Dear Otus,
As a 1999 graduate of Central High, it was such a privilege to be among the 2,000 in attendance to hear former President Clinton speak on the 60th anniversary of the school's desegregation. His words were apropos and inspiring. I still miss Bill.
But lost in all the coverage was the announcement later that the postal service is going to break precedent and issue commemorative stamps honoring the five living former presidents and let America vote on which photos to use.
I missed the instructions on how we vote, but I know that you'll have the scoop.
-- Monica Samille,
Little Rock
Dear Monica,
It was wholly a pleasure to hear from you and a further pleasure to inform you how to vote for your favorite photo of our former presidents.
Indeed, political pundits and stamp collectors alike are abuzz with excitement. It's a postal service first to honor a former president while he is still alive.
It wasn't until 2005 -- eight months after his death -- that Ronald Reagan was honored with a 37-cent stamp. (Today, all new issues are "Forever" stamps.)
The Reagan stamp is from a portrait painted by award-winning artist Michael J. Deas and based on a 1981 photo taken in the White House. Deas has produced more than 20 special issues for the postal service, including the Legends of Hollywood series. He has been selected to paint the Living Presidents series.
Deas' original paintings for each stamp will be donated to that president's library and put on special display.
Aside: For the artists out there, Deas works in oils painted on wooden panels, and uses a combination of the 19th-century techniques of grisaille and imprimatura, along with camaieu, gouache and impasto, over which are added layers of semi-opaque paint and transparent glazes.
Deas will have his hands full to make the July 4 deadline, but I understand he works fast once he gets the photos Jan. 1.
The five living former presidents are Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. America gets to pick which of two photos chosen by a blue ribbon panel Deas will use for each portrait.
The postal service decided to let America choose because of the overwhelming response for the 1993 Elvis stamp. You'll recall we had the choice between the "young" Love Me Tender (1956) Elvis painted by Mark Stutzman, or the "mature" Aloha From Hawaii (1973) Elvis painted by John Berkey. A total of 1.2 million postcard ballots were mailed in and young Elvis, based on a 1955 photo when he was 20 and singing into a Shure 55S series microphone, won by a healthy margin.
The '93 stamp was valued at 29 cents. A different Elvis Forever stamp was issued in 2015, also featuring "the King" when he was 20. Evidently, America prefers to remember Elvis as the young, svelte crooner and not the slovenly drug-addled caricature he became in his later years.
Among the choices for the presidents will be one of a young Carter in his Navy uniform, and a recent one of him building a home for Habitat for Humanity.
George 41 gives us the choice of him in his World War II flight suit in front of his Grumman TBM Avenger, or a mature one of him sailing off Kennebunkport, Maine, in retirement.
George 43 is having us pick between two favorites -- one of him looking manly in his Texas Air National Guard uniform or pardoning Pumpkin the turkey just before Thanksgiving in 2008.
Obama's options are with him accepting his party's historic nomination in 2008, or retired and kite surfing on Necker Island with Richard Branson.
But we here in Arkansas are most eager to vote for one of the two Clinton choices.
The first one shows the charismatic 32-year-old "boy governor" in 1979 as he was laying the foundation for Camelot II. Those who favor the young Clinton contend this was the face that first captured the imagination of Arkansas voters.
The second option shows the elder statesman at 68 in 2014. It's the face of the consummate politician as he joyfully works a crowd in Conway at a rally for gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross.
It will be a tough choice. You can pick up your postcard ballots at any local office. Vote as often as you like, but each will cost 34 cents to mail. Voting ends at midnight Dec. 22.
Until next time, Kalaka reminds you that Bill Clinton may be many things, but he is no philatelist.
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