Plein Air Grand Marais is a community-supported, artist-organized event focused on camaraderie, education, and opportunity for artists to learn from each other and enjoy painting together. We offer cash and in-kind prizes for the Competition Class, Open Class and Quick Paint. Our 2022 Juror is the 2021 Grand Prize winner, Krystal Brown.
Open Class
The Open Class is intended for learning painters who wish to spend more time taking Mini-Workshops or who do not wish to finish and frame 4-6 paintings in a week. Open Class participants may display one original painting at the Open Class reception on Wednesday of Competition Week. Subject to available funds, "POEM" prizes for paintings of exceptional merit will be awarded, and a Best in Show winner will receive an invitation to the Competition Class in 2023. Cash prize amounts will be published by August 1, 2022.
Birney Quick Paint
The Birney Quick Paint is held on Thursday afternoon of Competition Week. It is a timed 90-minute spectator sport that involves artists and visitors alike in the drama and pressure of painting scenes around Artists Point amid constantly changing light and weather conditions. Check out this 2013award-winning documentary short about the 2012 Quick Paint at Plein Air Grand Marais, which continues to inspire appreciation of timed plein air competitions.
This year, the Birney Quick Paint will be open to all registered artists without distinguishing Open Class from Competition Class. Cash and sponsored prizes will be awarded for POEMs (paintings of exceptional merit) and a grand prize award in memory of renowned Minnesota artist Birney Quick (1912-1981), who co-founded the Grand Marais Art Colony in 1947 and was a seminal force in making Grand Marais a premier arts destination.
Competition Class
The Competition Class is intended for more experienced plein air painters who commit to create 4-6 paintings for display in Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery from September 16 to October 9, 2022. Four Competition paintings are eligible for awards, and an additional two Reserve paintings may be submitted to hang for sale as Competition paintings are sold.
Grand Prize for Best Body of Work: $1,000 + opportunity for solo show at Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery
Paintings of Exceptional Merit (POEMs): Five $500 awards of excellence for top paintings in any medium, including our popular Night Paint category.
Special Category Awards: $250
Beauty of Watermedia
Beauty of Pastel
Beauty of Oil
Best Sense of Place
Sponsored Award: $250
Best Historic Site (selected by Cook County Historical Society)
Registered artists vote using paper ballots for an artist based on their entire body of work at the final reception. Note: Cash prize amounts are subject to change. The Juror may not give more than one award per artist. The award for Best Historic Site is independently awarded by a committee from CCHS, and the Artists' Choice is awarded by vote of all registered participants at the final reception.
