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Toledo Ohio teen's artistry seals win in duck
stamp contest
Article from the Toledo Blade
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( THE BLADE/LISA DUTTON ) |
Lily Spang sometimes perfects
paintings after peering at dead ducks from friends' freezers.
It's a rare bird, indeed.
How rare?
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Lily, who is home-schooled by her mother, Sandy Spang, is familiar with feathered waterfowl, considering she's entered the annual design contest for several years.
In 2008, she won the Ohio Junior Duck Stamp Contest and placed in the top 10 at the national level.
Her top honor this year is the first for an Ohioan, and it means it will be Lily signing her name June 26 in Nashville when the stamp goes on sale to collectors, conservationists, and the general public.
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Lily, who is making money painting commissioned portraits of cats, dogs, and horses, plans to become a professional artist. A savvy business woman at 16, she figures she can up her fee a bit now that the national victory is on her resume.
She particularly likes to paint portraits of animals. "I like to meet animals to get to know them. That's when I do my best work," she said.She pets furry heads and pays attention to wagging tails. She takes close-up photographs of noses and whiskers and ears.
She pays attention to details, details, details, as she has been taught by a series of art teachers, including her mother, who has a fine-arts degree. Lily's brothers Ben and Eli have competed in the duck stamp design contest as well.Renowned wildlife artist Greg Clair, one of Lily's mentors and art teachers, encouraged her to select the wood duck for her entry, and her national win was bittersweet.
Mr. Clair, formerly of Bowling Green, died in January before the announcement.Lily then turned to artist Harold Roe of Sylvania for suggestions and asked him to critique her work.
Mr. Roe was the first person Lily called on April 22 when she learned her work would be featured on the stamp."It is a very prestigious thing," Mr. Roe said. "The competition is extremely fierce."
Lily had shown him her idea for the design, and Mr. Roe liked it."A single bird, not complicated. Some people can get too complicated with their designs," he said.
When the wood duck painting was nearly finished, she returned for a review, and Mr. Roe suggested she lighten the background.Other than that, "it was good. I could tell then she would be in the running" for the top prize," he said.
"I am just so happy for Lily. She's an excellent artist. She has an excellent future," Mr. Roe said. He is a four-time Ohio stamp-design winner who has placed several times in the top 10 in the federal duck stamp contest open to artists 18 and older.The junior stamp closely mimics various state duck stamps and the iconic federal duck stamp. Sales of federal stamps since 1934 have raised funds for acquisition or lease of wetlands habitat across the country.
Required as part of licensing for hunters of waterfowl, the federal stamps also serve as entrance passes to national wildlife refuges.The junior duck stamp contest culminates a yearlong conservation curriculum used by educators across the nation.
Lily's win "is a really big deal," said Rebecca Hinkle, coordinator for the Ohio Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest. Ms. Hinkle also is visitor services manager at the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge in Ottawa County. "It's a great honor for her. She is an amazing artist."Lily isn't sure when her wood duck will come home to roost. Her design from last year's contest is still on tour with other best-of-show entries.
Supporters of the design contest include the Ohio Decoy Collectors and Carvers Association, Mrs. Spang said, and some association members provide decoys or stuffed or frozen birds for Lily, who uses a variety of resources as she paints.Sometimes Lily kayaks with her father, Mark, on the Maumee River to catch glimpses of ducks in their natural habitat. Lily also likes to play the piano and to train her dog, Remy, for possible agility competitions.
She wants to own a horse farm someday and plans to go to a college with a strong horse program and strong art program.Her focus lately has been on work. In progress now is a horse, another commissioned portrait.
Tucking a bare foot under her as she settles into a chair, Lily swirls paint on a plate, steadies her brush, and dabs at the horse's mane.A photograph of the subject looks flat compared to the personality-infused portrait coming to life on Lily's 10-by-14-inch canvas.
Nearby on the table is a wood duck's head, a practice painting.Her award-winning, finely detailed rendering of the drake wood duck captured with precision the flash of iridescent green on the bird's head and slashes of white on its neck.
The wood duck is one of the most colorful waterfowl, and Lily is fond of its multi-hued feathers."It has green and purple and bright red beak and eyes. Its breast is a purplish color, sort of a mahogany, and there are feathers of iridescent blues and greens on its back," Lily said.
The water in her award-winning design looks a bit like the muddy Maumee. But, she said, "It's just water. I had to consider the water and its colors. It had to make the duck look good."On a kitchen counter near the artist's stash of paint and brushes, a "Congrats" balloon dances atop a ribbon tied to a basket spilling over with purple flowers. And there, looking pleased with himself among the cards and you-did-good gifts, sits a bright yellow rubber ducky.
Ohio Federal Junior Duck Stamp Competition for 2010
The 33rd Ohio Decoy Collectors and Carvers Association Show and Sale
are proud to be this year’s host for the Ohio Federal Junior Duck Stamp
Competition. The judging will take place in the main ballroom of the
Westlake Holiday Inn on Friday, March 20, 2010 beginning at 8 A.M. The U.S.
Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Federal Duck Stamp
Office, Washington, DC sets the guidelines for the judging. This art
competition is for youths between Grades K thru 12 and is divided into four
groups. The winner of the contest will represent Ohio at the Federal
contest. For rules and or entry forms contact, Rebecca Hinkle, Ottawa
National Wildlife Refuge, 1.419.898.0014
For
JR. Duck Stamp info,
please
click here
KIDS PAINTING SEMINAR
SPONSORED BY
Click for link to Golden Artist Colors
Friday evening, at
7P.M., renown artists will instruct the kids in the painting of a Great Blue
Heron decoy. Each child will receive a decoy
and free paint from Golden
Artist Colors. Last year the kids enjoyed their
quality time with Jim and others.
Bring the kids and let them join in the fun.
Held in the Third Floor Audio-Visual Room.
Volunteers needed to
help keep the ODCCA show going strong.
You must call Bob Lund
and be willing to work at the front or side door selling raffle tickets or
admissions to the show. You will receive this year's coffee mug, which is only available to the
volunteers at the show. After the show, you will be invited to the volunteer dinner, which
features great food and one of the best clean-out-your-closet auctions. Many of us have
walked away with some real treasures.
Please contact Bob Lund at (419)874-3671
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