Painters

June 3, 2026 In Art, Artists, Carvers, Featured Art, Festival Highlights, Galleries, News, Painters, Photographers, Sculptors

Waterfowl Festival Art Committee Announces Artists Chosen for Festival 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2026

Easton, Maryland — The Waterfowl Festival is proud to announce the distinguished roster of exhibiting artists selected for the 55th Annual Waterfowl Festival, taking place November 13–15, 2026. Representing the finest talent in wildlife, sporting, and maritime art, this year’s group of artists reflects the Festival’s long-standing commitment to the celebration of the natural world.

More than fifty nationally and internationally recognized painters, sculptors, carvers, and mixed-media artists will showcase their work throughout Festival weekend, offering collectors and visitors a unique opportunity to meet the artists, learn about their creative processes, and acquire original works inspired by wildlife, sporting traditions, and the landscapes that define our outdoor heritage.

“Choosing fifty-five artists was intentional,” said Deena Kilmon, Executive Director. “For fifty-five years, proceeds from art sales have helped fund projects that advance our mission. This exceptional group of artists captures both the beauty and fragility of the natural world we have worked to protect, reflecting through their remarkable talent and dedication the very values at the heart of our organization.”

The 2026 artist lineup includes returning Festival favorites alongside new exhibitors, representing a wide range of artistic styles and mediums. Selected artists include: Sue deLearie Adair, Sandy Alanko, Al Barker, Jill Basham, Jocelyn Beatty, Mike Bonner, Ray Brown, Randy Conner, Richard Clifton, Kim Diment, Timothy Donovan, Lori Dunn, Mark Dziewior, John Eiseman, Lois Engberg, Ned Ewell, Wilhelm Goebel, Jim Green, Carol Heiman-Green, Matthew Hillier, Laura Hopkins, Bernie Houston, Al Jordan, David Kiehm, Yelena Lamm, Sharon Lee, Jason Lyons, Jeffrey Mathias, Walter Matia, Cory McLaughlin, Kelly McNeil, Terry Miller, Scott Penegar, Clayton Pennell, Volodymyr Piven, Mary Pritchard, Julia Purinton, Don Rambadt, Christine Rapa, Paul Rhymer, Larry Ringgold, Steve Roger, Julia Rogers, Susan Fay Schauer, Joe Seme, Kim Shaklee, David Orrin Smith, Richard Snyder, Scott Suriano, Nancy Tankersley, Eric Tardif, David Turner, Mary Veiga, Keith Whitelock, and Bruce Woodward. Full roster, images and photos can be found on the festival website here: https://waterfowlfestival.org/exhibiting-artists/

Three Selected as Festival’s Featured Artists

For the first time three Featured Artists were commissioned to create special works to showcase the spirit of the festival. Ray Brown, Randy Conner and Paul Rhymer will unveil these pieces during the festival’s popular Premier Night party. The celebration will begin in the historic Tidewater Inn at 4 pm on November 12, 2026.

Art, Conservation, and Community

For more than five decades, the Waterfowl Festival has served as one of the nation’s premier destinations for wildlife and sporting art. The Festival’s artist program continues to attract collectors and enthusiasts from across the country while supporting the Festival’s broader mission of conservation, education, and cultural preservation.

“One of the things that makes the Waterfowl Festival so special is the caliber of the artists showcased in our fine art pavilions,” said Tracy Garrett, Art committee co-chair and festival board member. “Our 55th anniversary lineup represents extraordinary talent across multiple disciplines and traditions. We are thrilled to welcome these artists to Easton and provide visitors with an opportunity to experience their work firsthand.”

Throughout the weekend, artists will be available in the PNC Art Pavilions to meet attendees, discuss their work, and share the inspiration behind the pieces they bring to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Each artist will have pieces for sale, allowing attendees to take home an inspirational work while supporting the mission of the festival.

For more information, visit waterfowlfestival.org or follow updates on social media. ###

About the Waterfowl Festival

Since 1971, the Waterfowl Festival has raised nearly six million dollars for conservation and education efforts. Proceeds from the festival support various environmental, art, student scholarships, and cultural initiatives, ensuring that future generations can understand and enjoy the beauty and diversity of waterfowl and their environments. The festival also plays a vital role in supporting the local community, drawing visitors from around the country and boosting the regional economy.

The Waterfowl Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of the Maryland State Arts Council, the Maryland Historic Trust, the Town of Easton, Talbot County Government, and all of our incredible community partners including the hundreds of volunteers that make all the magic happen.

March 11, 2026 In Art, Artists, Carvers, Featured Art, Painters, Sculptors, Uncategorized, Waterfowl

Waterfowl Festival 55 Announces Three Featured Artists — A First in Festival History

Waterfowl Festival 55 Announces Three Featured Artists — A First in Festival History

Easton, Maryland — The Waterfowl Festival proudly announces an historic milestone for its 55th anniversary celebration: for the first time in the Festival’s history, three distinguished artists have been selected as Featured Artists.

Honored for 2026 are nationally acclaimed graphite artist Ray Brown of California, master sculptor Paul Rhymer of Maryland, and award-winning decoy carver Randy Conner of New York. Each artist will create new, original works debuting exclusively at Waterfowl Festival 55.

Celebrating Excellence Across Mediums

Ray Brown is internationally recognized for his hyper-realistic graphite renderings of wildlife. A multiple “Best in Show” recipient at major wildlife art exhibitions, Brown’s meticulous detail and mastery of light have earned him widespread acclaim among collectors and conservationists alike. His featured piece for the Festival will showcase the dramatic beauty and precision that define his celebrated style.

Paul Rhymer, a Maryland-based sculptor known for capturing motion and anatomical accuracy in bronze, has received numerous national awards for his wildlife sculpture. His works are held in private and public collections across the country. For Waterfowl Festival 55, Rhymer will debut a newly conceived sculpture inspired by his love of the Chesapeake region, with a nod to America’s 250 celebration.

Randy Conner, one of the nation’s most respected contemporary decoy carvers, has earned top honors at prestigious carving competitions throughout the Northeast. Revered for his blend of traditional craftsmanship and refined artistry, Conner will unveil a new hand-carved piece created specifically to commemorate the Festival’s 55th year.

A Historic First

For more than five decades, the Waterfowl Festival has honored singular artistic excellence. Selecting three Featured Artists for the 55th Festival reflects both the depth of talent within the wildlife arts community and the Festival’s commitment to celebrating diverse artistic traditions — from fine drawing and sculpture to heritage carving.

Each artist’s newly created work will be formally unveiled during Festival weekend, offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire debut pieces tied to this milestone year.

Waterfowl Festival 55 will continue its legacy of advancing conservation, celebrating sporting heritage, and showcasing world-class wildlife art in the heart of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

For more information, visit waterfowlfestival.org or follow updates on social media.

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About the Waterfowl Festival

Images: Ray Brown, “Bonnie and Clyde” graphite on board 40×40

Ray Brown: Self Portrait

Paul Rhymer, kayaking in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay

Randy Conner, Owl Carving

May 27, 2025 In Art, Artists, Featured Art, Galleries, News, Painters, Uncategorized

Hall of Fame Painter Joe Seme to Showcase Work at Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk

[Easton, MD] – May 27, 2025 –FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The June First Friday Gallery Walk exhibit and open house at the Waterfowl Building is set to feature North Carolina artist Joe Seme. Seme is well known for his major “trompe l’oeil” (fool the eye) realistic still life paintings which are carefully researched and and may take three or four months to complete. Seme, a Waterfowl Hall of Fame honoree, painted the 2023, 1980, and 1990 Festival posters. He has been profiled in numerous publications including American Artist, American Art Review, Chesapeake Travel and Leisure, Salt, and Ducks Unlimited.

Joe Seme’s artistic journey spans decades, with a portfolio that includes intricate still lifes, landscapes, and decoy carvings. His deep connection to the Eastern Shore is evident in pieces like “Eastern Shore,” a painting commissioned as the 2023 poster for the Waterfowl Festival. Seme has been a fixture at the festival since 1978 and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1992.

Attendees of the First Friday Gallery Walk will have the chance to view a selection of Seme’s original works, including limited edition giclée prints and original pieces of antique toys, collectables, and other diverse subjects in addition to his well known Eastern Shore subjects. His art, characterized by meticulous detail and storytelling nature – each work a journey into a magical universe created by the artist.

First Friday Gallery Walk is sponsored by the Easton Economic Development Corporation. For more information on this event, visit DiscoverEaston.com.

Event Details:

Date: June 6, 2025
Time: 3:00 PM-6:00 PM
Location: The Waterfowl Building, 40 S. Harrison Street

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About the Waterfowl Festival

For more information about the Waterfowl Festival, including ticket sales and a full schedule of events, please visit www.waterfowlfestival.org.

Images: “Delft Cat”, “Eastern Shore”, “Paris Pig”

May 9, 2025 In Art, Featured Art, Painters, Waterfowl

Art of the Wild Prominent at 2025 Waterfowl Festival in Easton, MD

For immediate release: May 9, 2025

Press Contact: Deena Kilmon, Executive Director

410-822-4567

Celebrated Eastern Shore event to feature acclaimed artist’s works in November

Four specil event venues will feature artists from all over North America at the 2025 Waterfowl Festival, to be held November 14-16, 2025, in Easton, Maryland.

Now in its 54th year, the Waterfowl Festival is a premier showcase of wildlife and sporting art, attracting thousands of collectors, conservationists, and art lovers to Maryland’s Eastern Shore each fall. Juried artists are carefully selected based on originality, craftsmanship, and a demonstrated connection to waterfowl, wildlife, or outdoor heritage. Each year, over half a million dollars in art is sold during the three-day festival – one of the largest pop-up art galleries of its kind on the East Coast. Other Festival venues showcase priceless decoys, fine art collections, and other antiquities for sale related to wildlife and sporting art.

A selection of artists that are coming include Al Barker, Bernie Houston, Pete Nevins, Chris Wilson, Al Jordan, Nancy Tankersley, Jill Basham, Vlad Duchev, Sue Adair, Laura McGowan, Elizabeth Rhoades, Sara Linda Poly, Kelly McNeill, Bernie Houston, Larry Ringold, Russ Smoker, Rich Smoker, Eric Tardiff and more. For a full list of artists, please visit our website.

Feature Artist of the year Al Barker created a work inspired by the beautiful rural landscapes surrounding Easton etitled “Down the Road”. Hundreds of years of agriculture have dotted the region with rustic farmhouses and peaceful meadows of grass and grain. Birds of all kinds find home here on the Mid-Atlantic Flyway. Barker captures the essence of the area perfectly with his watercolor, “Down the Road.” The piece evokes a sense of timelessness that has captivated generations of artists to work, live, and visit the area. Barker’s work can be viewed during the festival and the image will be used in the 2025 Waterfowl Festival poster, available for purchase online and at the festival. The artist will be on hand to sign copies and showcase additional original works for sale.

Renowned outdoor painters, sculptors, carvers, and photographers from across the country will showcase their work in a series of exhibits spread throughout Easton. Attendees will enjoy viewing works of art of all sizes that capture the beauty and majesty of the natural world. The

works will be available for purchase, providing a unique opportunity to own a piece of art that reflects a deep appreciation for the outdoors.

The Waterfowl Festival is more than an art show — it’s a celebration of community, culture, and conservation. Festival attendees enjoy birds of prey exhibitions, working dog trials, retriever demonstrations, a Quackin’ Trail of activities for children, live music venues, and more. The proceeds from the festival support wildlife habitat preservation and conservation efforts across the nation.

To learn more about the festival, visit www.waterfowlfestival.org.

About the Waterfowl Festival:

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About the Waterfowl Festival

in supporting the local community, drawing visitors from around the country and boosting the regional economy.

For more information about the Waterfowl Festival, including ticket sales and a full schedule of events, please visit www.waterfowlfestival.org.

March 20, 2025 In Art, Artists, News, Painters

Waterfowl Festival, Inc. Announces 2025 Featured Artist Al Barker

Waterfowl Festival, Inc. Announces 2025 Featured Artist Al Barker

The Waterfowl Festival’s 2025 Featured Artist has been announced, naming a legendary Festival favorite, Al Barker. Barker has displayed his work at every Festival since its inception in 1971. His quintessential scenes of hunting, the outdoor lifestyle, and nature flawlessly capture a quiet and breathtaking beauty, bringing the viewer intimately into the scene without disrupting the magical and private moments his subjects are experiencing.

“The Waterfowl Festival is about tradition – preserving our heritage and sharing it with the new generation,” remarked Deena Kilmon, Executive Director. “Al’s works are the perfect way to seduce anyone who is viewing them to fall in love with the romance of the outdoors. His works are generally not large making them the perfect size and price point for the new collector -A key element of the Festival – making sure art is accessible to everyone.”

Al Barker was born in New Jersey and was raised within the New York Metropolitan area where he learned to appreciate the outdoors by spending a great deal of time hunting and fishing. These activities, no doubt, influenced his decision to pursue academic studies in Environmental Science where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Forestry and later received a National Fellowship for Doctorate work. After these academic studies, Al became a Forestry educator and worked in private industry and eventually taught his trade on the post- secondary level. Without formal art training, he began drawing and painting wildlife scenes to assist with his teaching curricula and has been influenced by the works of Milton Weiler and Don Stone, N.A. Presently, as a full-time professional artist, Al specializes in smaller sized paintings, completing works in both oil and watercolor, as well as rendering many small editions of etchings.

Al Barker is the only professional artist who has exhibited continuously at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Maryland, since its inception over fifty years ago. Al has won over fifty major awards in premier art competitions and principal exhibitions such as the Grand National American Artists Professional League, New York; Greenwich Workshop Galleries, Connecticut and California; Settlers West, Arizona; Gallery One, Ohio; and the prestigious Salmagundi Club in New York City of which he has been a member and on exhibit for more than 50 years. Al’s work is displayed in many National Miniature Exhibitions in the continental United States. Notably, Al’s work has been purchased by museums for permanent collections, many private collections, as well as the White House fine arts collection.

Look for the release of Barker’s Featured Art piece this summer! Posters from the featured piece will be printed in limited edition. Pre-orders are available by calling the Waterfowl Festival office 410-822-4567 or at the link online later in the summer in the Waterfowl store. Previous years prints are on salenow at this site: https://waterfowlfestival.org/festival-posters/

About the Waterfowl Festival

Waterfowl Festival Inc. is dedicated to wildlife conservation, the promotion of wildlife art, and the celebration of the life and culture of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The 54th Festival will be held November 14-16, 2025 in historic Easton, Md. VIP and corporate sponsorship packages are also available. For more information, to volunteer, or donate, visit www.waterfowlfestival.org or call 410-822-4567.

To learn more about Barker, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/albarkerpainter/

Images courtesy Al Barker.

January 22, 2025 In Art, Artists, Carvers, Festival Highlights, Galleries, News, Painters, Photographers, Sculptors, Waterfowl

2025 Waterfowl Festival Call for Artists

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Easton, MD — Waterfowl Festival 2025: Call for Artists and Exhibitors

Easton, Maryland – January 21, 2025 – The Waterfowl Festival is excited to announce that applications for artists and exhibitors are now open for the 2025 event, scheduled for November 14-16, 2025.

We invite painters, sculptors, carvers, and photographers specializing in waterfowl, wildlife, landscapes, sporting art, and maritime subjects to apply. All displayed work must be available for sale. New artist applications should include 5 to 10 digital images representative of the artwork intended for exhibition. Artwork for sale must have been created within two years of the festival date. Please ensure high-quality images, as they are crucial for the jurying process.

Important Information

Application portal: https://waterfowlfestival.org/artist-application/
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025
Notification of Acceptance: Artists will begin to be notified by the end of April if they are accepted into the exhibition.
For information about the application process, please reach out to our office via email or call 410-822-4567.

Image: Art Gallery at Waterfowl Festival/Courtesy Ron Haddaway

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About the Waterfowl Festival

July 5, 2024 In Art, Artists, News, Painters

Painters selected for WFF 2024

PRESS RELEASE

The Waterfowl Festival is pleased to announce the selected Painters for this year’s event, taking place from November 8-10 in Easton, MD. Artists featured in this category for the 53^rd Waterfowl Festival include local, national and international talent:

Sue deLearie Adair (Schenectady, NY), Sandy Alanko (Tilghman Island, MD), Al Barker (Bordentown, NJ), Jill Basham (Trappe, MD), Richard Clifton (Milford, DE), Lori Dunn (Norwood, ON), John Eiseman (Hebron, MD), Ned Ewell (Cockeysville, MD), Cynthie Fisher (Hamilton, MT), Jean Gidich (Elmore, OH), Wilhelm Goebel (Salisbury, MD), Lori Goll (Leesburg, VA), Carol Heiman-Greene (Orange, CA), Brenda Kidera (Woodbine, MD), David Kiehm (Oneonta, NY), Rebekah Knight (Deepwater, MO), Yelena Lamm (Pittsburgh, PA), Laura Mark-Finberg (Pequea, PA), Kelly McNeil (London, ON), Terry Miller (Takoma Park, MD), Pete Nevins (Centreville, MD), Clayton Pennell (Boone, NC), Volodymyr Piven (Arnold, MD), Sara Linda Poly (Easton, MD), Mary Pritchard (Chestertown, MD), Julia Purinton (Warren, VT), James Rataczak (Circle Pines, MN), Elizabeth Rhoades (Belle Haven, VA), Julia Rogers (Easton, MD), Steve Rogers (Lewes, DE), Drew Scarpa (Millville, NJ), Susan Schauer John (Easton, MD), Joe Seme (Wilmington, NC), Nancy Tankersley (Easton, MD), Mary Veiga (Baltimore, MD), Stewart White (Easton, MD), Keith Whitelock (Salisbury, MD), Bruce Woodward (Sykesville, MD), Christine Young (Fairborn, OH).

The Waterfowl Festival features over 75 total artists, including Carvers, Painters, Photographers and Sculptors. Participating artists demonstrate a variety of styles and mediums, showcasing works of art depicting waterfowl and wildlife, as well as landscapes, sporting art and maritime subjects—the rich diversity of nature. Exhibitions will be located in the Waterfowl Building, Artist Pavilion presented by PNC Bank (on Harrison Street), Academy Art Museum, Avalon Theatre, and Eastern Shore Land Conservancy. Please stay tuned for further announcements regarding this year’s selected artists.

The Waterfowl Festival is produced in part with support from the Maryland State Arts Council, generous community sponsors and corporate partners. Advance tickets to the event, including VIP and Premiere Night (Nov. 7) passes, can be purchased online at www.waterfowl.org/festival-tickets. Weekend general admission tickets are discounted now thru Oct. 1 for only $20. Volunteers receive free admission. For more information, or to sign up as a volunteer, contact us at or call 410.822.4567.

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About the Waterfowl Festival: Located in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay region known for its stunning landscapes and abundant waterfowl populations, the Waterfowl Festival has grown to be a cherished tradition, attracting visitors from across the nation and around the globe. Its commitment to conservation, community, and cultural enrichment makes it a vital event for anyone interested in preserving our natural world for future generations. For more information, please visit WaterfowlFestival.org.

July 5, 2024 In Art, Featured Art, News, Painters, Sculptors

Waterfowl Festival announces 2024 Featured Artist

This year’s Featured Artist, Ronnie Wells, is both a sculptor and painter residing in Larado, Texas. He is shown with his sculpture, ‘Cans In the Decoys’, to be on exhibition at the Festival this November.

PRESS RELEASE

The Waterfowl Festival is honored to announce Texas-based artist Ronnie Wells as the Featured Artist for this year’s 53^rd festival and exhibition held in Easton, MD. Mr. Wells will exhibit both sculpture and paintings that he has created specifically for this event.

As a waterfowl and wildlife-centric artist, Mr. Wells has won numerous awards and exhibited his work in museums and fine art shows across the nation. He was awarded Ducks Unlimited’s Texas Artist of the Year for three years, won Sculptor of the Year at the DU World Wildlife Exposition, and has several permanent installations at the National and Regional DU Headquarters. Permanent works are also exhibited in the Ducks Unlimited Waterfowling Heritage Center located at Bass Pro in Memphis. Mr. Wells monumental bronze sculpture “Gale Winds and Mallards” stands at the entrance of National Ducks Unlimited Headquarters in Memphis, TN.

Mr. Wells graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 1968 with a Fine Arts Degree. Upon graduation, he and his wife, Patricia, moved to Houston where he was employed for four yeas at MD Anderson Hospital as a medical illustrator. Mr. Wells resigned in 1972 and began a lifelong pursuit of his life passion in wildlife art, as a painter and sculptor. He and his wife have two children and four grandchildren. Wells Gallery has been in existence at different locations for 50 years. They have maintained the Gallery in Salado, Texas for the past 30 years.

Mr. Wells’ exhibition will be located in the Artist Pavilion presented by PNC Bank on Harrison Street, across from the Waterfowl Building. His new waterfowl-themed oil painting, ‘Cans In the Decoys’ will be featured on this year’s Waterfowl Festival poster, signed and limited to only 300 copies.

The Waterfowl Festival is produced in part with support from the Maryland State Arts Council, generous community sponsors and corporate partners. Advance tickets to the event, including VIP and Premiere Night (Nov. 7) passes, can be purchased online: www.waterfowl.org/festival-tickets. Weekend general admission tickets are discounted now thru Oct. 1 for only $20. Volunteers receive free admission. For more information, or to sign up as a volunteer, contact us at or call 410.822.4567.

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‘Cans in the Decoys’ sculpture by artist Ronnie Wells will be on display at this year’s 2024 Waterfowl Festival from November 8-10, 2024.

Painters

Waterfowl Festival Art Committee Announces Artists Chosen for Festival 2026

Three Selected as Festival’s Featured Artists

Art, Conservation, and Community

About the Waterfowl Festival

Waterfowl Festival 55 Announces Three Featured Artists — A First in Festival History

Celebrating Excellence Across Mediums

A Historic First

Hall of Fame Painter Joe Seme to Showcase Work at Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk

Art of the Wild Prominent at 2025 Waterfowl Festival in Easton, MD

For immediate release: May 9, 2025

Press Contact: Deena Kilmon, Executive Director

410-822-4567

Waterfowl Festival, Inc. Announces 2025 Featured Artist Al Barker

2025 Waterfowl Festival Call for Artists

Painters selected for WFF 2024

Waterfowl Festival announces 2024 Featured Artist

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