The 2020 Wyoming Game and Fish Department conservation stamp will feature Bill Adair’s watercolor depiction of the Colorado River cutthroat trout. Adair, an artist from Gulf Breeze, Florida, placed first in the 36th annual Conservation Stamp Art show earning a prize of $3,500. His work joins a permanent display of all previous stamp show winners at the Game and Fish Cheyenne headquarters.
“I entered the art show six times in the past, and winning a show like Wyoming’s is a great honor,” said Adair.
Second place and $1,500 was awarded to Andrew Kneeland of Rock Springs, Wyoming; third place $750 went to Timothy Turenne, Richfield, Minnesota; and fourth place and $500 to Paul Twitchell, West Point, Utah.
Honorable mention winners include:
- Mickey Schilling, Loveland, Colorado
- Zach Even, Lander, Wyoming
- Robert Mitchelle, Hornell, New York
- Paul Fenwick, Hillsborough, New Jersey
“Congratulations to Bill Adair for his winning piece, and thank you to all the artists who submitted to the show this year,” said Brian Nesvik, Game and Fish director. “From the art show attendees to the artists — there are many people who support Wyoming’s wildlife.”
The show will remain on display at the Game and Fish Headquarters office in Cheyenne until May 17. The work, with the exception of first place, is also for sale to the public through the Game and Fish Store. Forty percent of each sale goes back to Game and Fish to support conservation projects.
The 2019 show was sponsored by Girls Gone Gourmet Catering, Wyoming Wildlife Foundation, Manitou Galleries and Trout Unlimited.
Game and Fish announced the winners on social media immediately following the show on March 29. However, one piece was withdrawn from the competition. The first-place winner of the show must meet strict biological standards and be original artwork as judged by Game and Fish biologists and a panel of artistic judges.
The species for the 2021 stamp contest is the osprey. More details on the 2021 contest and images from this year’s show can be found at the Art Show website.
