Ducks Unlimited Podcast

VO: 00:01

The following episode of the DU Podcast features a video component. For the full experience, visit the Ducks Unlimited channel on YouTube. Subscribe and enjoy.

VO: 00:12

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VO: 00:42

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Katie Burke: 00:52

Hi, everybody. Welcome back to the Ducks Unlimited Podcast. I'm your host, Katie Burke. And today on the show, I have wildlife artist Rebecca Knight. Welcome to show, Rebecca.

Rebekah Knight: 00:59

Hi. Thank you.

Katie Burke: 01:00

I'm glad you got here. So just like... Because we're here in Memphis and the Federal Ducks Nampa is going on and you came in last night, the day after. Is there... Does it make you nervous to come down here and be here in person?

Katie Burke: 01:14

Or do you normally do that?

Rebekah Knight: 01:16

I usually try to come every year. Yeah. It's usually a little bit nerve wracking especially if I have an entry that has gotten past the first round and then goes on to the second and third. And if I feel like it's maybe doing really good, then that moment that it comes up onto the screen and they hold up the the cards, it's kind of nerve racking. But as soon as that's over, then I'm usually good and I can just enjoy the

Katie Burke: 01:37

rest of Yeah. The because you kind of get that that hope, Right? Like, yeah. So I could see, yeah, like, almost like don't want... Because I had Scott Storm in here yesterday and he will not go up there.

Katie Burke: 01:47

He refuses. I didn't realize that. He won't go near the paintings. He won't look at the paintings. He doesn't look at the list.

Katie Burke: 01:53

He doesn't do anything. Really? He says he doesn't like it. He doesn't want to see it. And afterwards, he'll go through it all and look how everyone did and go through everybody.

Katie Burke: 02:02

But he's like, no, before I don't know.

Rebekah Knight: 02:04

Oh, really? I actually enjoy looking at all the paintings. It's like one my favorite parts because then I have a lot of friends that, you know, I meet here and we like to get together and look at all the paintings and talk about them and stuff.

Katie Burke: 02:14

I know. I like to try to guess who everybody's is. Yeah. Yeah. That's like my favorite thing to do.

Katie Burke: 02:19

And I'll go through and try to figure it out. I couldn't figure yours out this year. Oh, really? I know. Was...

Katie Burke: 02:23

I figured it out last year and this year I can't figure it out. And I had I had most people's right, I think, but I still don't know if I have the Hoffman brothers correct. I think I know which ones they are.

Rebekah Knight: 02:36

Yeah. I was the same way. I was like, I knew they were both Hoffman's or I was pretty sure. Yeah. But yeah, it was kinda tough for me to figure out which one was which this time.

Katie Burke: 02:46

But I think I know now. I think I do too. But yeah, I was I was struggling with that at first. Well, anyway, so you came down. So I think the last time you were on...

Katie Burke: 02:56

It's been a while since you did this. Yeah. Yeah. It's been a while. So I mean, I've seen you in Easton a few times.

Katie Burke: 03:01

And so what have you been doing last year besides obviously getting your Ducks inventory together?

Rebekah Knight: 03:06

Well, I have a handful of shows that are out West.

Katie Burke: 03:10

Mhmm.

Rebekah Knight: 03:11

And so I've been preparing for those, just trying to meet the deadlines for those shows and just try to do as many pieces as I can for just these other art shows that I've been trying to get into. Yeah. So I would say most of them are are out West. I do the Southeastern Wildlife Expo. I'm planning on doing that this year, but they want all new work every year.

Rebekah Knight: 03:29

So I basically have until like November to February to fill a booth of all new work. So I'm not 100% sure if I'll be able to pull that off, but

Katie Burke: 03:37

I'll try.

Rebekah Knight: 03:38

I did it last year, so...

Katie Burke: 03:39

Yeah. That's tough. I didn't realize they make you do all new work every year. Yeah. That's crazy.

Katie Burke: 03:44

So do you end up selling all that work at seaweed or...

Rebekah Knight: 03:46

Not all of it. I never expect to sell out. But, you know, I usually... My goal is to, you know, make it worth my while.

Katie Burke: 03:53

Yeah. And you have Easton coming up too. Are you gonna do Easton

Rebekah Knight: 03:55

Actually, I'm not doing Easton this They changed up some things there and they required all the artists to resubmit, like go through the during process again. Yeah. And so I actually didn't make the cut this year

Katie Burke: 04:07

for So... Funny. Yeah. I know that they were trying to... That's interesting because I'm not going this year either, actually.

Katie Burke: 04:14

Yeah. Because it just... It doesn't work out with my schedule. Mhmm. With...

Katie Burke: 04:17

We have exhibits and stuff coming on. But I knew that they were trying to get rid of, like, make everyone downtown, like all the artists because, like, nobody was going out to the high school anymore. Yep. So I'm sure I bet that like...

Rebekah Knight: 04:31

Yeah. And they're moving all the artists into one building. So it's actually in and they're not gonna have art like in the armory. Okay. So that that would be completely different than what I'm used to anyway.

Rebekah Knight: 04:41

Interesting. I'm okay with it because I don't

Katie Burke: 04:43

honestly Yeah. Don't even have

Rebekah Knight: 04:45

Yeah. Yeah. And I have so many other deadlines and other shows that it's like I probably wouldn't be able to do it anyways.

Katie Burke: 04:51

Yeah. That's a big trip for you too. That's... And it's not like it's easy to get to.

Rebekah Knight: 04:54

No. It's a two day drive.

Katie Burke: 04:56

Yeah. It's not even for me to fly out there, I still have to like rent a car and drive. Yeah. It's not easy. I love it, but it's not easy to get to.

Katie Burke: 05:05

So like, have you gotten to go on any like good trips and stuff to do research and anything this year?

Rebekah Knight: 05:10

I haven't. The only photo reference trip was like the shortest trip I've ever taken in my life and it was actually to get my reference for my entry this year. Went up to the Ripley Aviary in Connecticut. Okay. And I flew up there and you only get like a four hour slot to be there.

Katie Burke: 05:27

Oh, really?

Rebekah Knight: 05:28

So I went up there, spent my four hours in the morning and then flew back like basically the same day. So I just met one night.

Katie Burke: 05:35

Did they let you in like early to do it? Like...

Rebekah Knight: 05:38

Yeah. You can choose your time slot. So I picked 08:00 to noon. Yeah. And so the lights could,

Katie Burke: 05:42

you know,

Rebekah Knight: 05:43

So and I mean that ended up working out pretty good because I got my reference.

Katie Burke: 05:48

So... Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 05:48

But I I don't have any... I didn't do any other... Let me think about this. I actually did... No, this spring I went to Adak Island.

Rebekah Knight: 05:56

I forgot about that.

Katie Burke: 05:57

Oh, that's cool.

Rebekah Knight: 05:58

I went there again.

Katie Burke: 05:59

Yeah. That's cool. Yeah. I remember you telling me about that before. What all did you get to see there?

Katie Burke: 06:03

Is anything cool?

Rebekah Knight: 06:04

Oh, yeah. I mean, I got photos of pretty much everything that I was there to get photos of. So which I mean was mostly birds. Mean, that was springtime. So I did get some...

Rebekah Knight: 06:13

My biggest goal was the Pacific Eiders. Kind of hard to get close to because they're always way out on the ocean. And so I actually ended up getting really good photos of them because I kind of like climbed out onto some of the coastal like rocks and stuff and I just waited and I found a group of them and they just kind of floated right past me and like really close and I got really good pictures of them. So I was You have to wait there. And how cold I was mean, it actually wasn't

Katie Burke: 06:41

very cold. Oh, good. I

Rebekah Knight: 06:43

mean, it was cold but like it wasn't miserable. Yeah. But I had spotted them from like a ways away. Yeah. And so I just kind of like climbed my way out there and just...

Rebekah Knight: 06:52

It was cool to be out there because it's like really beautiful scenery and I was the only one out there. There's nobody there. Yeah. And I I got lots of like great habitat pictures in the meantime.

Katie Burke: 07:03

They're not used to having anybody out there, so they don't know. Yeah. They're not worried

Rebekah Knight: 07:07

about But they're so they're so skittish. Like if they... I had to be so sneaky. Because if they they see me, then they're just they're gonna either swim away or fly away. So I had to be really really, you know, quiet and make sure they didn't detect me or anything.

Rebekah Knight: 07:22

But I don't know. I sat there quite a while before they finally floated my way.

Katie Burke: 07:26

But but

Rebekah Knight: 07:28

out on those like coastal rocks I also got pictures of like ptarmigan and Aleutian teal, some oyster catchers and let's see. There's just a variety of other kinds of ducks that were out there too. I didn't get... Oh, the other one I was after was the Eurasian Widgeon. Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 07:51

And I got some pretty good pictures of one of those and I've already done a painting of it.

Katie Burke: 07:55

Yeah. So

Rebekah Knight: 07:56

that was really exciting.

Katie Burke: 07:57

I like them too. They're really pretty. Yeah. They've never been... I mean, wouldn't be on a duck stand, I'm guessing.

Katie Burke: 08:01

Would they?

Rebekah Knight: 08:02

I don't think so because

Katie Burke: 08:03

they're not... Technically North American.

Rebekah Knight: 08:05

Right.

Katie Burke: 08:05

Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 08:05

Right. Even though you can hunt them, but it's like they're not.

Katie Burke: 08:08

They're not technically North American. So the other day, who was I talking to? Oh, I was talking to Tony Pageant. He was like talking about like the coots and everybody was like, well, coots not technically a duck. Right.

Katie Burke: 08:19

So I don't know if it will ever be

Rebekah Knight: 08:20

an option. Yeah. I don't know because I mean, they include geese in there too even though goose isn't technically a duck, but it's like a commonly hunted waterfowl. Yeah. So, yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 08:31

I don't know.

Katie Burke: 08:31

I don't know. I mean, people use coot decoys like for confidence decoys. So I don't know. But also, I really wouldn't want to paint it. I don't know if a coot would be great.

Rebekah Knight: 08:39

I don't know if I would want to paint either. I have some good pictures of them because it's like that's They're everywhere. Yeah. That's all that comes around when I'm trying to photograph ducks. It's like, oh, it's another coot.

Rebekah Knight: 08:47

I might as well take a picture. Never know. You never know. Maybe you'll need it.

Katie Burke: 08:51

Yeah. I was like laughing about this. Like, don't think they technically will count, but I mean, they've done like swan... They've done swans before too. So I mean Yep.

Katie Burke: 08:59

May... Maybe. Yeah. I don't know.

Rebekah Knight: 09:02

I think it might be cool if someday if they ever like wanted to add some kind of rule or something just as like a... Because they did the hunting theme one time and

Katie Burke: 09:10

Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 09:11

It's if like they ever want to do something like that again, maybe they could include like a hybrid or something. Might be fun.

Katie Burke: 09:16

Yeah. That'd

Rebekah Knight: 09:16

be to get reference for those, but I don't know. It might be kind

Katie Burke: 09:20

of cool

Rebekah Knight: 09:20

to

Katie Burke: 09:20

see Like, one of those on the tackler? Like, it's such a tough one because it...

Rebekah Knight: 09:23

Yes.

Katie Burke: 09:24

Because a lot of people when they see it, it just looks like a funny Canada goose. Mhmm. And I think to really get it on a stamp, they're gonna have to, like, make it their only option. Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 09:34

Oh, yeah. It helps me.

Katie Burke: 09:36

I think like they did with the scoter, like, just one of those that I mean, there are some good ones. They did... There's some people who did a good job and they may look... I mean, it looks really good, it's just a tough one to do.

Rebekah Knight: 09:47

Yeah. I actually... My second choice for my painting this year was gonna be Cacklers.

Katie Burke: 09:51

Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 09:52

But I went with the do you want me to tell you?

Katie Burke: 09:54

You can go. What's this coming on after? So you won't have to worry

Rebekah Knight: 09:56

about it. Yeah. Went with the king eider

Katie Burke: 09:58

this year. You went with kyos, you have an eider. I wonder what... See, yeah, have no idea which one yours is. Okay.

Katie Burke: 10:03

Yeah. I thought it might be one of the long tails.

Rebekah Knight: 10:07

I don't have a... I do...

Katie Burke: 10:08

Because you paint really soft and I was trying to figure it out like by that.

Rebekah Knight: 10:12

Mine kind of stumped some people this year because I did mine in...

Katie Burke: 10:15

Tony doesn't know what it is. Adam doesn't know what it is.

Rebekah Knight: 10:18

Adam knows now.

Katie Burke: 10:18

I told him. Yeah. But none of them knew because we were walking around trying to figure it out and none of them could guess.

Rebekah Knight: 10:24

Well, I did mine in acrylic this year, which is different. And then I also broke out the airbrush this year.

Katie Burke: 10:28

So Oh, that's... Yeah. That really confused us all.

Rebekah Knight: 10:31

I figured that might throw some people probably, but and then also I submitted really early. Okay. So it's really close to the beginning.

Katie Burke: 10:39

Oh, think I know which one it

Rebekah Knight: 10:40

is. Yeah. Yeah. You might now.

Katie Burke: 10:41

Yeah. Think I know which one it is now. But yeah, that was... Yeah. That stumped us because we were like trying to figure it out.

Katie Burke: 10:48

Cause you always paint really soft and you do your light a certain way. Mhmm. And that's usually how I can pick it is by how you do your light. And I just couldn't figure it out. Because I was looking at your...

Katie Burke: 10:58

You just got a pintail painting that you just finished. Was it a pintail?

Rebekah Knight: 11:01

The one

Katie Burke: 11:01

that's along? Yes. And I was trying to like... Was... Tony and I were looking at that one and we were trying to go around and And figure it I was like, nope, that's not helping us at all.

Katie Burke: 11:11

It's just making us more confused. But we couldn't figure it out. It was funny. So you went early this year. Why did you why did you start so early?

Katie Burke: 11:19

What was your like plan on that?

Rebekah Knight: 11:21

Well, knew I had a bunch of deadlines coming up for my other shows. And so I usually around late spring, summer is kind of a slow time for me. Mhmm. So that's when I just I just decided to get it done early and out of the way and it's like one less thing that I have to worry about trying

Katie Burke: 11:37

to do.

Rebekah Knight: 11:37

And I I every year I've always submitted it at like the last minute and it just stresses me out. So... Yeah.

Katie Burke: 11:44

You're a

Rebekah Knight: 11:44

nice just get it out of

Katie Burke: 11:45

the way.

Rebekah Knight: 11:46

Yeah. Plus I thought, you know, actually last year, my painting was like next to the last entry or something. It was almost the last one. Yeah. And I I don't like being all the way in.

Katie Burke: 11:57

Yeah. I don't think it's great either. It's because it's... Well, I think they get tired and they start like...

Rebekah Knight: 12:04

That and then, like, if I'm there, I'm like nervous the entire time because I'm just like waiting for mine. Yeah. Whereas this year it's kind of nice because mine's done early. Yeah. So then I don't have to like have all that time to be, you know...

Katie Burke: 12:18

Yeah. Think it's better to be like towards the front, like front middle middle ish front.

Rebekah Knight: 12:24

Right in the middle is kind of like the sweet spot, but it's kind of hard to plan that because I think so many people submit like on the last day or at the same time.

Katie Burke: 12:32

I wonder if yours was the first one that got in. Do you know? No. There was... Because there was like...

Katie Burke: 12:36

It was like out out out. I mean, the first

Rebekah Knight: 12:38

like beginning... There were there were two others I think that got in before. Yeah. But mine was the first with five ins.

Katie Burke: 12:44

Okay. Yeah. Because there was... Yeah. I was like, I didn't get to see any of it because I've been doing this all day.

Katie Burke: 12:49

But yeah, it was just like out. I mean, everything was out and I was like, oh, this is gonna be interesting.

Rebekah Knight: 12:54

Yeah. I know. I was watching the live stream on the jet.

Katie Burke: 12:56

I thought they were a little tough.

Rebekah Knight: 12:58

Yeah, they were.

Katie Burke: 12:59

Yeah. I thought they should have let more. There was some that I thought should have gone in. Yeah. Because, and I don't know how you feel about this, but I kind of wish they would let more in in that first round just to encourage people.

Katie Burke: 13:12

Yeah. So that, like... Because there are some that... Yeah. Like, maybe they'd get a one in the next round.

Rebekah Knight: 13:18

Right.

Katie Burke: 13:18

But like But like they just... They worked really hard. Yeah. And like they're getting there. Yeah.

Katie Burke: 13:24

It's getting closer.

Rebekah Knight: 13:25

Yeah. And like... I agree with that.

Katie Burke: 13:27

Yeah. And it just... Because especially because we have so many new Mhmm. Entries and new people entering, like, just to encourage people to keep going. Because like talking to Tony who's done it like he's the big...

Katie Burke: 13:41

Which is crazy that he's only ever gotten fourth.

Rebekah Knight: 13:44

Oh, really?

Katie Burke: 13:45

That's the highest he's ever gotten. And he's done it for twenty five years. So like, yeah, I mean there's... I don't think people realize like how much people are like doing it. And he's incredible.

Katie Burke: 13:55

Like I don't know how he's totally ever gotten. It's kind of

Rebekah Knight: 13:58

hard to like keep going after you, you know...

Katie Burke: 14:02

Because you're not making any money off of it, really. I mean, you're spending money to be

Rebekah Knight: 14:06

in it. I mean, a lot of times...

Katie Burke: 14:08

Can like sell yours now. But,

Rebekah Knight: 14:10

yeah, it can be hard to like keep going when... Especially if like you don't get in past the first round year after year. And I see a lot of artists that have a lot of good potential. Yeah. And they get real discouraged after not getting past the first round.

Rebekah Knight: 14:26

Yeah. And then they just end up quitting.

Katie Burke: 14:27

Yeah. And a lot of it is just luck. It's a lot of luck because it's so subjective and and you have to learn like all these little tricks like... So let's talk about like when you were doing yours, like, what are those strategies that you think about when you're doing your stamp? Like when you're going into like making your composition and things like that?

Rebekah Knight: 14:48

Well, I always think about the ones that have won in the past. I always have that in the back of my mind and just that sort of classic duck stamp look.

Katie Burke: 14:57

Yeah. The Hollywood duck.

Rebekah Knight: 14:59

Yeah. So I mean, that's probably not how I would paint something normally in a piece But of for this competition, that's something I'm always keeping in mind, like what would look good on a stamp. Yep. And then I also try to just imagine the possibilities of what else somebody else could be coming up with. So if I have access to some of the other entries in past years, even if they weren't winning entries, I'll sometimes go back and look just to see, like, you know, kinda what, you know, what I'm up against and, like, like, would mine stand out against all these other entries?

Rebekah Knight: 15:33

Right. So I kinda just try to keep that in mind.

VO: 15:43

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Katie Burke: 15:59

So this year you said you did things differently. Why did you choose to like airbrush and use acrylics and what what were the thought behind Well

Rebekah Knight: 16:07

with oil, I I was having some issues with some of my past entries with like too much texture buildup. And a lot of times I like to have like kind of that smooth airbrushed background. Mhmm. And every time I would come to the contest and look at the entries in person, mine would have this like... Because I can get really close to an airbrush look with with a paintbrush with oils.

Rebekah Knight: 16:31

But there's still that like little bit of like brush strokes and just compared to the other entries that used an airbrush, theirs are so like perfect and smooth. And so I just thought, well, I'll just try acrylic because it's... Because when it dries, it's like flat. It's not... It doesn't have that texture pulled up like the...

Rebekah Knight: 16:49

Which I love

Katie Burke: 16:49

the textured I prefer oils.

Rebekah Knight: 16:51

But like for the duck stamp, I really don't want any texture at all.

Katie Burke: 16:55

Right. And I can see...

Rebekah Knight: 16:57

Yeah. Yeah. So that's why I decided to do the acrylic. Yeah. And I'm real happy with how it turned out.

Rebekah Knight: 17:04

Yeah. Plus there's like this brand of acrylics I really wanted to try and I thought, well, is

Katie Burke: 17:08

a good excuse

Rebekah Knight: 17:08

to try on this.

Katie Burke: 17:09

Are you nervous that you're gonna have to like toss it with the acrylics and Well, go

Rebekah Knight: 17:15

with the airbrush I was because I really hate using an airbrush. It's really messy and it's risky and I don't have... I actually borrowed my friend's airbrush. She was my art mentor growing up, Susan Harding. She still had the old airbrush that I used like on my junior duck stamp and I'm pretty sure that was the same one that I used for this one.

Rebekah Knight: 17:33

But I mean it's not like a super high quality airbrush but it gets the job done. And so I was kind of fighting like splatter here and there and it's just really frustrating because I'll get it looking really nice and it's like I want to just like do a little bit more here and then I'll try to do that and it splatters and then I have to like Yeah. Do a whole bunch more to fix it and it's really messy and you got the loud air compressor kicking on and like making me jump and then it splatters.

Katie Burke: 18:00

Anyway... I guess, yeah, you can't control... And if it's not... I'm guessing there are ones you can control better.

Rebekah Knight: 18:05

Yeah. But really, you can really nice ones, but I I don't have a super nice one.

Katie Burke: 18:09

Well, especially since you haven't been doing it.

Rebekah Knight: 18:11

Yeah. So what was the... And I haven't, yeah, done it in so long. Oh, yeah. But but it makes really really nice results when it's done.

Rebekah Knight: 18:16

So I was really happy when I finally got that the airbrush part done. But then it's like once I get the airbrush... Because I normally do the background first. Like I I cut out the shape of the duck. So I block it in Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 18:28

First. And then like with just a paintbrush and then I like cut out the shape like with paper or something. Okay. The ducks and I tape that over the ducks so that they don't get the airbrush on it.

Katie Burke: 18:39

Okay. Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 18:40

And so that's, you know, I do that, the airbrush background first and then I go back and I paint the ducks again Yeah. On top of that. So once I get my airbrush background done and I'm happy with it, then I have to worry about like accidentally scratching the background or something or like getting a...

Katie Burke: 18:58

So when you do the water, would you have done the airbrush and then painted on top of the water?

Rebekah Knight: 19:03

For like on my entry, if you background water that's kind of like out of focus, I did that with that. Okay. But the water in the foreground, didn't do any airbrushing on. Just covered it up and then just painted it. Painted it.

Katie Burke: 19:15

Mhmm. I've never like gotten to see it in person. So I always just look at it online and look at it and it's so different like when you're talking about like with the oil in the background and then seeing it in person. Mhmm. Because when I...

Katie Burke: 19:27

When you're talking about it and I've seen your entries like online and I don't notice that at all, like when you look at them online. But you're right. There's... There was some entries that I had completely overlooked Mhmm. Online and then I came and saw them in person.

Katie Burke: 19:40

Was like, oh, that's really good. Yeah. It's like way better than I thought it was. And I found that to be really interesting. And I wonder, and I heard someone talking about this before that some of the judges like, I almost like don't want them to have the online

Rebekah Knight: 19:56

Yeah. Before. Right.

Katie Burke: 19:57

Like I wonder, like, I think that's kinda like... Especially if they're like coming in with some like preconceived like Yeah. Ideas about what they're gonna vote for because I think it really skews like how you view the painting later.

Rebekah Knight: 20:10

Yeah. Because... Yeah. Yeah.

Katie Burke: 20:12

Because I was noticing that like just... And I know that as someone who like deals in art and stuff, but like that you can't scan and get the colors right.

Rebekah Knight: 20:20

Oh, yeah. Especially if you don't...

Katie Burke: 20:22

Yeah. And they're not using high res scans So or like... But I was... Because there was definitely a bunch of them. I was like, oh, this is way better.

Katie Burke: 20:29

And then... Or... And some was like, oh, it's not as good as I thought it was. Yeah. Yeah.

Katie Burke: 20:33

It was...

Rebekah Knight: 20:34

Oh, yeah. That happens every time.

Katie Burke: 20:35

Yeah. So it's very interesting. I was like, oh my gosh. I love I loved seeing it in person for the first time and I definitely repicked because I probably had five when I looked at it and then I have a new five. Oh.

Katie Burke: 20:46

Like, and but they're not completely new. Like there's definitely some on the same, but there was definitely a big difference from when you see it in person. And I wonder like, I don't know what kind of instructions they get, but I think I was like, are they getting any instructions before they go and look at these?

Rebekah Knight: 21:02

They do. I think they do give them kind of like a rundown of like how they're supposed to do the judging. Yeah. I have never sat in on that.

Katie Burke: 21:09

I don't

Rebekah Knight: 21:09

know like what all they tell them or how in-depth they go, but they're... I don't think they're supposed to be looking around online at the entries. Yeah. So... Yeah.

Katie Burke: 21:21

Because you want to look at it in person.

Rebekah Knight: 21:22

I know. But do like that they post them though, like...

Katie Burke: 21:26

I do too.

Rebekah Knight: 21:26

Because I like to be able to look at it.

Katie Burke: 21:28

I do too.

Rebekah Knight: 21:28

I do too. And all of the And rest of the

Katie Burke: 21:31

like that's like the way always like, like Mike is on the podcast and Clay is one of the things, Like, I'll get all the lists and I'll be like, okay,

Rebekah Knight: 21:38

I have them all.

Katie Burke: 21:39

I have them all. This is what I like. And we'll go through it. And it's like, and this is who I think all these people are.

Rebekah Knight: 21:44

Oh, yeah.

Katie Burke: 21:44

Yep. And I do that every time. They're like, Katie, where's your, like, ranking system? I'm like, I got it right here. Yep.

Katie Burke: 21:50

Now tell us why. So... But I love it. It's like such like the nerdiest thing I do all year, think, when I get my ducks stamp. Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 22:00

It's one of my favorite times a year when they release the entries. Yeah. It's like, I have to stop what I'm doing right now. It doesn't matter what it is. I'm gonna sit here and scroll through the entries.

Rebekah Knight: 22:09

Same.

Katie Burke: 22:10

I was like, sitting at my desk, like, nope. That's... Can wait. Yep. You can wait.

Katie Burke: 22:14

I will do this. And I love... Even though they're never gonna win, but I love seeing all the, like, kitschy ones they do, like the embroidery ones.

Rebekah Knight: 22:22

Oh, yeah.

Katie Burke: 22:23

Who are the... What fun thing did someone come up with that...

Rebekah Knight: 22:26

There's a lot more of those lately, I've noticed. Yeah.

Katie Burke: 22:28

I mean, they're never gonna win, but I like them. So please keep doing the people out there. So... Because there's like one that's it's all embroidered just the bluing teal. And it's hard.

Katie Burke: 22:40

Mhmm. I'm like, that's a lot of work. I was like, I could never... I would rather...

Rebekah Knight: 22:43

There's some in there that it's like, these would be a really really... These are really nice piece of art, not necessarily for the stamp. No. But outside of that, they're really nice piece of art. They're...

Katie Burke: 22:52

It's a beautiful one, and it made it. Mhmm. And I don't think it'll be a stamp, but it's like blue wing teal flying right in.

Rebekah Knight: 23:00

Exactly the one I'm thinking of.

Katie Burke: 23:01

It's beautiful. It's like... Needs to be this. It needs to be like a big size painting. Yeah.

Katie Burke: 23:05

I agree. Yeah. It's so pretty. I was like, yeah, don't think it'll make... Because when you when you shrink it down, those ducks will get so small.

Rebekah Knight: 23:11

Right. It wouldn't work very well for a stamp. No. But it's really nice painting.

Katie Burke: 23:15

Beautiful. I wonder who did that one. Have no idea. But yeah, there's a bunch of those like that. But I was...

Katie Burke: 23:20

When you talk about your background and then having the texture, like at first I was like, I didn't think about it. I was like, because I've looked at it, I'm like, oh, but I guess, yeah, like if you could see that as a judge, it might distract you. You want it like... Because I think the strategy is you want the duck to be the main. Right.

Katie Burke: 23:37

That's all you want to be able to see really when you look at it. And then the background complements the duck. Right? Right. The duck doesn't complement the background.

Katie Burke: 23:44

Right. So you would... That makes sense to do the airbrushing because you're trying to make the background be as least obtrusive to the duck as possible. Yep. Yeah.

Katie Burke: 23:53

So I've been... Yeah. I never even thought about that, but that makes sense. Because I'm always like, I don't personally love airbrushed paintings. Like, that's

Rebekah Knight: 24:01

not... Don't

Katie Burke: 24:02

really... That's not my... What I want really when I look at paintings. Yeah. So...

Katie Burke: 24:05

But that makes sense because you're just Mhmm. Trying to keep all the focus on that.

Rebekah Knight: 24:09

I mean, in the end, it's gonna be a little stamp. Yeah. That's tiny little thing. Or an inch and a half or something like that. But, yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 24:17

So that's like the main goal is and that's what the judges have in mind too when they're judging. So it has to look good when it's reduced.

Katie Burke: 24:22

And you have to think about all the text and everything that's going top of that. Yeah. Because there's a few of them that had like little elements. I'm like, oh, these are cute, but like... They'll get lost.

Katie Burke: 24:31

They'll get lost. Yeah. Be gone. They're not gonna be there. So, yeah, and there's another one that has like these turtles on it.

Rebekah Knight: 24:38

Oh, yeah.

Katie Burke: 24:39

Saw it. And I love it. But I'm like... It's a great painting. It's great painting.

Katie Burke: 24:42

But I was like, but the turtles, I just want to look at the turtles. Yeah. Yeah. It's like, but it's really good too. I don't know who did that one either.

Katie Burke: 24:49

That one's really good. There's a few of them in there. But anyway, so you have lots to do today and it's a big day. I hope you do really well. Good luck today.

Katie Burke: 24:57

Is there anything you want to talk about that we didn't talk about? Oh, I know. Never mind.

Rebekah Knight: 25:02

Okay.

Katie Burke: 25:02

Two things. I have two questions for you. One, do you have any advice for like new people entering coming on the show? Like coming like into the contest and to keep going and that sort of First

Rebekah Knight: 25:15

thing would be like if you're designing your entry, just look, go back and look at all the past winners and even ones that haven't won, if you have access to any other entries, you know, just to see what works and maybe what doesn't. Mhmm. And then I would say my biggest piece of advice is not to get too discouraged if you get voted out or if you don't, you know, even if you get all out votes

Katie Burke: 25:40

Mhmm.

Rebekah Knight: 25:41

That doesn't mean it's a bad painting. Yeah. Because number one, it's subjective. Yep. And this is for a very specific contest.

Rebekah Knight: 25:50

It's not really just an art contest. It's an art contest with a very specific goal and that's for a stamp.

Katie Burke: 25:57

Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 25:57

So it doesn't mean it's not a good piece of art, but I would just like take that as motivation to like try to learn something and just like try harder next year. Yeah. Because I got voted out. I don't know how many years I got voted out in the first round before I finally got past the first round. And you kind of like every year I've learned something and then like gotten better every year.

Rebekah Knight: 26:17

So then like the next year I got past the first round and and then I started getting more and more in votes. And then I ended up finally making it to the third round. Like, it's not very often that you get that far, like, right away. Yeah. So it takes time.

Rebekah Knight: 26:33

It's rare. I know a handful of artists who are, like I said, they're really good but they get so discouraged because they don't make it as far as they wanted to and then they just give up. Yeah. So I wouldn't... I mean, if if you want to like, you know, get farther in the contest, then you really kind of have to have a thick skin and just like just use that as fuel to do better for next year.

Katie Burke: 26:56

Because like sometimes too, like... And like there's been years where I've been surprised by the winner and I am like, oh, where'd that come from?

Rebekah Knight: 27:03

Right.

Katie Burke: 27:03

Right. And then... But because it is so subjective. There's a lot of luck involved in this. There is.

Katie Burke: 27:07

Yeah. Yeah. And then my last question is because was about the Junior Ducks Stamp as you were you were on the Junior Ducks. When when did you win the Junior Ducks?

Rebekah Knight: 27:17

2006.

Katie Burke: 27:18

2006. So can you like talk to the importance of like that program and what it means for the Federal Ducks Stamp and just wildlife art in general.

Rebekah Knight: 27:28

Yeah. I mean, I know what it did for me and that competition is really what made me take my painting seriously. And I started doing more because before that I was doing a lot of just like drawings and stuff for fun because that's what I enjoyed doing. But then after I won the junior, I realized that like I could actually do finished paintings and people started wanting to buy paintings from me and have me do like commissions and stuff. So from an artist career standpoint, it was really good for me and I think it could do that for, you know, young artists who do want a maybe a career in art.

Rebekah Knight: 28:06

And then also that's how I learned about just waterfowl in general and conservation and just everything that really it's designed to do. You know, I would call myself a junior duck stamp success story. Yeah.

Katie Burke: 28:20

I would say that too.

Rebekah Knight: 28:21

Did a lot like for me in pretty much every area that it's intended to. And I really like that still to this day. My passion is like wildlife and conservation and all that. So... Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 28:34

Yeah. I mean...

Katie Burke: 28:34

It's pretty special and we didn't really talk about it, but it's been it's been really special having it here. Mhmm. Because the partnership between Ducks Unlimited and the Ducks Stamp is, I mean, since 1937. So for us and then in the early days were 1934, we were, you know, right there together. And and I don't know if it's like this at other competitions, but the like here in the office all week, it's been kind of like excite.

Katie Burke: 28:58

We've been like everyone that works here has been excited because our missions are so close and we work so closely together. So it's really special to have it here and I wish they would, you know, make it a regular occurrence to come back here. Yeah. Because it's been really fun and Yeah. And I think everyone just really enjoys having it and is very excited

Rebekah Knight: 29:15

to be And I've got to judge the junior duck stamp a lot for the state of Missouri and then I also got to judge the National Junior Ducks stamp this year.

Katie Burke: 29:23

Oh, That

Rebekah Knight: 29:24

was really cool experience.

Katie Burke: 29:24

That's really fun.

Rebekah Knight: 29:26

But every time I judge that contest, I am always impressed with like the amount... Like you can tell by looking at the kids paintings, like how much they're actually learning. Even like the really, really young ones. It's like they're actually like looking at the details in the birds and they're...

Katie Burke: 29:43

Yeah.

Rebekah Knight: 29:43

And when you... It's like writing things down and taking mental notes, but instead it's just painting. So you're still learning just by the act of like copying what you're looking at. Yeah. Because you're learning like the plumage and you're learning about the like habitat and the, you know, ducks behavior and all

Katie Burke: 29:59

that stuff. That's part of it. You can't have it in the wrong habitat. You can't have it at the wrong the wrong plumage in the wrong season.

Rebekah Knight: 30:05

Right. Exactly. So you can like see just by looking at the kids artwork, like you can see like what they're learning. That's really cool.

Katie Burke: 30:11

That's cool. I'm glad you got to do that. Yeah. That's so fun. And it's...

Katie Burke: 30:14

It was really... So it's the... Not the one that's out. Not the one with... Not the one that's you can buy this year or the next one.

Katie Burke: 30:21

Is it... Or was there... Is it Nina? Is that who...

Rebekah Knight: 30:23

I think so.

Katie Burke: 30:25

Is it that one that you judged or is

Rebekah Knight: 30:26

it the next... It was this year.

Katie Burke: 30:27

So... Okay. So we haven't seen it yet. Okay. That's awesome.

Katie Burke: 30:30

Mhmm. Well, I'm excited for you. That was really fun. Yeah. Alright.

Katie Burke: 30:33

Well, thank you for doing this for me.

Rebekah Knight: 30:34

Thanks for having me.

Katie Burke: 30:35

Yeah. I'm glad to have you in person. Yeah. Thank you, Rebecca, for coming on this show. Thanks to our producers, Chris Isaac and Sam Crane.

Katie Burke: 30:41

And thanks to you, our listener, between wetlands and waterfowl conservation.

VO: 30:46

That's a wrap for today's episode of the Ducks Unlimited Podcast brought to you by Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails. From post hunt unwinds to celebrations back at camp, Bird Dog delivers award winning flavor in every moment. Enjoy responsibly. Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe, and check out ducks.org/du podcast for more stories, science, and all things waterfowl. Guest opinions are their own and don't necessarily those of Ducks Unlimited.

VO: 31:11

Until next time, stay fired up, stay focused, and stay tuned to the Ducks.