Even as the debate goes on to determine a national bird as a symbol of Canada ( RCI-Aug 31,2016), Canada Post has produced the first in a new series of stamps to showcase our avian residents.
While Canada itself doesn’t yet have an official bird, the provinces and territories do. The series will stretch over three years but the first group includes five already official and iconic birds of these regions: the Atlantic puffin (Newfoundland and Labrador), the great horned owl (Alberta), the common raven (Yukon), the rock ptarmigan (Nunavut) and the sharp-tailed grouse (Saskatchewan).
The series was designed by Kosta Tsetsekas and illustrated by Keith Martin, who said he didn’t want the images to be passive, and so studied each one’s take-offs and landings but added nothing else to the background to prevent visual distractions from the birds themselves.
He says, “I wanted the whole illustration to reveal the rich patterns, colours and textures that come together to create the character and warmth of these birds.”
Qhen questioned about his favourite, Martin said if he had to choose, it would be the puffin. “When it’s flying, it’s like a missile,” he says, “but when it lands, it always looks like it’s doing it for the first time. I wanted to reflect that quirkiness in my illustration”, he said
The series will feature 15 birds in all, five each year.
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