Plein Air Grand Marais 2024
Competition Week: September 6 - September 13
Opening Reception: September 13, 5-7pm
Gallery Exhibition: September 14 - October 6
Plein Air Grand Marais 2023
Thank you for a great year!
List of 2023 Winners
Open Class Winners
Honorable Mentions
Susan Seaborn for Early Dawn, watercolor
Charlene Ridlon for Solitude by the Onion River, pastel
Jasmin Strevel for Rolling Pigeon Bay, oil
Paintings of Exception Merit (POEMs)
Jean Larson for Temperance Gap, watercolor
Kim Jore for Boat Landing at Menogyn Camp, watercolor
Kat Nottingham for The Other Side, gouache
Best in Show ($200)
Michael Zirbes for Good Night, oil
Competition Class Winners
Best Sense of Place sponsored by OPM
Renee St. Leger for Sunlit Waters
Sponsored Award for Best Historic Site (selected by Historic Cook County)
Mark Daehlin for Echoes in Time
Beauty of Pastel
Lisa Stauffer for A Silvery Day
Beauty of Water Media
Julia Jaakola for Love
Beauty of Oil
Kelly Schamberger for Destination Unknown
Six (6) Top Painting Awards - Paintings of Exception Merit
1. Nocturne: David Pettibone for Night View from Downtown
2. Cynthia S. Kath Award for Exceptional Color and Light: David Becker for Morning Customs Check
3. POEM: Carl Bretzke for Being Bob
4. POEM: Kathie Wheeler for Raven’s Call
5. POEM: Kami Mendlik for Wild-North Shore
6. POEM: James Turner for Heading Out
Artist Choice for Best Body of Work - Kathie Wheeler
Grand Prize for Best Body of Work - Brock Larson
Birney Quick Paint Winners
Paintings of Exceptional Merit (POEMs)
Kathie Wheeler
David Becker
Kami Mendlik
Grand Prize Winner
Jim Turner
It’s Plein Air Grand Marais!
Plein Air Grand Marais is a 20 year tradition bringing outdoor painters to the North Shore of Lake Superior for a week of painting, learning, competition, and camaraderie. Since 2018, the event has been organized by Outdoor Painters of Minnesota and hosted by the Cook County Historical Society's Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery.
2023 Schedule
August 14: Painting Opens
September 15: Competition Week Begins
September 20: Open Class Reception and Exhibit, 5pm-7pm, Harbor Park
September 21: Competition Exhibit Preview, 11am-12pm, Harbor Park
September 21: Birney Quick Paint Competition, 3:30pm-5pm, Artist’s Point.
September 22: Opening Reception VIP Access with $20 donation, 4pm, Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery
September 22: All Access Opening Reception and Award Ceremony, 5pm-8pm, Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery