Grand Marais Art Colony unveils new outdoor classroom and wood-fired kiln

The Grand Marais Art Colony recently completed a project to transform the space behind Studio 17 into an outdoor classroom. 

“This space is going to be so awesome for outdoor demonstrations and techniques,” said Ruth Pszwaro, the Art Colony director.

The outdoor space, measuring 25 x 25 sq. feet, will enable the Art Colony to host art classes and demonstrations outdoors. Pszwaro said it will also serve as a space for artists to display their work or a space for youth classes to be held outdoors. Studio 17 is one of the two studio spaces within the Art Colony building next door to the Circle K gas station, formerly known as the Mike’s Holiday gas station.

Grand Marais Art Colony New Outdoor Classroom | Photo by M Baxley

The Art Colony received a $10,000 grant from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board, as well as funding from the Cook County Chamber’s Great Place Project grant, to construct the new outdoor classroom. With the grant funding, the Art Colony hired Alisa Burns from Taproot Landscaping and Michael Waring to complete the project. “They were awesome,” Pszwaro said.

Pszwaro said the Art Colony has a handful of upcoming classes this fall that will utilize the outdoor space.

The Art Colony also recently finished building a wood-fired kiln for the ceramics studio. With the new kiln, Pszwaro said the Art Colony intends to host “community firings.”

“We’re excited to share this with our ceramics community,” Pszwaro said. “Not only those artists that work in our studios, but also other ceramicists and potters who are in the area.”

Art Colony’s New Wood-Fired Kiln | Photo by M Baxley

WTIP spoke with Ruth Pszwaro, the Art Colony director, about the new outdoor classroom, new wood-fired kiln, and other improvement projects. The audio from the interview is below.

Kalli Hawkins September 7, 2025