Artists came from near and far to Grand Marais last week to take part in the annual Plein Air Grand Marais competition, which went on without a hitch (besides COVID-19).
There weren’t as many artists on hand this year because artists were invited to “Paint in Place,” painting their communities and neighborhoods as an alternative to traveling. Still, a small group of artists came to Cook County to paint our pristine landscapes and, of course, Lake Superior.
The competition ran from September 11 – 18; you may have seen artists painting in town and around the harbor, especially during the Quick Paint held on Thursday, September 17 from 3:30 – 5 p.m.
Artists social-distanced themselves around Artists Point to paint for 90 minutes in the two categories: Open and Competition Class Painters. This year’s weather was much better than last year’s gale-force winds, so the artists were pleased to paint in the mild temperature with the sunshine on their backs. After the air horn blew to end the Quick Paint, artists set their wet paintings on the East Bay rocks to peruse each other’s completed pieces and then waited for the judging.
Local Plein Air Artist Neil Sherman presented the awards to the Open Class. The winner of the Open Class was renowned painter David Becker from Ingleside, Illinois. The Competition Class winner was chosen by this year’s juror, Kathie Wheeler, who is also a renowned painter, and Plein Air Grand Marais veteran, Bob Upton from St. Paul, Minnesota.
The festivities continued with a “Live Virtual Opening Reception” on Friday on the Johnson Heritage Post Art Galleries Facebook page. The video showed the artwork displayed in the gallery. The video and photographs of the paintings in this year’s exhibit at the gallery can be found at pleinairgrandmarais.org. This website also includes artist bios, artworks from artists who chose to paint in place, artwork for sale, and information on awards.
There is still one main event coming up – the awards ceremony! Different than previous years, the juror is judging Plein Air Grand Marais works online. The Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday, September 25, live via Zoom at 6 p.m. Please check the pleinairgrandmarais.org website for a link to watch as juror Kathie Wheeler makes the announcements.
Plein Air Grand Marais is a partnership between the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota and the Cook County Historical Society’s Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery. Local landscapes depicted by these talented artists are on exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery in Grand Marais through October 10, with hours on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Twelve guests will be permitted in the gallery at a time with social distancing, face masks, and hand sanitizing upon entering the gallery all mandatory. If you’d like to see the exhibit outside of these hours, you may “Schedule A Viewing” at pleinairgrandmarais.org or give the gallery a call at 218-387-2314.
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