Berks artwork chosen for stamp
Berks County wildlife artist Scott Calpino has been chosen for Maryland’s 2021-22 duck stamp.
Calpino won the 47th annual Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest with his lifelike rendering of a hen and a drake redhead, complete with a beautiful reflection in the water, Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced in December.
Calpino was awarded top honors from among 25 entries in the contest.
“Every time you enter a contest you hope to win, but don’t expect to, and when you do it’s always a pleasant surprise,” Calpino said.
The artwork will be featured on the stamps hunters purchase to hunt all migratory game birds in the state, with the proceeds funding migratory game bird research and
habitat enhancement on public lands. Maryland’s contest is open to residents and nonresidents.
Calpino, 60, of Penn Township has won five Pennsylvania duck stamp art contests.
His artwork has graced the pages and covers of Pennsylvania Game News. Last year his painting of wood ducks took second place in the contest. He also received an honorable mention in Delaware’s duck stamp contest last year.
Calpino, a hunter, athlete and coach, had 20 years of entries before winning his first stamp. He first entered the Pennsylvania duck stamp contest in 1988 after graduating from Kutztown University with a degree in fine art.
Calpino won the Pennsylvania contest in 2008, 2010 and 2012, which is considered a streak because Pennsylvania rules say that a winning artist has to sit out a year. He won again in 2017 and 2019.
“Every time you enter a contest you hope to win, but don’t expect to, and when you do it’s always a pleasant surprise.” — Scott Calpino, Berks County wildlife artist