Thank you for visiting Christine Clayton Wildlife Art!
Thank you for visiting! You'll see past and new works, contest entries, commissions, as well as updates and background stories of how some of the pieces came to be. You'll also find information about conservation efforts through duck stamp contests, the Clayton Family's history of entering, and some successes along the way. Please feel free to reach out on the CONTACT page with any questions or comments, and enjoy!
Past Updates:
Federal Duck Stamp Story: Behind The Painting by Christine Clayton
This greater scaup painting entry placed in the top 15 of 138 entries. The contest required incorporation of a hunting element, to celebrate hunting heritage. The story of this entry is below the painting.
"This is my 2020 Federal Duck Stamp Entry, which placed in the top 15 paintings of 138 entries. Thanks to everyone who followed the contest, sent good luck, checked in along the way, and shared with friends. It means a lot that you all care to see how it goes. I was really wanting to do something different this year (my mom encouraged me to go for this) and I had photos of a sunrise that I loved from a day my dad and I went out in early teal season last year. I really wished I could use something along those lines, but dismissed it because I didn't think I had enough other photo reference to make it work. Then one night at 2am while looking through hundreds of photos, the light came on and the advice of my mom and another great friend pushed me to just go for it and make it work. I'm happy with the finished painting, and though it isn't me and my dad in the painting (which some assumed) I think it easily represents us, and I'm thankful for all the times we've been able to be in the outdoors together and the actual hunting heritage and love for nature that he's instilled in me. I'm glad we got to go out that morning together and that memory could be captured in this painting. (The actual people that I used in the painting were from photos I had of retired Logan County Wildlife Officer Steve Jacks who hosted that morning's hunt and my friend and fellow Jr Duck Stamp Winner Madison Grimm from a day of hunting with her in SD, who really does go out and hunt way better than I ever have!) Thanks again for all of the words of kindness and encouragement. Thanks to my painting buddy Dad for doing this process with me every year and for the thoughts and advice, to my Mom for all of her encouragement and keeping things going, to my few friends and other family who gave me their thoughts as I went, and thanks most of all to the Creator of all good things who gave me the incredible opportunities, these special people, and the gorgeous subject matter that comes from the great outdoors that He's richly blessed us with. Congratulations to Richard Clifton on another win and all the rest who entered on a job well done!"
Christine Clayton
Federal Duck Stamp Contest 2017: 3rd Place
by Christine Clayton
The Clayton Family was able to attend the 2017 Federal Duck Stamp Contest, where Christine placed 3rd. Congratulations to Bob Hautman (center photo) on another Duck Stamp win!
Animal Planet's Premier of the Million Dollar Duck Film!!
September 14, Animal Planet will be premiering the Million Dollar Duck film through its “Animal Planet Presents” series at 9 p.m. EST/PST (8 p.m. CST). Please share with friends and family: tune in to Animal Planet for this historic event where a larger audience can learn about the wonderful world of Duck Stamps for the first time! It is also available on iTunes, Amazon, and DVD format. This film follows artists Adam Grimm, Tim Taylor, Rebekah Nastav, Dee Dee Murry, Bob Hautman and Rob McBroom as they prepare to and enter the Federal Duck Stamp contest. Several of the featured artists are good friends of the Claytons, who are excited to have this opportunity to share what painting a duck stamp is all about, and why so many continue to do it, year after year.