The Federal Duck Stamp Contest, Featured on “Duck Stamps: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”

I had a wonderful opportunity to do a crazy project for a really good cause. The National Duck Stamp contest raises money to protect wetlands, a very prestigious national contest. It has come with some rather humorous conflicts, such as the bitter rivalry between artists Rob McBroom and Tim Taylor. One of the producers of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” contacted me to created for them a duck stamp following all of the rules and guidelines of the contest and enter it, and they would then film it and the auction off the originals. My original painting went for $25,000 in the auction and collectively all of the paintings raised $100,000 for a very good cause.

My assignment was to paint the judges as ducks, judging a painting of one of the required ducks for entries. I picked the Blue-Winged Teal Duck. The list of ducks you could paint from for 2021 was King Eider, Blue-winged Teal, Redhead, Ross's Goose, or the Greater White Front Goose. So the judges would need to be specific ducks from the list too. The judge concept was something they were really attached to, and although I presented alternate ideas they really were set on that direction. I picked the Blue Teal for my stamp painting to be judged by a section of ducks and geese. And of course some hunting references (required) spread subtly through the painting. The original painting was required to be 7”x 10” with a one inch mat so 9”x 12” total dimensions.

Sadly we knew our entry would probably be disqualified. The list of rules is pages long, and the one that was highlighted was the use of text or type in the illustration. Even though we knew was going to be disqualified, we were incredibly excited to take part in the show.

When “Duck Stamps: Last Week Tonight” aired we were at the cottage in Canada and a friend pulled up the live feed on his phone. I'm such a fan of John Oliver and his rant of a monologue had us on the floor laughing literally rolling on the floor. I'm very grateful to take part in such a fun project that ended up raising some money for a good cause!

© Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Duck Stamps

© Bill Mayer 2021. “Duck Judges,” featured on “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”

The idea we moved forward with was the one of the Duck Judges, but I couldn’t get some of my initial ideas out of my head of ducks in dresses, so I also painted a few of those concepts while I was at it. Unused alternates… “Cocked and Ready,” and “Open Season.”

Unused alternate. “Cocked and Ready” Bill Mayer, 2021

Unused Alternate. “Open Season” Bill Mayer, 2021