Inspired by the collaborative art colonies he experienced in Boston, Duluth native Birney Quick returned to Minnesota, where a single summer cohort with his students in Grand Marais sparked the founding of the state’s first art colony.
—–Producer: Amira Warren-Yearby Editorial support: Emily Krumberger & Britt Aamodt Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood
Transcript
Birney Quick loved the simple things in life. Growing up along the North Shore, he spent his afternoons on his row boat fly-fishing and painting. After graduating high school, Birney moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to pursue his love for art.
It was there that Birney was introduced to several art colonies. Within them he found community, collaboration and the focus he needed to grow as a painter. Birney suddenly had this brainchild that his hometown would be an ideal place to establish an art colony.
His artwork soon gained attention. It wasn’t long before his notoriety landed him a job back in Minnesota.
Birney later became an instructor at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Determined to give his students the same freedom and inspiration he found. He brought a group of them up at the North shore for an 8-week summer intensive. They all worked odd jobs and were housed by local residents. Their classroom? The rugged landscapes of Grand Marias.
The summer experiment soon blossomed into something bigger— the start of Minnesota's first ever art colony.