Canada Post launches ‘Youth Sports’ stamps designed by Circle
Whistler, British Columbia
Canada Post today issued a philatelic tribute to Youth Sports, in celebration of October as Stamp Collecting Month. Designed and illustrated by Circle, the four domestic rate commemorative stamps feature a skate-boarder, snow-boarder, mountain biker and wall climber, respectively. Available at post offices across the country, this unique issue (4 million stamps) will be sold in a booklet of eight interlocking, kiss-cut, self-adhesive stamps printed in seven lithographic colours. A limited edition Official First Day Cover (souvenir envelope with a date-of-issue cancellation) will be of special interest for collectors.
”These stamps, with their colourful and action-packed designs, are sure to appeal to young Canadians,” said the Honourable John McCallum, Minister responsible for Canada Post. ”In this, the International Year of Sport and Physical Education, I hope that these stamps will encourage kids to look at the benefits of being involved with sports and with stamp collecting.”
As quoted in Canada Post’s news release, Circle’s Robert L. Peters explains: ”The stamps reflect the excitement found in these sports. Their major appeal for youth is their ‘counter-culture’ and non-conformist stance. Each sport is associated with ‘attitude’ that is expressed through distinct fashions, colours, and graphics. It was this aspect that we detailed with the dramatic, angled presentation and related colours. Illustrated with exaggerated perspective, the stamps work well in combination and also on their own.”
”The stamps ‘push the boundaries’ of philately a little, in keeping with the sports depicted and the targeted audience.” Peters explains: ”In line with the four sports’ counter-culture origins and somewhat unorthodox cachet, the stamps’ visual vocabulary reflects a youthful penchant for comic-book heroes and a modern vernacular style heavily influenced by Japanese animé. Metallic silver detailing (on sports equipment, etc.) sharpens the visual impact even more, setting off the bright, vivid colours.”
An article in the October 2005 issue of Canada’s Stamp Details magazine quotes Alain Leduc, Manager of Stamp Design and Production at Canada Post: ”These stamps represent the excitement, the attitudes and the risks involved in these sports. This new issue has been specially created to be attractive to young people, and we think the style will draw their interest.” The article continues: ”The design itself breaks new ground for Canada Post, because of the unusual orientation of the self-adhesive stamps on the four-stamp pane. The images work together to create a dramatic effect that reflects the vigour of the four sports; at the same time, each stamp retains the visual energy when it stands alone on an envelope.”
Circle has previously designed commemorative stamps for the RCMP’s 125th Anniversary (including the award-winning RCMP 125th Anniversary Collector’s Set), the 1999 Pan American Games, Canada’s historic role in banning Land Mines (for Canada Post’s Millennium Collection), the 2001 Christmas issue, and earlier this year, the popular Fishing Flies series. Circle’s work has received widespread recognition, has appeared in publications worldwide, and has won numerous national and international awards.
Additional information about Canadian stamps can be found in the Newsroom section of Canada Post’s website, and a downloadable high-resolution photo of the Youth stamps is in the Newsroom’s Photo Centre. Stamps and Official First Day Covers will be available at participating post offices, can be ordered online by following the links at Canada Post’s website www.canadapost.ca or by mail-order from the National Philatelic Centre. From Canada and the USA call toll-free: 1 800 565 4362 and from other countries call: +1 902 863 6550.
For further information from Canada Post, contact:
Cindy Daoust, Ottawa, Ontario
T +1 613 734 4258
cindy.daoust@canadapost.ca