2025 Plein Air Grand Marais Award Winners
Photo: Cook County Historical Society
COMPETITION EXHIBIT AT JHP
9/12/2025
Best Body of Work: Logan Hudson
Artists' Choice – Body of Work: Tie between James Turner and Brock Larson
Paintings of Exceptional Merit (POEM):
Nocturne: Kelly Schamberger, "S'mores at 7:30," oil
Carl Bretzke, "Gray Day at Artists' Point," oil
Brock Larson, "September Field," oil
Cheryl LeClair-Sommer, "Rock Bottom," oil
Dan Mackerman, "The Fog of Sydneys," oil
Bob Upton, "Morning Rest," Gouache
Paul Bergquist, "Cascade River," oil
Best Historic Site awarded by Cook County Historical Society: Ken Valentas, "Cook County History Museum," watercolor
Evergreen Award for Best Tree: Lisa Stauffer, "Reaching Pine," pastel
Honorable Mentions:
Bridget Ertelt, "As the Fog Rolls In, oil
Andrew Carr, "Seagulls in the Parking Lot," oil
Joanne Meierhofer, "Highway 61 Revisited," pastel
David R. Becker, "North House Folk School Food Kitchen," watercolor
Nelia Harper French, "Hidden Falls," oil
BIRNEY QUICK PAINT
9/11/2025
First Place: Logan Hudson
Paintings of Exceptional Merit (POEM):
Carl Bretzke
Jean Larson
Steve Puttrich
2025 Quick Paint photos:
Quick Paint: MaryAnn Cleary
OPEN CLASS
9/10/2025
Best in Show: Jean Rehkamp Larson, "Fading Summer," watercolor
Paintings of Exception Merit (POEM):
Megan Miller, "Breaking Through," oil
Jasmin Strevel, "Remembering Grandpa Dean," oil
Stephanie Hansen, "Morning at Artists Point," oil
Honorable Mentions:
Susan Hayden, "Slipping Into the Past," watercolor
John Mix, "Legacy Along the Cascade," oil
Paul Oman, "Boats at Bay, Grand Marais," watercolor
STay tuned for the 2026 winter plein air retreat dates!
Photo: Outdoor Painters of Minnesota
To learn more about the Winter Plein Air Retreat, watch this short video from our friends at WTIP Community Radio.
