At the end of the year, local artist Ken Ferris will retire from his work at Ducks Unlimited Canada as manager of volunteer and corporate fundraising for northern BC.
Ferris often offered his artwork for silent auction as a way to fundraise for wetland conservation. That started in 1981 when he was asked to donate a painting for a banquet in Vancouver.
Since then his art has raised more than $1 million for Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).
As Ferris continued to donate his art, he was recognized as tbe Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year in 1984.
“Ducks Unlimited Canada and the work they do is just something that I firmly believed in,” Ferris said from his home in Prince George. "As an artist you get some recognition and it’s wonderful, a feather in the cap. But that’s not why I did it. It did it because I support wetland conservation and I believe in the work.”
Throughout almost 40 years donating to the cause, Ferris won the Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp competition in 1993 and 2000 and DUC’s Waterfowl Stamp and Print Artist in 2020. He was also one of 30 world-acclaimed artists whose work was included in Waterfowl of North America, a limited-edition book featuring full-size art prints commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of DUC.
“Ken has introduced countless people to the importance of conservation, not only through his position with DUC but through his amazing artwork,” Karla Guyn, DUC’s CEO, said. “Anyone who has seen Ken’s paintings can attest to his artistic talents, which draw people into the natural world and remind them why it’s so precious. We’re extremely fortunate that he’s shared many of his award-winning works with DUC, raising thousands of dollars for conservation across the country. All of us are incredibly proud of the many things Ken’s done for wetlands and wildlife over his productive career.”
Sarah Nathan, manager of provincial operations for DUC in B.C. said Ferris’s contributions to conservation is more than just the money he helped raise.
“Ken is incredibly passionate about the work we do and helped unite and build stronger communities because of that dedication,” Nathan said. "You see it in his art work, his relationship with his wife Jasmine, and everyone on the volunteer committees who ever came in contact with him. We are so grateful.”
Ferris has donated more than $300,000 worth of art and for that Ferris received the DUC Emerald Teal Award.
Ferris started working for DUC in 2000 when he became a customer services representative for northern BC and then later took on the role of manager of volunteer and corporate fundraising.
“You really do form wonderful relationships with people that you get to see year after year,” Ferris said. “I went into the job where there had been a number of staff changes, so I was mending fences a little bit. But we built some stability back and now we look forward to being able to continue the work. It’s been a great ride, that’s for sure.”
When Ferris retires at the end of the year, he said that will give him more time to work on his art.
