Winning Print to Be Released for Fall DU Fundraisers
MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 15, 2006 - Renowned wildlife artist Ralph McDonald was honored at last month’s Ducks Unlimited National Convention as the 2006-2007 Ducks Unlimited International Artist of the Year. McDonald, known for his warm renderings of the outdoor sporting life, received this acclamation in front of nearly 1,000 DU members, sponsors and staff. This is his second time to receive this title.
This fall, DU will release Got ‘em Dad to be available exclusively at fund-raising events.
For more than 20 years, McDonald has been producing wildlife and hunting-themed prints for DU. Got ‘em Dad, the painting that earned him this particular honor, is part of a series of Greenwing prints that feature children in duck hunting environment. A favorite among wildlife art collectors, this line captures the spirit of tradition that accompanies waterfowl hunting.
To explain his paintings’ success, McDonald noted that they strike a chord of intimacy with their viewers. “These paintings either remind people of when they were kids growing up, or what’s going on in their lives now,” he said. “I try to make people relate to a picture. I watch them react, and it gives me a warm feeling. That’s what I’m after.”
In the past, McDonald’s prints have raised more than $20 million for DU’s conservation programs. Ducks Unlimited is proud to continue its partnership with McDonald, who has proven to be a dynamic force in both the arts and outdoor sporting communities.
Contact: Larry Richardson
(901) 758-3804
lrichardson@ducks.org
or
Abby Schwimmer
(901) 758-3866
aschwimmer@ducks.org
With more than a million supporters, Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest and most effective wetland and waterfowl conservation organization. The United States alone has lost more than half of its original wetlands - nature’s most productive ecosystem - and continues to lose more than 80,000 wetland acres each year.