Graphic artist James P. Edwards of Raleigh, North Carolina is well on his way to fulfilling his goal of becoming a renowned wildlife artist.

Edwards was selected as the winner of the Nevada Department of Wildlife's (NDOW) 29th annual State Duck Stamp Art Contest for his painting of a pintail duck.

Nevada's contest was the second state contest Edwards had entered; he placed third in Michigan's 2008 duck stamp contest.

The winning entry in the annual art contest was selected by a panel of seven judges including two wildlife commissioners. His painting will now grace the Silver State's 2008-2009 State Duck Stamp.

Edwards painting is outstanding in that it is understated. It depicts a scene Edwards describes as peaceful and quiet in evening light.

"There are areas upon which eyes can rest, and area of uniqueness, like the beads of water on the duck," he explained. Edwards said he "got lost" in the detail of the pintail, which is one of his favorite duck species.

The pintail is one of the most widely distributed waterfowl species in the world. Pintails are among the first ducks to migrate south in the fall and north in the spring.

A number of the pintail's migration corridors cross the Great Basin, and during the late fall abundant numbers of these ducks can be found in Nevada.

The painting has Edward's research of the species behind it along with observation and reference photography at Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Park and Eco-center in North Carolina.

A graphic artist by day, Edwards paints in the evenings, taking "a couple of weeks" to finish his entry.

The contest was sponsored by the Nevada Waterfowl Association, who selected the pintail (Anas acuta) as the designated subject for this year's competition.

The winning entry along with the eight runners-up was put on display at the Nevada Waterfowl Association's November fundraising banquet in Fallon.

The contest, sanctioned by the Department of Wildlife, is open to all artists regardless of residence and garnered 25 entries this year.