Winter Plein Air 2026
Annual painting retreat and exhibit
Retreat: Sunday, February 22 - Friday, February 27, 2026
Exhibit at Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery (JHP): February 27 - March 22, 2026
Public Reception at JHP: Friday, February 27, 2026 - 5:00-7:00pm
Winter Plein Air is an annual painting retreat in Grand Marais at the YMCA’s Camp Menogyn, a wilderness camp with lodge and cabins located a half-mile walk/ski/snowshoe across Bearskin Lake on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). This event is not a competition, but rather a painting expedition to spend 5 days painting the beauty of the BWCAW and enjoying the camaraderie of other painters.
We will meet at the Cook County Whole Foods Co-Op in Grand Marais between 3:00-4:00pm on Sunday, February 22 for a 4:00pm departure to caravan 31.5 miles up the Gunflint Trail to the parking lot at Camp Menogyn. Staff will meet us there to haul our equipment across the lake.
On Friday, February 27, we will leave camp after breakfast and return to Grand Marais to mount our exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery in early afternoon. A public reception that night from 5:00-7:00pm is followed by a month-long exhibit of the works. Consider reserving a motel room in Grand Marais for the night of Friday, February 27 and driving home on Saturday, February 28 (recommended for those traveling more than a couple hours to get home).
Artists will retrieve unsold paintings on Sunday, March 22, or make arrangements with our delivery team. Volunteers who wish to help deliver paintings throughout Minnesota are invited to enjoy a weekend paint-out on Lake Superior at Allison Eklund’s family property, Sugarloaf Family Cabins, between Wednesday, March 18 to Monday, March 23 (final dates TBD).
Cost: $475 per person - includes five nights group lodging in bunk rooms, all meals, staff guides, and use of snowshoes/skis. Dog Sledding is an additional option for $25 per person, which directly supports the dogs and dogsledding activity program.
Cancellation Policy: Payment in advance is risk-free: OPM pays the YMCA based on actual attendance, and can refund for cancellations, minus the PayPal fee, until the day of arrival on February 22. No refunds will be given after fees are paid to Menogyn.
Waiver Required: Please read the YMCA liability waiver, and print or save a copy for your records. OPM's registration form requires participant consent to these terms.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Space is limited to 30. Register early to secure your reservation.
Read about our Winter Plein Air retreat in a 2018 article in OutdoorPainter.com and in the January/February 2019 issue of The Artist magazine.
Paintings from Menogyn
Alumni, please send a couple painting images for the slideshow to allison@outdoorpaintersofminnesota.org.
Organizer: Allison Eklund, allison@outdoorpaintersofminnesota.org