There were artists throughout the county during Plein Air Grand Marais, but on Thursday, September 13, they were concentrated on the Grand Marais harbor, taking part in the Quick Paint competition. Artists amicably found their spots for the competition and quietly got to work. These three are Neil Sherman in the foreground, David Hahn, middle and Tom McGregor nearest the water.
Fifty-three artists spent seven days exploring Cook County in search of the right light and inspirational landscape as part of Grand Marais Art Colony’s Plein Air Grand Marais, an outdoor painting competition. The competition was split into three categories: Main, Quick Paint and Night Paint. In the Main category artists submitted two paintings created ‘en plein air’ within the boundaries of the Caribou River in Schroeder to the end of the Gunflint Trail to the Canadian Border in Grand Portage.
For the Quick Paint category, artists were given 90 minutes to create a painting from blank canvas to completed work. This occurred on Artist Point on Thursday, September 13 from 4 – 5:30 p.m. Dozens of spectators watched paintings emerge as they traveled from easel to easel between the participating artists.
One of the more difficult and mysterious categories is the Night Paint. Artists are only allowed to paint between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. – battling sleep, minimal lighting and a limited palette.
Hidden in the trees on The Point, Doug Berg of St. Croix, WI, would have made a good subject to paint.
An opening reception was held on Friday, September 14 to celebrate the culmination of the week’s paintings. Over 150 paintings were submitted for Juror Jan Sivertson of Sivertson Gallery to determine competition winners.
Sivertson chose Susan Novak’s Marina for 1st place; David Gilsvik’s Old Shore for 2nd place; Spencer Meagher’s Angry Trout for 3rd place.
Matt Kania’s Closing Time at DQ was selected for the Night Paint category and Christopher Copeland’s Shimmery Light on Artists’ Point won Quick Paint.
Attendees of the exhibit’s opening reception selected Lisa Stauffer’s September – BWCA for the People’s Choice award.
Matt Kania of Duluth painted one of the well-traveled paths on The Point.
The plein air artwork remains on display at the Grand Marais Art Colony until September 30 and is open daily 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
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