2005 AWTF WILD TURKEY REVENUE STAMP
©2005 American Wild Turkey Foundation

Historically, the AWTF has provided school age youngsters the opportunity to compete in their annual competition for Wild Turkey Art to illustrate AWTF Wild Turkey Stamps.

The Olathe Poste has had the priveledge to produce the annual Revenue Stamps for the American Wild Turkey Foundation for several years. It is always a pleasure to witness first hand the original artwork used for each year's Turkey Stamps. One reason being is that the AWTF director, Mr. Henry Dean, has provided young artists - grade school age - the opportunity to compete in their annual art selection process each year. The American Wild Turkey Foundation stamps of 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004 featured wild turkey art by talented school children.

The 2005 AWTF Wild Turkey Stamp, however, featured the art of retired naturalist and park superintendent, Wayne J. Chunat. Who uses first-hand observations, photography, and museum speciman studies to capture the living essence of wildlife in his art.

An original, 8" x 10" mult-media (watercolor, acrylic, gouche) painting created by Mr. Chunat, was reproduced for the 2005 stamps. In keeping with many similar varieties of wildlife revenue stamps (State and Federal Duck Stamps, for example), the AWTF stamps are large, colorful, and the AWTF makes them available to not only citizens of the U.S. who are concerned with preserving suitable lands for the Wild Turkey. But also to stamp collectors as single stamps, perforated and imperforate sheets, plus the option of purchasing matching prints of the artwork used for each year's stamps.

We might add briefly here, that artists of all mediums can look to opportunities presented not only by the American Wild Turkey Foundation, but many other organizations worldwide, who proliferate the arts via artistamps of one form or another.

To learn more about the stamp program of the AWTF, visit their web site:
www.AmericanWildTurkeyFoundation.com