

Very impressive. Thanks to Lawdwaz for pasting the story  for our reading enjoyment. Congratulations to Jennifer for winning, in my eyes, a very prestigious competition. Hope this propels you to even more success.

[pistolp71]

Congratulations Jennifer. Beautiful painting.

[NFA-ADK]

Very cool!  Awesome paintings!

[Jennifer]

Many thanks to you all... I was browsing back through archives to find a different topic and stumbled across this. I apologize that I missed it before now! I sure wasn't trying to ignore you all. I'm really honored, thank you.

[greg54]

Congrats on winning, beautiful pic!!