After winning 27 duck stamp contests, wildlife artist Richard Clifton could be forgiven for greeting another victory with boredom. But upon winning this year’s Louisiana Duck Stamp Contest, Clifton was all smiles.
“I’d never entered it before,” said the Prime Hook painter. “Pretty neat to enter for the first time and win it.”
Since he started painting full time in 1990, Clifton has triumphed in contests across the nation, including five Delaware duck stamps and the supremely coveted federal duck stamp. The painting that won the Louisiana contest showcases a pair of pintail ducks in flight, a hunter and boat floating in the water below.
“It’s moody,” he said.
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Richard Clifton shows his work at the Gallery at Eastwind. For an appointment, call the gallery at 302-684-4747.
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“Nice lighting. Ducky.”
The prize yields no money, Clifton said, but he gets to keep the original, and he retains publishing rights for the prints.
He said the painting took him about a week to execute, from concept sketch to the last brushstroke. The planning, he said, takes much longer – paintings will sometimes percolate in his mind for months before he picks up a brush.
Clifton’s works are typically devoid of human subjects. Instead, he prefers birds, landscape and weather. But his wife, Terri, said human forms are becoming more common in his works.
“He’s entering his people era,” she said.
Clifton’s painting of ring-necked ducks won the Federal Duck Stamp Contest in 2006, cementing his reputation as a preeminent waterfowl artist. After the many speaking engagements and public appearances that come along with the prize, Clifton said he’s finally catching up with painting, and producing his best work yet – a new painting of canvasback ducks shows a new virtuosity with light.
Clifton’s work will hang at The Children’s Beach House Holiday Art Show & Silent Auction on Friday, Dec. 4.
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