August 24, 2024 Image The Grand Marais Art Colony, Minnesota’s oldest art colony, has unveiled a 3,065-square-foot studio, doubling its studio space and marking a major milestone in its history. The expansion, completed in June, comes under the leadership of Executive Director Jane Johnson, whose business expertise has driven recent growth in membership and course enrollment. Founded in 1947 by Bernie Quick of the Minneapolis School of Art, the colony initially received support from the school, which later became the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. When MCAD shifted focus in 1958, Quick and Byron Bradley privatized the colony, keeping it alive through tuition fees and community support. The new facilities include glass, ceramics, and printmaking studios, with a third-floor space for future use. Recent contributions from the McKnight Foundation and individual donors have helped equip the new spaces and expand the colony’s summer workshops from 12 to 37, increasing enrollment by 40%. Learn More Artist retreat expands (businessnorth.com—July 25, 2005) Grand Marais Art Colony's Website (grandmaraisartcolony.org)