About This Stamp
A familiar sight on public buildings and private homes alike, the American flag has been portrayed in myriad ways on U.S. postage. This stamped envelope features a graphic design of the flag that evokes a rich sense of history even as it presents a recognizable icon in a fresh, contemporary way.
The digital illustration featured on this stamped envelope is a graphic treatment by Kit Hinrichs of a waving U.S. Flag, with motion suggested by several equally spaced vertical creases. Small horizontal wavy lines alongside every second vertical crease convey an added sense of motion and depth. Gold stars form a border around the top and sides of the flag, with the words "USA" and "FOREVER" appearing in gold along the bottom row, with a gold star on either side of each word.
While depicting a familiar icon in a fresh and interesting way, the design on this stamped envelope also evokes a sense of U.S. postal history. Hinrichs says that he intended the artwork on this stamped envelope to pay homage to early 20th-century cancellation marks that showed waving flags or wavy lines.
The 2020 U.S. Flag Stamped Envelope is being issued as a Forever® stamped envelope. Its postage will always be equal to the value of the stamped envelope rate in effect at the time of use, even if the rate changes after purchase.
The art director for this stamped envelope was Ethel Kessler.
Stamp Art Director
Ethel Kessler
Ethel Kessler is an award-winning designer and art director who has worked with corporations, museums, public and private institutions, professional service organizations, and now, the United States Postal Service.
After earning a B.F.A. in visual communications from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Kessler worked as a graphic designer and project manager for the exhibits division of the United States Information Agency. Her work was distributed internationally on subjects such as Immigration, Entrepreneurship, Renovation of American Cities, and the Bicentennial of 1976. She was also responsible for exhibits in Morocco, Botswana, and El Salvador.
In 1981, she established Kessler Design, Inc., for which she is creative director and designer. Clients have included the Clinton Government reorganization, the Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic Television, the National Park Service, and the American Institute of Architects.
She has been an art director for the U.S. Postal Service’s stamp development program for more than 25 years. As an art director for USPS, Kessler has been responsible for creating more than 500 stamp designs, including the Breast Cancer Research stamp illustrated by Whitney Sherman. Issued in 1998, the stamp is still on sale and has raised more $98 million for breast cancer research. Other Kessler projects include the popular and highly regarded Nature of America 120 stamp series, a collaboration with nationally acclaimed nature illustrator John Dawson, the 12-year Lunar New Year series with Kam Mak, the American Filmmaking: Behind the Scenes 10 stamps issued in 2003, a 2016 pane of stamps celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and the 2023 stamp honoring Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And many, many others.