WASHINGTON — A local artist is receiving a big honor from the U.S. Postal Service: His design is being featured on this season’s holiday stamps.
USPS is hosting a stamp dedication ceremony to officially launch the stamps into circulation at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
The man behind the stamp is Antonio Alcalá, an art director for the Postal Service who has a studio based in Alexandria. Alcalá found the work of artist Michelle Muñoz on Instagram and worked with her to adapt her art to a holiday stamp.
“It's just a very exciting feeling to know that here's the stamp that you worked on this piece of art, and now somebody in Maine can buy it,” Alcalá said. “Somebody in Alaska can buy it, somebody in Florida or Puerto Rico or California or Texas, wherever in Oklahoma, they can go into their post office and buy a piece of the artwork that you had participated in.”
Some of the other stamps he’s designed include one commemorating Alex Trebek, as well as one for Woodstock and the underground railroad.
“I hope people buy stamps and continue to send cards and letters to their loved ones, their relatives, their friends, because I think everybody really appreciates and loves that moment when they come home or look in their mailbox and there's a personal message that somebody that says, ‘Oh, somebody's thought of me and thought it was important enough to send me this card or letter,’” Alcalá said.
To attend Saturday’s ceremony at the National Postal Museum, register online here.
You’ll be able to buy these holiday stamps at your local post office after the weekend.
