John Belisle has yet another Canada Post stamp to his credit.
The Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) design instructor designed the 2023 Canada Post Community Foundation stamp featuring an owl, a fox, and a bear reading together under the moonlight.
“The illustration depicts a diverse group of animals gathering around a fire in the forest to read a story together. It reminds us of the joy that stories and storytelling bring, as well as the creativity and curiosity they inspire,” Belisle stated in a news release Tuesday (May 23).
Canada Post retail employees picked the design.
Belsie has been designing stamps for 15 years. He designed 25 stamps for Canada Post, including ones for the 2010 Winter Olympics and themed ones like Star Trek, mental health awareness and Canadians in Hollywood.
He stated in the news release that one of the biggest challenges of the design is knowing what the selection committee will like.
“Some of my best ideas have not been chosen. Stamps are small, so your ideas and artwork have to be imaginative but also quick reads visually, and to work that small you need small little fingers to create the artwork, which is why no one over six feet tall has ever designed a stamp, true story,” stated Belisle, who stands five foot eight.
The stamp is a part of the Canada Post Community Foundation annual campaign. It raises money for grants to support Canadian charities, schools and organizations that benefit children. Since 2012, $12.3 million has been distributed to more than 1,100 community projects across Canada. The 2023 grant recipients will be announced in August.
The stamp, in a booklet of 10, is available online at canadapost.ca/shop.
anna.burns@surreynowleader.com
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