Rising Star

Courtesy of Stephany Chavez-Kuchera

An avid waterfowler, Stephany Chavez-Kuchera draws inspiration from her many experiences in the outdoors.

When I caught up with Stephany Chavez-Kuchera, the early teal season in her native Texas had just gone into the books—and the hunting, in her words, was so-so.

“This was the slowest season I can remember,” she says. “Opening day was good—we hunt the rice fields west of Houston—but after that everybody struggled. I keep wondering if we missed the migration or if it’s late this year. We just never saw the birds we usually do.”

Now 37, since her early 20s Chavez-Kuchera has been helping out her friend David Bates, the proprietor of a local waterfowl guide service. “I do a little bit of everything,” she explains. “Brushing and painting blinds, setting decoys, chasing down cripples, keeping count of the birds, using my pintail whistle—whatever he needs me to do.”

I don’t know Bates, but it seems to me he’s missing a heck of a marketing bet if he doesn’t advertise the fact that one of the members of his “team” happens to be the 2026 Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year (AOY). If he wants to add that she’s the first woman to be so honored, well, that would just be icing on the cake.

Of course, gophering for a duck and goose hunting guide is about the best side hustle imaginable for a waterfowl artist, but one of the things you learn about Stephany Chavez-Kuchera is that she has no problem keeping a lot of balls in the air. On top of her burgeoning career as an artist, she teaches art at a local elementary school, gives private art lessons after school, and is the married mother of two children: six-year-old Mazey and 18-month-old Henry. It makes you wonder when (or if) she sleeps.

Chavez-Kuchera grew up in Columbus, Texas, which she describes as “a small town on I-10.” Her father loved nature and the outdoors, and he passed that love on to her.

“It’s always been part of my life,” she says. “Living where we did near the rice fields, we’d always see—and hear—snows and specklebellies. I was just so drawn to geese, even before I got interested in ducks. I still love hearing them and listening for them when they’re migrating.”

LIFT by Stephany Chavez-Kuchera

She started doing a little hunting in her late teens; then, after she enrolled at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, several older, more experienced waterfowlers took her under their wings. As she puts it, “I was like, ‘You need someone to help you set out goose decoys at three in the morning? No problem! I’ll help you take ’em down, too.’”

And while it would be natural to assume that she majored in art, you would be dead wrong. As a point of fact, with an eye toward becoming a game warden, she majored in criminal justice. She did, however, take an art class at Sam Houston—as in exactly one.

“At the beginning of the semester,” she recalls, “the teacher gave us a packet with weekly assignments. Well, I looked through the packet, did the first assignment and the final assignment, and when I showed them to the teacher, she said, ‘You don’t have to come back.’”

That, ladies and gentlemen, is an example of what is known as natural talent. For her part, Chavez-Kuchera can’t remember a time when she wasn’t drawing and sketching. “When I was in school,” she relates, “I just drew whatever was in front of me—a desk, a window, whatever. I’d be listening to the teacher, but I’d be drawing, too. Even now, I always listen to audiobooks while I paint.”

Still, if it hadn’t been for her fellow members of the Brazos Valley DU committee, Chavez-Kuchera might never have pursued art beyond, in her words, “drawing and sketching to put stuff on my walls.

“They kept telling me I should put some of my artwork in the live auction,” she says, “and I finally said, ‘OK, y’all can have this little four-by-six-inch charcoal sketch of a pintail.’ So I did that. It sold very well, and I was just so surprised. That was how it started.

“Gail and Richard Creed, in particular, were great supporters from the beginning. Every time I had a piece in the live auction, they bid on it, and that really boosted my confidence. You have to have the right people in your life to even consider a career as an artist, and it wasn’t until I was around the Ducks Unlimited folks that it began to occur to me that it might be possible.”

Noting that “it all starts out in the field,” as a rule Chavez-Kuchera relies on her own photographs as reference for her artwork. She takes photos throughout the year but focuses on February and early March, when the birds’ plumage is at its peak.

For Lift, her dramatic AOY print of a blue-winged teal springing off the water, Chavez-Kuchera made an exception to this rule. Here’s how she tells the story: “It was the summer of 2024. I was pregnant with Henry, I hadn’t been able to get out and take photos, and I was thinking I might not even enter the art package competition. Luckily, I have a friend, Bubba Naquin, who’s an amazing photographer. I called him and said, ‘I want to create a painting that’ll make people go wow!’ He said, ‘Feel free to look through my photos and use whatever you like.’ When I saw that photo, I knew it was the one.

“I started working on the painting when I was 38 weeks pregnant,” Chavez-Kuchera continues. “Then, after I had Henry in late June, I worked on it throughout July and into August. I poured a lot of tears into it; it wasn’t easy to paint, to take care of my baby boy, and to take care of my daughter all at the same time. I paint in oil, and it’s a slow process—anywhere from 100 to 200 hours to finish a painting.”

To say that the results were worth the effort is to state the obvious. “I was so excited to be named Artist of the Year,” she acknowledges. “I’ve been working toward that level for a long time; I’ve always looked up to artists like Adam Grimm, Richard Clifton, and Scot Storm, so it was a real thrill to join that club. And it’s very gratifying to know that my work is helping to raise funds for wildlife and wetlands conservation. I want to do my part to make sure future generations can enjoy the experiences I’ve been able to.”

There’s something else she wants to do, namely emulate the likes of Grimm, Clifton, and Storm and win the federal duck stamp contest. Judging by what she’s accomplished so far—and by the indefatigable determination she brings to the table—the smart money’s on her to do just that.

Ducks Unlimited’s 2026 NATIONAL ART PACKAGE

1. LIFT by Stephany Chavez-Kuchera

Lift is a striking painting that captures the powerful moment a drake blue-winged teal bursts into flight, with water splashing beneath its wings in vivid, lifelike detail. Created by Stephany Chavez-Kuchera in her debut as Ducks Unlimited’s Artist of the Year, this piece reflects both her deep appreciation for wildlife and her talent for dynamic composition. The painting is presented on canvas and includes a custom frame adorned with a DU Artist of the Year title plate.

2. STORMS WILL PASS by Chuck Black

Chuck Black captures the quiet calm after a passing storm, set against a backdrop of dramatic skies and reflective water. A lone hunter and his faithful chocolate Lab stand ready among decoys as canvasbacks circle above. Known for his masterful use of natural light and his deep connection to the outdoors, Black brings this moment to life with vivid realism.

3. READY by Jared DuCote

Jared DuCote masterfully portrays the intensity and focus of a black Lab poised in a blind, its deep amber eyes locked in anticipation. The lifelike textures of the dog’s coat and the surrounding elements reflect Jared’s extraordinary attention to detail, a hallmark of his celebrated style. This canvas marks DuCote’s third appearance in the DU art package, and his work continues to be a favorite among collectors and outdoor enthusiasts alike. 

4. AMERICAN LEGENDS by Anthony Padgett

This powerful tribute to the American spirit celebrates the enduring bond between hunters and their canine partners. Anthony Padgett portrays three Labrador retrievers—black, yellow, and chocolate—set against a dynamic backdrop of a billowing American flag. Their amber eyes are focused and alert, capturing a deep sense of loyalty and purpose. A self-taught artist, Padgett is known for infusing his work with both technical precision and heartfelt meaning.

5. BONDED by Richard Clifton

Renowned wildlife artist Richard Clifton captures a serene moment in nature with this painting of a pair of wood ducks gliding across a calm, reflective body of water. The male’s striking plumage contrasts beautifully with the subtle elegance of the female, all rendered with Clifton’s signature clarity and warmth. One of the nation’s most accomplished waterfowl artists and a frequent duck stamp winner, Clifton brings both expertise and reverence to every brushstroke.

6. COUNT ME IN by Ralph McDonald

Originally published as a lithograph in 2002, Count Me In by Ralph McDonald returns in 2026 as a special encore edition, now beautifully presented on canvas. On a quiet dock, a young girl stands confidently, dressed in camouflage and proudly wearing a Ducks Unlimited patch. By her side are two loyal companions—a mature chocolate Lab and an eager puppy—symbolizing the past, present, and future of waterfowl hunting.

Ducks Unlimited’s GUNS OF THE YEAR

DU’s 2026 Shotgun of the Year is a 20-gauge Browning A5. This beautiful firearm features a glossy walnut stock and forearm and a nickel-finished receiver adorned with gold-inlay DU artwork. The gun comes with a 3-inch chamber, 28-inch barrel, three chokes, and a polymer case with DU logo.

DU’s 2026 Rifle of the Year is a Browning X-Bolt 2 in .30-06. This exclusive White Gold Medallion Series firearm comes with a stainless-steel barrel and action, medallion stock, DU-engraved receiver, and a hard case with the DU logo.

DU’s 2026 Handgun of the Year is a stainless-steel Colt Anaconda revolver chambered in .44 Magnum. With a 6-inch barrel, custom wood grips, exclusive gold-inlay engraving, and other embellishments, this highly collectible handgun is a showstopper.

Ducks Unlimited’s DECOY OF THE YEAR

DU’s 2026 Decoy of the Year is a cast resin ringneck created in exacting detail by master Louisiana decoy carver Jude Brunet. A DU cloisonné medallion is inlaid in the decoy’s felt-covered bottom.