BeckerArt FLOAT-YOUR-PIGMENT Newsletter Sept. 16th, Grand Marais MN
Published: Tue, 09/16/25
Updated: Tue, 09/16/25
Hello
Welcome to the FLOAT-YOUR-PIGMENT Newsletter #533
Hello from my van, driving home today after a wonderful 2 week's of painting and studying around the north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. If you
ever want to paint waterfalls, or beautiful scenes of rivers, creeks or lakes, I highly recommend the northern shores of Lake Superior. Below you will find the paintings I had entered into the Pleinair Grand Marais event.
In 2 weeks I will head out again to Dubuque, IA. for Bluffstrokes Plein-air Paint-out. I will have to leave Dubuque 2 days early to also go to the LPAPA, Laguna Beach Plein-air Invitational. This all is gonna be a
logistics nightmare, but I can't wait to get to both events and paint up a storm! Unfortunately while at these 2 events I will again have to put this newsletter, the paint-a-long and demos on hold for those 2 weeks, but when I get back it will be a go... well into the new year.
Weekly Local Classes
YES TO CLASS Main Street Gallery,Lake Zurich Wed, Sept. 17th,
9:30am to Noon
Email me at Beckerart@gmail.com for any info you may need about my classes or workshops.
What a great EVENT! Plein-air Grand Marais
Once a year, the week after Labor Day 60 artists head to Grand Marais, MN for the annual Plein-air Grand Marais. It isn't the biggest or the most attended pleinair event, but it is one of my favorite events because of the artist's and the North Shore Lake Superior area that we see for 8 to 9 days of fun filled painting and reunion gatherings.
At this plein-air event I try to get a lot of learning accomplished because they also offer mini workshops from some amazing artist's for 3 hours at the very reasonable price of 50 bucks. This
year I studied the Lake Superior water/waves and reflections and took a workshop from Carl Bretske on Nocturnal painting. It was such an informative class and this year I finally took notes!
Here are my 4 event paintings and a couple of other paintings that I used to learn from. This painting above won me an Honorable Mention It was painted on a watercolor panel 14x18 done with watercolor/gouache
This was also in the show, done on watercolor panel 14x18 watercolor/gouache
In the show, painting of Jack Dant teaching his mini workshop. Painted on watercolor panel 14x18 watercolor gouache
Also in the show, watercolor on panel 14x18 watercolor/gouache
This was the 90minute Quick Paint piece I entered 90minutes painted on watercolor panel 14x18 watercolor/gouache
This piece I painted while Channeling the artist Peter Brown for inspiration.
I also did 5 other pieces that weren't finished and were done only to learn from.Sometimes just paint excerises to help you learn from, like this piece below where I was trying to get the effect of a strong sunlight.
This was a small sketch to help me learn a bright sun for the next time I do a larger painting with that effect in it.
Artist of the Week
Erin Renier I have had the pleasure of mentoring Erin during the Covid years while she as my friend and my Dentist has been taking care of my teeth and becoming an incredible watercolorist. Check out her amazing paintings
that most all were painted plein-air.
Product of the Week
One of the watercolorist had one of these portable heat guns at last weeks event and I have to get one. It comes in handy when painting outside and it is wet, damp and rainy and you need to get your painting dried. If you have a Ryobi or Dewalt battery pack you can also just buy that brand of heat gun.
