Stamp Release Round-Up: April Stamps

Robert Panara 

The 16th stamp in the Distinguished Americans series honors Robert Panara, an influential teacher and a pioneer in the field of deaf studies. During his 40-year teaching career, Panara inspired generations of students with his powerful use of American Sign Language. He taught at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. for nearly 20 years and at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (part of the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York state). Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with an existing photograph by Mark Benjamin, official photographer of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) in Rochester.

The stamp features a 2009 photograph by Mark Benjamin, official photographer of the NTID. Panara is shown signing the word "respect."

Delicioso

With the release of these six new "Delicioso" stamps, the Postal Service highlights the influence of Central and South American, Mexican and Caribbean foods on American cuisine. The stamps depict, in a bright, colorful way tamales, flan, sancocho, empanadas, chile relleno and ceviche, with the name of each dish appearing in a festive font above each image. The culinary traditions represented on these stamps were brought to the United States by immigrants coming into the country as well as by American tourists visiting the nations of origin. Once here, they have become staples in the diets of many Americans eating at home or dining out at the growing number of restaurants serving or specializing in these cuisines.

The Delicioso stamps feature bright and playful illustrations of tamales, flan, sancocho, empanadas, chile relleno, and ceviche. The books include four of the tamales and flan designs and three of each of the other designs. The names of the six dishes appear in a festive font above each mouthwatering image. Each illustration was created by applying multiple layers of acrylic paint to textured boards, using sandpaper to reveal the hidden layers and give the designs a worn, vintage look.

Succulents

The Green Succulent Global Forever international rate stamp will be available in panes of 10 stamps to be issued April 28. It can be used to mail a 1-ounce letter to any country where First-Class Mail International service is available. The stamp features a photograph of an echeveria, a succulent native to the Americas. William J. Gicker was the art director and Greg Breeding designed the stamp with an existing photograph by Erika Kirkpatrick. The first-day-of-issue will be in San Francisco.

Information on stamps and stamp released gleaned from the USPS press release site and Stamp News Now.

Comments

[Joe F.]

Global Forever stamps aren't issued all that often, so I confess that I hope for something really neat. I'm ... well, the echeveria doesn't move me.

[Donovan Beeson]

I like it a lot, but that's because I know what's coming out next and I REALLY DON'T LIKE THOSE. (It's sports balls.)

[Doug W.]

A great month for stamps, I love 'em all! Thanks for keeping us in the know ;)

[Joe F.]

My disappointment regarding indigenous succulents notwithstanding, I'm pretty happy about the Delicioso stamps. I'll have to make sure I send some letters to people from DEXCON this summer, and use the empanadas stamps -- there's a little place in Morristown called "Raul's Empanadas", and it is legend. When the gaming geeks (whose number I proudly count myself among) descend on Morristown for the various gaming conventions, the place (so far as I can tell) is packed from the minute it opens until the minute it closes every day.

[Cynthia]

I think the Robert Panara stamp is the best of this bunch. Quite an impact on so many lives!

[oliviarrow]

Succulent > sports balls for sure! It's super pretty. Thanks for the background on Panara, totally nabbed some of those too.
What I'm really, really excited for are those eclipse stamps coming soon!!

[Lori]

Hens and chicks succulents have survived lower Midwest winters for 20+ years, so naturally I wanted those and got them.