Plein Air Grand Marais – 2020 Winners

The Outdoor Painters of Minnesota has announced the 2020 awards in the 17th Annual Plein Air Grand Marais competition and festival of outdoor painting.

From the organizers:

2020 has proven to be a challenging year to organize events where people gather in groups. But outdoor painting is a perfect pandemic-avoidance activity, even if some painters are more home-bound than others.

This year, participating artists could paint en plein air anywhere, June 1 to September 18, with Competition Week activities held in Grand Marais from September 11-18. All the activities were outdoors: Mini-workshops, artists’ socials, daily paint-outs, and a public art engagement activity at local sponsor Joy & Co. using Berton Boxes for people of all ages to try plein air painting. A Quick Paint was held around Artists’ Point on September 17. An online exhibit was published on a new web site by our community host, the Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery (JHP) at pleinairgrandmarais.org. All paintings except those in the Quick Paint were juried online. A limited exhibit of paintings by painters in the Competition Class are displayed at JHP from September 19 – October 10.

Plein Air Grand Marais 2020 Awards

Open Class Juror: Neil Sherman, Grand Marais, Minnesota

Quick Paint
Best in Show: David Becker
(Two $50 gift certificates for Joy & Co.)

Online Competition
1st Place: Jo Nelson, “Field Creek”
($250 + $50 gift card and Sienna panel holder from Wet Paint + Invitation to Competition Class in 2021 Plein Air Grand Marais)

2nd Place: David Becker, “Hjordis Reflection”
($100 + $50 gift card from Wet Paint)

Competition Class Juror: Kathie Wheeler, OPA, AIS, AWA

Quick Paint

Best in Show: Bob Upton
(New Wave Ugo plein air Sea to Summit mini-pochade from Wet Paint)

Online Competition
Best Body of Work: Carl Bretzke
(Invitation to mount solo exhibit April 29-May 22, 2022 at Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery (JHP) (*Winner is eligible for one additional award))

1st Place: Scott Lloyd Anderson, “Sam’s Dune Buggy” ($1000)

2nd Place: Carl Bretzke, “Artist’s Point Rock Study” ($500)

3rd Place: Kami Mendlik, “Water Meets Rock” ($300)

4th Place: Christopher Copeland, “Lifting Fog” ($250)

Nocturne: Dan Mackerman, “Artist Point Nocturnal” ($500)

Painting in Place / Best painting from home during the pandemic: Lisa Stauffer, “Lilies on a Silvery Day” ($300)

Beauty of Watercolor: James Turner, “Hannah’s Demo” ($250)

Beauty of Oil: Krystal Brown, “Seeking Solace” ($250)

Beauty of Pastel: Michelle Wegler, “Glory” ($250)

Best Painting of/from Gunflint Trail: Hannah Heyer, “Standing in the Wind” ($250)

Best Historic Site: Patricia Duncan, “The Scott Family Fish House” (July 2021 Artist of the Month exhibit at JHP, 6-12 paintings displayed in front entrance area of JHP.)

Honorable Mentions: Juror’s discretion. (Donated art supplies from Wet Paint.)
Bob Upton, “Color at the Point”
Larry Seiler, “That Elusive Light”
Neil Sherman, “Artist Point”
Paula Gustafson, “Andi’s Outlook”

For more details, please visit pleinairgrandmarais.org.

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