A water color of an American wigeon created by eleven-year-old Suzanne Lawing of Farmington was recently awarded "Best of Show" of more than 1,100 entries in the statewide 2002 Federal Junior Duck Stamp design contest, sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The fledgling artist studies with art teacher David Eighme at Mesa View Middle School. (List of winners is attached.)
Lawing will receive a $2,000 post-secondary scholarship. Her entry will represent New Mexico in competition with "Best of Show" entries from the other 49 states to select the design for the 2002 Junior Duck Stamp. Proceeds from sale of stamps at national wildlife refuges and some state agencies are used for educational programs.
The Junior Duck design contest is part of a nationwide curriculum developed for schools by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to teach environmental science and habitat conservation. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is the coordinator of the program in New Mexico.
Students from kindergarten through high school at 55 public and parochial schools and home school groups from throughout New Mexico participated in the 2002 competition, submitting more than 1,100 representations of waterfowl in watercolor, pastels and mixed media.
"The quality of entries from these student artists has to be seen to be believed," commented Shirlea Griswold, a volunteer at Bosque del Apache who directed the 2002 Junior Duck Stamp program.
First, second and third place winners were chosen in each of four age groups: K-3rd, 4th-6th, 7th-9th and 10th-12th grades. Winners each will receive a U.S. Savings Bond and a subscription to Puddler Magazine. Winning entries will be displayed at the New Mexico State Fair, the Bosque refuge visitor center, the 2002 Festival of the Cranes and other New Mexico events during the year.
Judges of the New Mexico entries were Natasha Isenhour, artist and co-owner of the Fullingem-Isenhour Gallery in Socorro, David Lightle, philatelist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee
