Canada Post issued three stamps today in the ongoing Art Canada series, celebrating the work of contemporary Saskatchewan-based sculptor Joe Fafard. The stamp designs showcase the rich diversity of subject matter, approach and choice of media Mr. Fafard has explored throughout his career.

For years, the Art Canada series has showcased the best of Canadian art with a focus on two dimensional images. “Featuring work by a sculptor has added an additional challenge,” says stamp designer Hélène L’Heureux. “First, to select three flagship works representative of the artist’s versatility; then, to present the three works from the right angle-of-view. The camera had to capture the best angle for the formal layout and also showcase the details of each sculpture.”

Throughout his career, Joe Fafard has fashioned many sculptures of animals, with an emphasis on cows and bulls. The domestic PERMANENT™ stamp features one of Mr. Fafard’s popular bovine sculptures, a work cast in bronze called Smoothly She Shifted.

The U.S. stamp in this year’s Art Canada issue features Dear Vincent, a painted earthenware sculpture depicting Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh. The sculpture presents the painter, palette in one hand, lit candle in the other, painted in colours Van Gogh often used in his paintings.

The international stamp showcases a sculpture called Capillery, depicting three horses laser-cut from steel and bronze. A horse is also featured on the First Day Cover for the Art Canada Issue, this time in the form of a detailed charcoal drawing called Fancy.

These stamps are not the first time Joe Fafard has had a connection to the post. His father, Leopold Victor Fafard, was the Postmaster for the small town prairie post office of Ste. Marthe-Rocanville, Saskatchewan. As a means of honouring both Fafard and the town, Canada Post has chosen Ste. Marthe-Rocanville as the honourary cancellation site of the issue’s Official First Day Cover.

Source: Canada Post

published March 6th, 2012