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 2025 Juror is Neil Sherman.
Open Class
The Open Class is intended for painters who wish to spend more time taking Workshops or who are not ready to commit to finish and frame 4-6 paintings for the Competition Exhibit. Open Class participants may display one original painting at the Open Class reception on Wednesday of Competition Week, display and sell their paintings at the Off-the-Easel Sale on Thursday, and compete in the Quick Paint. 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 JHP Competition Exhibit next year.
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.
The Birney Quick Paint is open to all registered artists. Cash will be awarded for POEMs (paintings of exceptional merit). A prize from local art supply store Joy & Co will be awarded to the First Place winner 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 Exhibit at JHP
The Competition Class Exhibit at Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery is intended for experienced plein air painters who commit to create 4-6 paintings for display in JHP from September 12 to October 5, 2025. 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): Seven $500 awards of excellence for top paintings in any medium, including our popular Night Paint category.
CCHS Cash Award
Best Historic Site (selected by Cook County Historical Society) awarded for painting of a site in the Cook County Historical Alliance
Artists' Choice: Cash and art materials from Wet Paint. Registered artists vote using paper ballots for an artist based on their entire body of work at the final reception. Note: Cash amounts and in-kind prizes are subject to change. The Juror may not give more than one award per artist in each event. 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 artists at the final reception.
