Forever Stamps

I have recently licensed 20 flower images to be used by the U.S. Postal Service for two different US postal stamp projects. The first project (shown above) is a set of tulip stamps titled “Tulip Blossoms” which is part of their Forever Stamp Collection and included ten of my tulip images. The second ten images are an assortment of close-up dahlia shots that will be featured as another Forever Stamp Collection.

I have always wanted to have one of my photos used as a stamp but to have an entire collection…beyond words. Then to have two collections-even more astounding! The money, though very generous, comes second to the prestige and sense of pride I feel. My family and close friends have all been very happy for me and understand that this is a lifetime achievement for me. This is such an honor; I am beyond thrilled. I wish my mom were here to see this, she would have been so proud…

U.S. Postal Service Reveals Stamps for 2023

Press Release -U.S. Postal Service Reveals Stamps for 2023-

Tulip Blossoms
Close-up photographs of 10 beautiful tulips in a rainbow of colors grace this new booklet of 20 stamps. One blossom fills almost the entire frame of each stamp, with just the top of a stem peeking out from underneath. Since Dutch immigrants brought tulip bulbs to North America hundreds of years ago, the flower has become a dazzling part of our landscape. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamps with existing photographs by Denise Ippolito.

UPDATE 1/28/2023:

This last week, the US Postal Service announced that my Tulips stamps will be issued on April 5, 2023 and that the first day of issue ceremony at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn Oregon.

The stamps will be released as a booklet of 20 stamps, and in coils of 3K, and 10K. So honored and excited to see them. Please share this news on your social media-thank you. Be sure to include the hashtag #TulipBlossomsStamps. Much appreciated!

https://uspsonlinesolutions.wufoo.com/forms/m1sdnuqw1r2t7f6/

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tulips-blossom-on-new-forever-stamps-301754559.html

https://stamps.org/news/c/news/cat/usps/post/tulips-blossom-on-new-forever-stamps

https://canbyfirst.com/postal-service-to-unearth-new-tulip-themed-stamps-at-wooden-shoe-farm/amp/

https://southernmarylandchronicle.com/2023/02/27/u-s-postal-service-unveils-tulip-blossoms-forever-stamps-in-celebration-of-spring-and-americans-love-for-tulips/?amp

NEW for 2025!

Press Release:

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the blooming of summer flowers with a bounty of picturesque Dahlias Forever® stamps. Dahlias belong to the prodigious Asteraceae family, which also includes sunflowers, zinnias, asters, rudbeckias, and daisies. Their exuberant blooms have long delighted gardeners and ornamental plant lovers for their remarkable diversity and rich displays of color.

These colorful, floral stamps feature close-up images of dahlias and their pistils. The pink, white, yellow, magenta, and red blossoms were photographed in private gardens by photographer Denise Ippolito using natural light.

April Bulletin Of The American Dahlia Society, INC.

The dahlia community was excited to learn that the US Postal Service will be releasing 2025 Dahlias Forever® Stamps later this year. These beautiful dahlia photographs were taken by Fine-art Photographer Denise Ippolito. Denise is a full-time, award-winning, internationally renowned professional photographer, workshop leader, and artist. Her passion for nature and dedication to preserving its beauty in her work clearly shines through in her photography. She wants to share her love and appreciation of the natural world through her work which features avian, wildlife, flowers, landscape, and more. 

It’s fascinating to know that she has a deep personal connection to flowers, coming from a 5th generation florist family. Denise remembers her grandmother’s flower shop in Princeton, NJ. She has visited Swan Island Dahlias several times and we were excited to learn that nine of the 10 close-up photographs in the stamp collection were taken at Oregon’s Swan Island Dahlias. She told Oregon Live that every year in early September she brings a group of flower photographers to Swan Island. Close-up photos with a “soft, pretty look” are her favorite to shoot. “I love flower photography, especially at large farms”.

Here is the full list of varieties pictured in the 2025 DahliasForever® Stamp collection: Andrew Charles, Precious, Spellbreaker, Sheer Heaven, Bodacious, Dancin’ Queen, Snowbound, Lisa Lisa, Excentric, and Bahama Mama.

This is not the first time Denise’s photographs have been used by the USPS. “Tulip Blossoms” stamp collection, released in 2023, includes 10 close-up photographs of beautiful tulips.

I definitely recommend checking out Denise’s website for more of her art including her galleries, ebooks, workshops, and blog. Her photographs are stunning. From flowers to the dramatic landscapes and wildlife of Yellowstone, Africa, and Alaska, be prepared to be amazed. It's always inspiring to see how photographers like Denise can capture the essence of nature and bring it to life through their art.

article written by Sherree Kneller