I’m anxiously awaiting to hear how my pintail painting faired this year in the WHC Federal Duck Stamp Competition (Canada). It was a tough one but in the end I’m pleased with how it came together. I’m still learning on how to paint birds. So much intricate details involved!
Fingers crossed…
I got the news right after the judging that my piece was chosen to represent the Pacific Salmon Foundation and will be featured on the 2017 BC Saltwater Fishing licenses! It’s hard to comprehend that I won on my first time entering, but I guess I brought a fresh new style to the competition.
A visual tale of the fragile circle of life of Pacific Sockeye Salmon. Their entire lives are destined for this moment in time, to pass on their genes to the next generation. The astonishing journey they take is nothing short of epic. They easily could cop out and spawn closer to the sea, but they seemingly take an impossible route to get back to their spawning grounds. Truly one of nature’s spectacles.
Salmon are one of the most important fish in the west. They feed many different species and bring nutrients to rivers that wouldn’t otherwise be capable of sustaining life. Bears, wolves, and eagles, also carry salmon carcasses away from the rivers which provide nutrients for trees and plant life surrounding the rivers. They truly are incredible animals, and that’s why organization like the Pacific Salmon Foundation are so important to help bring awareness of the status of our salmon species and to take action to help restore their spawning areas.
This 19.5 x 27″ piece took over 100 hours to complete. I chose to use acrylics on native BC douglas fir board to render this idea into a reality.
I got the news right after the judging that my piece was chosen to represent the Pacific Salmon Foundation and will be featured on the 2017 BC Saltwater Fishing licenses! It’s hard to comprehend that I won on my first time entering, but I guess I brought a fresh new style to the competition.
2017-2018 Salmon Conservation Stamps!
Not quite finished but it’s almost there. Have to finish up the water, add some detail to the trees in the background, add reflections to the rocks, and darken up everything to make it more bold.
Here’s a preview of how it’s coming along.
Finished it. This piece was a great challenge and took forever to finish. I was working on it while I could while up in the Arctic. This piece is based off the rainbows we get in the parkland lakes in Manitoba, particularly the Duck Mountain lakes.
The Manitoba Fisheries Enhancement Stamp Competition allows Manitoba resident artists a chance to compete for their artwork to be chosen to be featured on all the 2014 fishing licenses as well as limited edition prints. The Enhancement Fund procedes go towards management, stewardship, enhancement and conservation of Manitoba’s fisheries.
I was fortunate for my art submission to be chosen by the judging panel for the 2014 Manitoba Fisheries Enhancement Stamp. I was also blown away to be awarded the People’s Choice Award, chosen by the public who’s votes were tallied after being on public display for over a month! Very exciting accomplishment! I can remember as a kid looking at the stamp on my dad’s fishing license, and I couldn’t wait to see the new stamp every year! It’s a lifelong accomplishment for me to have my art now represented on fishing licenses!
NICK LAFERRIERE 