The Grand Marais Art Colony hosts its 33rd Arts Festival on July 13 and 14 in downtown Grand Marais.
The Festival showcases the work of 60 artisans and artists selected from a pool of applicants almost twice that size. According to the Art Colony’s Artistic Director, Ruth Pszwaro, a jury of ten people consider the applications and award booth space for the Festival.
Ruth said that over half the artists and artisans in the Festival this year live on the North Shore, and almost 25% live in Cook County— some travel here from as far away as Texas and Florida.
The Festival is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.
The Grand Marais Art Colony started as The Outdoor School of Painting in 1947. Birney Quick, an instructor at the Minneapolis School of Art, opened the school for an eight-week summer session. Byron Bradley began teaching with Birney in 1954, and the two artists started Grand Marais Art Colony as a separate entity in 1959.
An experienced event planner, Lin Salisbury moved to Hovland several years ago. Just before she moved to Cook County, the Art Colony advertised for an events manager, which Lin applied for and was hired almost immediately. Lin served in that role for two years.
“I thought the job offered a good way to connect to our new community,” Lin said.
Looking to reduce her work schedule, Lin spent the next five years managing only the Arts Festival under a contract arrangement.
In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Arts Festival was canceled. In the following year, with road construction disrupting traffic in town and the need to have exhibitors spaced according to COVID-19 restrictions, the Festival was moved to the grounds of ISD 166. The additional space allowed for a more significant number of displays.
“The school site allowed us to comply with COVID restrictions and add more artists,” Lin said. The following year, ISD 166 was also the venue for the Festival. Lin added that the exhibitors were evenly split about the merits of the larger venue, which was almost a mile from downtown.
Lin organized the 2023 Festival, which took its favored place downtown. The number of booths dropped to 60, and the artists and artisans were unanimous in favor of the downtown location.
Nan Onkka, a printmaking artist who lives in Grand Marais, was first accepted by the jury for the Festival in 2020, but Covid canceled it. She creates woodcut prints inspired by the lakes and woods near her home. Her website is nanonkka.com.
Nan’s first setup appeared in the 2021 Festival and received the “Best Booth” award. “I peaked early,” she said.
“This is one of my favorite events of the year,” Nan said. “It brings a wonderful crowd of people, serious art fans.”
Nan says the event is consistently well run. “There is an amazing group of volunteers, returning every year,” she said.
Marybeth Garmoe, Colvill, describes herself as “an artisan creating utilitarian housewares, including broomcorn brooms and wooden kitchenware.” The first time Marybeth applied to the Festival, she was turned down. Not to be deterred, she applied again, and this is her sixth Arts Festival. She can barely contain her excitement for the upcoming event.
At the 2023 Festival, Marybeth’s display earned the “Best Booth” award.
“There’s nothing I don’t like about the Grand Marais Arts Festival,” Marybeth said. “There’s a huge amount of people, a supportive environment, and a lovely setting downtown that just feels right.”
Marybeth displays her wares at other shows in the region, including Duluth, Bayfield, and the Twin Cities. She reports that the Grand Marais Arts Festival produces more sales than each of the others.
With its commitment to artistic exploration and community engagement, the Grand Marais Art Colony ensures that the legacy of creative expression thrives on the shores of Lake Superior.
