Canada Post has released a new series of stamps in honour of Earth Day and Mother’s Day, featuring the artwork of Maritime artist Meredith McKinley. The stamp, created for the 12th annual Canada Post Community Foundation, celebrates the bond between sea otters and red-necked grebe mothers and their babies. Canada Post reached out to four graphic designers to provide samples for the project, and McKinley’s embroidery and beadwork design was chosen. With the help of Indigenous illustrator, embroiderer and designer Caroline Brown, the design came to life. The project took a year and a half of tweaking before receiving the final stamp of approval.
“I wanted to do something really different that hadn’t been done before,” said McKinley. “I was thinking about what represents home and mother’s love, so I began thinking of things like quilting, crafts, knitting, and just making things with your hands.” The design features a sea otter mother with her pup resting on her belly, surrounded by the red-necked grebe and her chick, with a background of colourful beads and embroidery. McKinley said it was meaningful that there’s something she’s done, and especially something she’s done with a close friend of hers, that will be a small part of Canadian history.
Canada Post is committed to environmental sustainability and has been using eco-friendly materials for its stamps since 2018. The stamps are made with Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper and vegetable-based inks. This year’s Earth Day stamp features the artwork of Montreal-based artist Raymonde April, showcasing a photo of a tree taken in Quebec’s Gaspésie region.
The new stamps have been released as part of Canada Post’s ongoing effort to support the arts community and celebrate Canada’s natural beauty. The organization has previously released stamps featuring Canadian landscapes, wildlife, and cultural icons. The new Earth Day and Mother’s Day stamps are now available for purchase at post offices across Canada and online.