Cloquet artist nabs fifth DNR stamp

Artist Stuart Nelson of Cloquet has received another honor from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. His work will be featured on the 2021 walleye stamp issued by the DNR after it was chosen in a contest. It is the fifth time Nelson's work has been featured on a fishing stamp.

Nelson chuckles from his home on Big Lake and says he has been painting "forever, probably. I've got a degree in art. I went for four years to an art school, so I've been painting pretty much all of my life."

His artwork may have

tarted with sketching and drawing years ago, but Nelson has found his niche with painting. "I've done landscapes and other stuff, but I guess I'm most comfortable with wildlife, especially fish, because I'm more of a fisherman than a hunter. I guess it's almost natural."

Nelson grew up on Big Lake. "I was always around water. Fish are the easiest for me."

Stamp contests are open to any Minnesota resident and the field is competitive. Categories include walleye habitat, trout and salmon, migratory waterfowl, pheasant habitat, and turkey habitat. Those who have works chosen are required to sit out the competition for a year.

Nelson has had his artwork chosen four other times - the 1999 trout stamp, the 2011 walleye stamp, and the 2014 trout and walleye stamps.

"I was the first artist to win them both," he said. He was third in the trout stamp contest. "It is what it is," he said. "There's some pretty good competition, so to get two winners is pretty difficult." He'll aim for the trout stamp next year.

The winning piece is an acrylic painting of a walleye taking an angler's lure. There was a three-way tie for runner-up out of seven eligible submissions.

The DNR uses revenue from voluntary purchases of walleye stamps to purchase walleye for stocking in Minnesota's lakes.

There are some keys to winning over judges. "I try to really make them look natural in their habitat," he said. "I do a lot of larger paintings. The fish stamp (canvas) is only six-and-a-half by nine inches, so it's difficult to do anything more than just paint the fish."

Then there is the reduction in size to the stamp. "It's tiny and you're just down to two-and-a-quarter inches by an inch-and-a-quarter stamp, so you can't get a lot of detail in there. You have to concentrate on the fish."

His non-stamp paintings are at least twice as large, allowing for more habitat like weeds or underwater logs. "Different things like that make the fish look more natural," he said. This means focusing on contrast and ensuring that the fish stands out. Nelson has found a way to do this, as evidenced by his win this year.

Nelson has other reasons he enjoys capturing wildlife. "My last two paintings have been northern paintings. I always paint an original for fundraising."

He provides a raffled painting to Minnesota Adult-Teen Challenge each year. "We've been very successful with our fundraising, so that's good," he said. "Any time you can use your talent to raise money, that's as good as it gets."

Those interested in Nelson's work can find his paintings on the website stuartnelsonart.com. Visit mndnr.gov/stamps for more information about habitat stamps and contest guidelines.