Why Painters Are Obsessed With The Duck Stamp Art Contest

Duck stamps help fund wetland conservation across the country. The art that adorns them is chosen through a beloved (and intense) competition.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Ira Flatow?

  Science Friday is supported by MathWorks, creator of MATLAB and Simulink software for technical computing and model-based design. MathWorks, accelerating the pace of discovery in engineering and science. Learn more at mathworks.com.

• 0:17Flora Lichtman?

  I'm Flora Lichtman, and you're listening to Science Friday.

• 0:23Flora Lichtman?

  Later on the show, when an ultra-rare flower disappeared, some volunteers took matters into their own hands.

• 0:30Speaker 02

  They were really excited to see this flower. And they get there, and they can't find it.

• 0:37Flora Lichtman?

  But first, we're turning our attention to a brutal, cutthroat competition, complete with infighting on social media, favorites and underdogs, and above all, participants obsessed with their craft.

• 0:51Speaker 03

  I would compare it to American Idol, right? It launches you on a career path that you maybe never thought possible.

• 0:58Speaker 04

  It's always been kind of like a secret society.

• 1:01Speaker 05

  I'm really nervous. This has been a part of my life since I was 11. Most kids are into football or baseball. This was my sport. It's an addiction, but it's like the best kind of addiction.

• 1:11Flora Lichtman?

  The addiction is painting ducks. You may have missed it, but around a week ago, artists convened for the splashiest event in the wildlife art world, the Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest. Here to explain why artists take this competition so seriously, why this program is one of the most successful conservation efforts in the U.S., and the question on everybody's minds, will the person who's won six times take the crown again? Here to explain is our digital producer, Emma Gomez, who is at the contest this year. Hi, Emma.

• 1:47Speaker 06

  Hi, Flora.

• 1:48Flora Lichtman?

  Let's start with the basics. What is the Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest?

• 1:54Speaker 06

  Yes. So the federal duck stamp art contest is the only juried art competition that is run by the federal government. And the idea is artists from across the country have a limited number of huntable waterfowl that they paint as they naturally would appear in the wild. They paint it on a canvas and that image must be strictly seven by 10 inches. They mail it to this office of the duck stamp. They collect all the paintings and then they get together a group of judges who are experts in wildlife painting, stamp collecting, wildlife conservation, hunting, and those judges vote on the very best painting, or at least their

• 2:39Speaker 06

  idea of the best painting. And yeah, that painting goes on the federal duck stamp, which is not a postage stamp. I should get that out of the way now. But it is actually a stamp that accompanies a state hunting license. So you get your state license and then you put the federal, like, hunting stamp on top of it. And that has a wonderful picture of a painting that usually hundreds of artists have fought to put on that stamp.

• 3:10Flora Lichtman?

  So it's a very pretty sticker that denotes that you have the right, the federal right, to hunt these birds?

• 3:20Speaker 06

  Yes. Usually, it's an absolutely gorgeous scene with, like, morning lighting or dew or something like that. So really, it is a very beautiful sticker.

• 3:32Flora Lichtman?

  And then is the goal to raise money? Why does it exist, this contest?

• 3:37Speaker 06

  Yes. So it came about, like, right after the Dust Bowl, when waterfowl populations just completely fell off a cliff because there was just less water, wetlands, places where they can reproduce, find food. And so there was this cartoonist named Jay Ding Darling, who was appointed to be part of what is now the Fish and Wildlife Service. And he came up with this idea to- Have this duck stamp that you buy to make basically a fiscal contribution to the success of wetlands and migratory birds. So if you're gonna hunt them, then you're gonna pay a small fee to support the lands that they live on, the lands that you hunt

• 4:19Speaker 06

  on. And then it's, you know, just kind of a win-win for everyone. So really, it's sort of just a way for hunters to give back to the wildlife refuges. 98 cents for every dollar you spend on a federal duck stamp goes straight to buying or leasing lands that are important for migratory birds. And that's where the Fish and Wildlife Service takes care of those lands and helps make sure that those birds stay kicking.

• 4:47Flora Lichtman?

  Has the duck stamp raised a meaningful amount of money over the years?

• 4:50Speaker 06

  Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, they like to say that it's one of the most successful conservation programs in the United States, and they are definitely not wrong. They've raised $1.3 billion for these wildlife refuges, and over 6 million acres of land have been preserved through the program. So that money, it's independent of like Congress or like voted upon federal funding. So it really is like people giving back.

• 5:22Flora Lichtman?

  Crowdsourced.

• 5:23Speaker 06

  Yeah, exactly.

• 5:25Flora Lichtman?

  Okay, so this contest just happened. You went to Maryland to witness it. Set the scene.

• 5:32Speaker 06

  Um, it is such a niche community. Like, a lot of them have been doing this for like 30 years or something like that. So there were a lot of people who were there that were just old friends chatting to each other, scrutinizing the paintings. But there was definitely this air of like gulp, like the big judging is coming. Like, my painting, like, it's gonna be struck down, looking at the other competition and being like, who's my main opponent here? So there's an audience of like 100-ish people staring at the judges, who are staring at the paintings. And you just watch as one by one, each painting is decided. In or out, in or out of the competition.

• 6:17Speaker 06

  So we spent four hours in a silent auditorium watching the judges just make those choices.

• 6:24Flora Lichtman?

  This feels like a Christopher Guest movie to me. Like, this is the one that Christopher Guest needs to make after Best in Show, you know?

• 6:30Speaker 06

  Yes, definitely. There should be more duck stamp related drama out there, I think.

• 6:36Flora Lichtman?

  OK, what about the artists themselves? What's in it for them?

• 6:40Speaker 06

  Yeah, so a common misconception is that there's like some big cash prize for this. The only reward is exposure. However, for wildlife artists, this is a really big deal. Somebody described this competition to me as the Grammys of wildlife art. Like, yes, you don't get money if you win, but it definitely means something about you. And if it's on a duck stamp, of course, you have stamp collectors, you have enthusiasts who are really into the art. So if you win, you sell merch, you license the image to get it printed. You can spin this win into an entire career. And that is what a lot of artists who are kind of professional duck stamp winners have done.

• 7:24Speaker 06

  So it definitely turns into money for the artist if that's what they are inclined to do.

• 7:29Flora Lichtman?

  Let's talk about the reigning dukes of duck stamp art, the Hartman brothers. Tell us about them.

• 7:35Speaker 06

  Yeah, so they're three brothers, Jim, Joe, and Bob. And they're big into wildlife. They're all professional painters. And they have been doing this competition for a super long time, 40 years, I think. Each one of them has won the competition multiple times. Jim Hartman has won the most out of the three. And they're also avid hunters. Like, they totally camouflage themselves to take perfect pictures of these ducks in their wild, natural habitat. And then they're kind of also like an artist colony in the sense that when they're painting, they're like giving each other feedback and like making each other's paintings better. They're competing with each other. And they're just like at the top of this game.

• 8:20Flora Lichtman?

  Well, what makes their paintings good?

• 8:23Speaker 06

  That's an interesting question. So they're really, really good at capturing the animals in a way that doesn't really push it beyond this natural way you would really see them.

• 8:38Flora Lichtman?

  Neutral and natural.

• 8:39Speaker 06

  Yeah, I think so. Neutral, natural.

• 8:42Flora Lichtman?

  OK, I feel like online people may be aware of this, but there is also this younger artist who basically went viral for posting about their paintings for the competition. Let's hear from them.

• 8:52Speaker 07

  Hello, duck people. It's Kira Sabin, who paints those ducks. And last year, I did not do well, but we're going to do better this year. And you're welcome to watch along. This duck stamp season is going to be a big one, and I'm determined to make my name one to fear.

• 9:07Flora Lichtman?

  What does the Duck Stamp Bar community or the organizers think about social media?

• 9:12Speaker 06

  Yeah, so there's definitely some grumblings from like the old guard, the more traditional, like very offline wildlife artists, that this could potentially make the competition unfair, because if Kira's art becomes so well-known before the competition and a judge recognizes the artwork and votes them in because they love their video content so much, like that could make the competition unfair. But I think overall, artists and the organizers are like, are really happy that their videos are drawing attention to the competition, because ultimately, it's a conservation project, and we want people to be buying those stamps and getting excited.

• 9:55Flora Lichtman?

  So I know everyone listening is desperate to know who won the competition. Was it the up-and-comer? Was it the person with the social media following? Was it the reigning champ, Hauptman Brother? So let's deliver the big reveal.

• 10:10Speaker 05

  Ladies and gentlemen, our first place winner is Jim Hauptman

• 10:17Speaker 05

  from Chaska, Minnesota.

• 10:22Speaker 05

  This is the note. This is the first person who has won this contest seven times.

• 10:29Speaker 05

  Are you here?

• 10:31Flora Lichtman?

  Okay, Emma. What was it like in the room? Because I feel like it was a little grumbly. Like, it was a little muted, that response.

• 10:41Speaker 06

  It's a lot of anticipation for something that is so expected, I think. So, the first place being Jim Hartman was very funny, I think, for people who are in the know. Because it's like, ah, there he goes again, winning, as always. But it was beautiful because he's great at what he does. And, I don't know, I think that everybody afterwards was just like, wow, like, he keeps doing it. He can't keep getting away with this. But he does because he's amazing at what he does. And when I asked people afterwards, what is the secret sauce?

• 11:23Speaker 06

  And they all were like, well, he's an amazing painter. And, I don't know, maybe we'll get a new Picasso of duck art to come on and topple him, and then that will be the person to beat. But, uh, right now, Hartman's stock is up.

• 11:39Flora Lichtman?

  Okay, in a Christopher Guest movie, you know, the terrier wins, right? The underdog prevails. That's not what happened in Maryland this year. In your opinion, what is the moral of this story?

• 11:52Speaker 06

  Hmm. Well, win or lose, it is about conservation. And it's not just about the artist's paycheck. Like, yes, there are quarrels. Is it fair? Why is this guy keep winning? My art is good. No, that art is better, dah dah dah. But overall, everybody I met was just so passionate, so kind, so supportive of the community. And it's not really about the artist's paycheck. It's about the duck's paycheck. And they're cashing it out.

• 12:23Flora Lichtman?

  Thank you, Emma.

• 12:24Speaker 06

  Thank you, Flora.

• 12:25Flora Lichtman?

  Emma Gomez, digital producer for Science Friday. And if you, like me, cannot get enough, you can read Emma's article for the full story and take a gander at the photos of the winning painting at sciencefriday.com/duckstamp.

• 12:46Flora Lichtman?

  Do not go away because coming up after the break, a botanical comeback story.

• 12:52Speaker 02

  They had to do these rolling bonfires across the island, which were basically like trying to simulate a fast-moving wildfire.

• 13:04Speaker 06

  WNYC Studios is supported by Wise. Wise, the smart way to manage the currencies you need around the world. With a Wise account, you can send, spend and receive in up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps. Be smart, get wise. Download the Wise app today. Terms and conditions apply. Science Friday is supported by PBS, presenting Going Wild. If you love learning about the natural world and meeting the scientists who help us understand it, be sure to check out the new season of Going Wild with Dr. Ray Wynn Grant. It's the chart-topping and Webby Award-winning podcast from the folks at Nature on PBS, now with a video companion series. In this season of Going Wild, host acclaimed wildlife ecologist, Dr. Ray Wynn Grant, heads out into the field to explore

• 13:48Speaker 06

  the animals, people and stories that make nature worth saving. Stops include a hibernating black bear den in Arkansas and an underwater shipwreck site off the Florida coast. If you're looking for a place to start, check out the season's debut episode, where Ray joins beloved biologist and influencer Jordan King in the Florida Everglades to learn about his unlikely journey into science and how to study a wetland when it's not very, well, wet. So don't miss out. Follow Going Wild with Dr. Ray Wynn Grant on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Support for Science Friday comes from the Hyacinth Simons Foundation, unlocking knowledge, opportunity and possibilities.

• 14:26Flora Lichtman?

  More at hsfoundation.org.

• 14:33Flora Lichtman?

  One of the rarest plants on the continent is found on this small spit in the middle of the Kankakee River in Illinois, about an hour south of Chicago. The plant is called the Kankakee Mallow Flower, and for years, plant enthusiasts made trips to the island to document this rare flower. Then, one day, a group pulled up, and what they saw shocked them. Here to tell us the rest of this tale is Claire Keenan-Kurgan of Interlock and Public Radio. She reported the story for the podcast Points North. Claire, welcome to Science Friday.

• 15:05Speaker 02

  Hi, thanks for having me.

• 15:07Flora Lichtman?

  Okay, so finish the story for us. What did that group encounter on this little island?

• 15:12Speaker 02

  So it's a group of botanists. They're from the Illinois Native Plant Society. So they were really excited to see this flower, you know, one of Illinois's most famous native plants. And they get there and they can't find it. They they pull up to this island and it's totally overgrown with invasive honeysuckle, which just totally crowds out other plants. And, you know, some people who were on this trip told me they they could barely even get out of their canoes.

• 15:44Flora Lichtman?

  That must have been a devastating moment for these botanists.

• 15:48Speaker 02

  Yeah. And I think they they knew that the island might be a bit overgrown. It had been many years since anyone had documented the flower on the island. But the scale of how overgrown it was, was really shocking and disappointing to them.

• 16:04Flora Lichtman?

  Okay. And what were they looking for exactly? Like, what does this flower look like?

• 16:08Speaker 02

  Yeah, it grows on these six foot tall stalks and it has these little pink, kind of pinkish purplish flowers, about six on a stalk. It's very pretty.

• 16:17Flora Lichtman?

  Okay, so this island is overgrown by this invasive honeysuckle. There's no sign of this mallow flower. What do they do?

• 16:25Speaker 02

  So they had to start weeding, first of all. So they organized a group of volunteers to go and basically just start chopping down honeysuckle wherever they could. And then they also had to do controlled burns on the island. Because the kanki mallow seed has this special quality where it it needs heat to germinate, which used to maybe come from wildfires in the prairies. They're not 100% sure. But they had to do these rolling bonfires across the island, which were basically like trying to simulate a fast moving wildfire, where they burned either honeysuckle cuttings or like other kindling in a clump and pushed

• 17:07Speaker 02

  it along to create these long kind of burn scars across the island, trying to unlock the seeds that they were hoping were underneath.

• 17:16Flora Lichtman?

  Hmm. Okay, so did it work?

• 17:18Speaker 02

  It did. It did work.

• 17:21Flora Lichtman?

  Yay.

• 17:22Speaker 02

  Yes. It took them a few years to realize that it was working because these flowers had been gone for about a decade, they estimated. And so some, you know, little plants started popping up along those burn scars. But they kind of debated at the beginning, like, is this the Kankakee mallow? Is this something else? And then finally, about two years in, they saw the first bloom, which was obviously a very exciting moment because that's when they knew this is definitely the mallow.

• 17:54Flora Lichtman?

  Yeah, we have a clip of one of the volunteers you talked to. And you can really hear the excitement in his voice.

• 18:02Speaker 04

  I don't know how big this is, 40 feet, maybe diameter. And I've never seen it so full of mallow. So that's really good. It's just gorgeous. It's absolutely gorgeous.

• 18:15Speaker 02

  Yeah, that's Steve Bohan. He is kind of the lead volunteer these days. So he gets people out there to weed, to cut back honeysuckle. And so these mini fields of Kankakee mallow just keep getting more and more beautiful.

• 18:31Flora Lichtman?

  You know, the thing that struck me, listening to your story, is that conservation stories usually are so bleak and they feel too big for any individuals or even group of individuals to have control over. And here is an example of this local group, you know, taking matters into their own garden gloved hands and finding success.

• 18:53Speaker 02

  It's such a great story of what people can do if they choose to try to save something like the Kankakee mallow. You know, not every town has one of the rarest plants in North America. But lots of places have these unexpected and special pieces of nature. And a lot of the volunteers on Langham Island didn't actually care too much about the Kankakee mallow being super rare. But they, to me, seemed to care more about just being good stewards of ...nature and trying to preserve native habitats. And that's something that can happen anywhere. And they accomplish a lot. It has been over 10 years now since the project started,

• 19:37Speaker 02

  but they've cleared three quarters of this big island. And it, sometimes it's only a handful of people volunteering there every week, but they've, they've made a big impact in this one place.

• 19:49Flora Lichtman?

  Claire, thank you so much for taking the time to tell us the story.

• 19:52Speaker 02

  Thank you.

• 19:53Flora Lichtman?

  Claire Keenan-Kurgan, news reporter at Interlock and Public Radio, and she reported the story for the podcast Coins North.

• 20:03Flora Lichtman?

  And before we go, a heads up. If you're looking for an out of this world adventure, Science Friday's Down to Earth program returns this year on October 3rd for World Space Week. We will have fun daily activities that show you how space science makes our world better. Please join us. No spacesuit required. Register today for Down to Earth at sciencefriday.com/downtoearth. Thanks for listening. Don't forget to rate and review us wherever you listen. It really does help us get the word out and get the show in front of new listeners. Today's episode was produced by Dee Peterschmidt. I'm Flora Lichtman. Thanks for listening.