By Kim Hiss

If you haven't heard, the 2009 Michigan Waterfowl Stamp Artist is the second-ever woman to receive the honor. Lorna Poulos is a 56-year-old, self-taught painter, who won with her work of a pair of canvasbacks. According to this Bay City Times story, she considered the fact that she's not a waterfowler a distinct disadvantage when creating her piece.

     Poulos had photographed the canvasbacks at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, then spent hours completing the painting. For anyone held back by occasional self-doubt, Poulos said she had some misgivings when she showed up at the competition last August.

     "When I got there I started second-guessing myself and I was ready to turn around and leave," she told the paper, "the competition was that stiff." Apparently she overcame her concerns. 

     The last woman to get her art work on the stamp was Kim Diment in 2001. 

     As an aside, I was watching that 1990's show "Northern Exposure" about life in Alaska on DVD last night, and this particular season 5 episode featured a plot line in which the town barkeep Holling and the general store owner Ruth-Anne go on a birding expedition. Holling's gear included a long-lens 35 mm camera mounted on a gun stock, which I thought was pretty great. The two characters had found out earlier in the episode that Holling's grandfather had cannibalized Ruth-Anne's grandfather in the Great Blizzard of 1897, which added an element of unspoken competition to their birding expedition. 

     Kind of a free-association-style blog post today ranging from canvasbacks to cannibalism, but to circle back to the top, congrats to Lorna Poulos for a duck well painted. -Kimberly Hiss

Comments (10)

from MLH wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

I like the artwork, a lot. It will be a fine day when the media just acknowledges that so and so won a competition, not distinguishing whether it was a man or a woman, or black, white, brown, or whatever. That'll mean our culture has come a long way. But, don't worry, Kim. Thankfully, there are enough differences between women and men that there will still be need for your column.

Northern Exposure is the only complete DVD set I own. I wonder how cannibalism was looked upon back in the 1897 wilderness, or even back to the 1840's and the very real Donner Party. I assume most would say, "No way!" But few of us have actually been that desperate. What will a parent do in the remote wilderness, watching a child die of starvation?

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from jan wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

Congratulations to Lorna on the painting being chosen. She's very talented! Not being a waterfowler doesn't seem to have had any effect on her ability to capture on film and then reproduce on canvas! Check out the bubbles in the water!
We live on a lake, and have wood ducks, Canadians, and even an occasional mallard. I've taken lots of pictures of them, but alas, I'm no painter!

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from Jacee wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

What an amazing accomplishment for a self-taught painter! I think any artist, man or woman, would be proud of being chosen for this honor. Sorry I don't have much regarding "Northern Exposure" - I had enough of it the 3 months I lived in Alaska!

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from Laura Bell wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

Congrads to Lorna! She should be proud as that is a beautiful painting! You have to be very talented to do that kind of work.

Never heard of Northern Exposure. I was watching NCIS last night. Actually in the one episode they included a little bit about Bear Hunting.

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from jamesti wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

does she do paintings of labs? seems i have heard that name before. love northern exposure. one of my favorite shows from when i lived in alaska for a dozen years. very realistic too. congrats on the painting. very cool.

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from Sarah M. wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

I almost thought that was an actual picture- not a painting! I think it's great that a woman created this year's stamp. Plus it's also cool that this year's featured duck is the Canvasback!! Way to go! As a waterfowler, I'm glad to see this article! Thanks Kim!

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from Sarah M. wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

I almost thought that was an actual picture- not a painting! I think it's great that a woman created this year's stamp. Plus it's also cool that this year's featured duck is the Canvasback!! Way to go! As a waterfowler, I'm glad to see this article! Thanks Kim!

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from Sarah M. wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

Ok so I just learned that clicking the mouse twice when it's running slow doesn't work out so well... sorry about the double post haha!

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from Walt Smith wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

I have always appreciated the artwork on the duck stamps and the trout stamps. Way to go michigander!

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from t.h.e.j.k. wrote 3 years 12 weeks ago

More women shoould be involed in this stuff

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from t.h.e.j.k. wrote 3 years 12 weeks ago

More women shoould be involed in this stuff

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from MLH wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

I like the artwork, a lot. It will be a fine day when the media just acknowledges that so and so won a competition, not distinguishing whether it was a man or a woman, or black, white, brown, or whatever. That'll mean our culture has come a long way. But, don't worry, Kim. Thankfully, there are enough differences between women and men that there will still be need for your column.

Northern Exposure is the only complete DVD set I own. I wonder how cannibalism was looked upon back in the 1897 wilderness, or even back to the 1840's and the very real Donner Party. I assume most would say, "No way!" But few of us have actually been that desperate. What will a parent do in the remote wilderness, watching a child die of starvation?

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jan wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

Congratulations to Lorna on the painting being chosen. She's very talented! Not being a waterfowler doesn't seem to have had any effect on her ability to capture on film and then reproduce on canvas! Check out the bubbles in the water!
We live on a lake, and have wood ducks, Canadians, and even an occasional mallard. I've taken lots of pictures of them, but alas, I'm no painter!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Jacee wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

What an amazing accomplishment for a self-taught painter! I think any artist, man or woman, would be proud of being chosen for this honor. Sorry I don't have much regarding "Northern Exposure" - I had enough of it the 3 months I lived in Alaska!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Laura Bell wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

Congrads to Lorna! She should be proud as that is a beautiful painting! You have to be very talented to do that kind of work.

Never heard of Northern Exposure. I was watching NCIS last night. Actually in the one episode they included a little bit about Bear Hunting.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jamesti wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

does she do paintings of labs? seems i have heard that name before. love northern exposure. one of my favorite shows from when i lived in alaska for a dozen years. very realistic too. congrats on the painting. very cool.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Sarah M. wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

I almost thought that was an actual picture- not a painting! I think it's great that a woman created this year's stamp. Plus it's also cool that this year's featured duck is the Canvasback!! Way to go! As a waterfowler, I'm glad to see this article! Thanks Kim!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Sarah M. wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

I almost thought that was an actual picture- not a painting! I think it's great that a woman created this year's stamp. Plus it's also cool that this year's featured duck is the Canvasback!! Way to go! As a waterfowler, I'm glad to see this article! Thanks Kim!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Sarah M. wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

Ok so I just learned that clicking the mouse twice when it's running slow doesn't work out so well... sorry about the double post haha!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Walt Smith wrote 3 years 14 weeks ago

I have always appreciated the artwork on the duck stamps and the trout stamps. Way to go michigander!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.