Autographs and insights from Winter Landscapes first-day ceremony

Oct 8, 2025, 9 AM

Philatelic Foreword by Jay Bigalke

One of the joys of this hobby is getting to meet the people involved with the stamps we collect. On Sept. 19, at Indypex in Noblesville, Ind., I had that privilege when the United States Postal Service dedicated its new Winter Landscapes stamps. I served as master of ceremonies for the event and was fortunate to meet three of the five photographers whose work appears on the pane of 20: Juanita Jones, Carson O’Ffill, and John Moore.

Each of them shared stories about their images during the ceremony. O’Ffill captured his icy scene in St. Joseph, Mo.; Jones photographed a peaceful snowscape near her home outside Lexington, Ky.; and Moore created his image on a friend’s farm in Tolono, Ill. Their enthusiasm for both photography and the chance to be part of a U.S. stamp issue was unmistakable. Following the event, they graciously signed autographs and posed for photographs with collectors.

I even asked all three of them to autograph my pane of 20 Winter Landscapes stamps, a special keepsake since they were all in one place. We also gathered for a group photo in front of the large poster of the stamps, making the day even more memorable.

It looks as though USPS art director Ethel Kessler drew inspiration from an online gallery of seasonal images featured on the Birds & Blooms website, where all five photographs were showcased. PhotoAssist then worked with the photographers to finalize agreements for their use by the USPS, a common refrain mentioned by each of the speakers during the ceremony. It was a reminder of how creative talent can be discovered anywhere, even on an everyday venue like a website, and how a set of stamps can then spotlight their work for a nationwide audience.

Meeting Jones, O’Ffill, and Moore and recognizing their efforts on the Winter Landscapes stamps added a personal and lasting connection to this issue for me and the 75 collectors in the ceremony room. As much as stamps can transport us to faraway places or different eras, moments like this bring the story back home.

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