Artist Profile
Carl Bretzke
Carl Bretzke is a representational oil painter who specializes in urban scenes, night scenes and plein air landscapes.
Carl's work has been described in The Washington Post as "simultaneously intimate and detached…The artist's unadorned style recalls Edward Hopper and The Ashcan School."
Carl holds an MD degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado, where he also received a minor in Fine Art. Carl originally trained under Plein Air Painters of America Signature Artist Joseph Paquet.
Carl is on the faculty of the Plein Air Convention and is highly sought-after for his demonstrations and presentations. He has been interviewed numerous times and his work has appeared in varied publications.
He is a member of the following:
The Plein Air Painters of America, 2021
Oil Painters of America, 2016
Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, 2014
Outdoor Painters of Minnesota
AWARDS/RECOGNITION
2026 PleinAir Grand Marais - Painting of Exceptional Merit (shared 2nd)
2025 Laguna Plein Air Invitational - Jean Stern Distinctive Merit Legacy Award (3rd place)
2025 Plein Air Grand Marais - Painting of Exceptional Merit Quick Paint, Painting of Exceptional Merit Competition Class
2025 Plein Air convention - Nocturne Talk and Demo
2025 Carmel Art Festival - Honorable Mention
2025 Lighthouse Plein Air - Best Nocturne
2024 Laguna Plein Air Invitational - Best Of Show
2024 PleinAir Grand Marais - Painting of Exceptional Merit
2024 Plein Air convention - Nocturne Demo
2023 PleinAir Grand Marais - Painting of Exceptional Merit
2023 Lighthouse Plein Air - Best Nocturne
2023 Plein Air Convention Stage Demo
2023 Plein Air Live Nocturne Demo
2022 Plein Air In The Smokies - Best Landscape
2022 LPAPA Less Is More Miniature Show- 1st Place and People's Choice
2022 Plein Air Convention Main Stage presentation and demo
2022 Lighthouse Plein Air -!st Place and Artist's Choice and Plein Air Magazine Award Of Excellence
2021 Laguna Beach Plein Air Invitational - Best of Show
2021 Door County Plein Air Invitational - Best of Show
2021 Grand Marais Plein Air - Painting of Exceptional Merit Award
2021 Lighthouse Plein Air - Best Figurative / Honorable Mention
2021 Member- Plein Air Painters of America (PAPA)
2020 Laguna Beach Invitational - The Jean Stern Distinctive Merit Legacy Award
2020 Grand Marais Plein Air - 2nd Place and "Best Body Of Work"
2020 Richeson 75 International Art Competition "Landscape, Seascape and Architecture 2020 - 2nd place
2019 Grand Marais Plein Air - 1st place Nocturne Category
2019 Door County Plein Air - 3rd place
2019 Plein Air Eureka Springs - Honorable mention
2019 Plein Air Salon Finalist and Honorable Mention
2019 Lighthouse Plein Air- !st Place Quick Draw; 2nd Place Overall
2019 Maui Plein Air Invitational - Best Body of Work
2018 Plein Air Salon Oct/Nov - Best Nocturne and 2nd place overall
2018 Grand Marais Plein Air - Best of Show
2018 Door County Plein Air - Honorable Mention
2018 May BoldBrush Painting Competition - Best of Show
2018 Carmel Art Festival - 2nd place and Honorable Mention
2018 Plein Air Salon - Honorable Mention
2018 Lighthouse Plein Air - Honorable Mention
2017 Oct/Nov Plein Air Salon - Best Oil
2017 PleinAir Texas 2017 - 2nd Place
2017 Grand Marais Plein Air - 3rd Place Overall
2017 Grand Marais Plein Air Red Suspender (Previous Winner) Contest - 1st Place
2017 Carmel Art Fesitval - FAC Award of Excellence
2017 Maui Plein Air 2017 - Collector’s Choice
2017 Lighthouse Plein Air - Honorable Mention
2016 Plein Air Salon - Grand Prize Winner
2016 Grand Marais Plein Air - Best of Show
2016 Door County Plein Air - Best Of Show
2016 Carmel Art Festival 2016 -Plein Air Magazine Award Of Excellence -1st Place Quick Paint
2016 Oil Painters Of America - Associate Member
2016 Lighthouse Plein Air, Tequesta, Florida - 1st Place
2015 Grand Marais Plein Air 2015 - 1st Place Quick Paint, 1st Place Red Suspenders Contest (previous Grand Marais winnners)
2015 Telluride Plein Air - 1st place by Artists' Choice
2015 Carmel Art Festival - Artists Choice, 2nd place, Fine Arts Connoisseur Magazine Award
2015 PleinAir Salon Feb/March 2015 edition - Best Oil
2015 Lighthouse Plein Air 2015 Jupiter, Florida - Quick Paint category, First Place
2014 Aspen Plein Air - First Place by artists' choice
2014 Plein Air Salon April/May 2014 Edition - First Place
2014 Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LAPAPA)
Signature Member
2014/2013/2012/2011/2010 Carmel Art Festival Plein Air Competition: Juried Artist. Honorable Mention 2014/2011. Fine Art Connoisseur Emerging Artist Award 2010
2013 Laguna Plein Air Invitational: The Plein Air Magazine Sponsor Award. The Randee Higby Gallery Sponsor Award
2013 Plein Air Grand Marais: 1st place overall. 1st place Nocturne Category
2013/2012/2011 Groveland Gallery Plein Air Summer Event: Guest Artist
2013 Plein Air Salon Oct/Nov 2013 Edition - First Place
PAST EXHIBITIONS
Three Person Show
Grenning Gallery
Sep-Oct 2026
Sag Harbor, NY
Plein Air Painters Of America Show
Maynard Dixon Gallery
Mt Carmel, UT
May, June 2026
Bootcamp Live
(on Line workshop w/ Eric Rhoads)
June 2026
Art School Live
(on line/ now on you tube)
April, 2026
En Plein Air Mn Show
Douglas Flanders And Associates Gallery
Edina, MN
8/9 - 9/27
Plein Air Painters Of America Show
Shaun Horne Gallery
Crested Butte, CO
8/25
Art Chat -On line through Winslow Art Center
recorded 4/24/25
Pleinair In Bloom Invitstional Art Show
Palm Avenue Fine Art
Sarasota, Fl
4/25
Catalina Island Wild Side Art Show
Newport Beach, CA
10/23
Two Person Show
Grenning Gallery
Oct-Nov 2023
Sag Harbor, NY
Plein Air Painters of America Museum Show
Cous Sharp Museum
Oct 2023
Taos, NM
Plein Air Live (On Line)
Faculty Artist Demo
3/23
Plein Air Painters of America Museum Show
Booth Museum
Oct-Feb 6 ,2023
Cartersville, GA
Two Person Show
Grenning Gallery
Oct-Nov 6, 2022
Sag Harbor, NY
Three Person Show
Grenning Gallery
April 9 - May 8, 2022
Sag Harbor, NY
Plein Air Convention and Expo
Faculty Artist Main Stage Presentation
Sante Fe, NM
5/22
Susan Calloway Fine Arts
Feb 2022
Group Landscape Show
Washington, DC
Two Person Show
Grenning Gallery
May 8 - June 1 2021
Sag Harbor, NY
Solo Show
Grenning Gallery
May 9 - June 1 2020
Sag Harbor, NY
Coor's Western Art Show
Denver, CO
January 2020
Solo Show
Grenning Gallery
May 18-June 9 2019
Sag Harbor, NY
Art To The Rescue (Group Show)
Sept 4-7 2018
Parker, CO
Two Person Show
Grenning Gallery
Sag Harbor, NY
5/19-6/18, 2018
Snow Show
Flanders Gallery
Minneapolis, MN
12/17
Susan Calloway Fine Arts
November 2017
One Person Show
Washington, DC
Grenning Gallery Two Person Show
Sag Harbor, New York
December - April 2017
Grenning Gallery Holiday Show
Sag Harbor, New York
December - January 2016/17
LPAPA Signature Impressions Group Show
Huntington Beach, CA
11/16-12/16
Russian/American Alliance
Grenning Gallery
Sag Harbor, NY
11/2016
3 person show
Flanders Gallery
Minneapolis, MN
9/16-12/16
Settlers West Summer Show
May 7, 2016
Settlers West Gallery, Tucson AZ
Grenning Gallery April 2016
3 Person Show
Sag Harbor, NY
Settlers West Gallery 2016
Miniatures Show
Tucson, Az
Settlers West Gallery May 2016
Summer Show
Tucson, Az
California Impressionism 2015
Group Show
Huntington Beach, CA
Susan Calloway Fine Arts 2015
One Person Show
Washington, DC
Douglas Flanders & Associates 2014
Two Person Show
Minneapolis, MN
Traffic Zone 2014/2013/2012/2011/2010/2009
Open Studio Show
Minneapolis, MN
PRESS
https://youtu.be/-E8cx63YHnE
Southwest Art - Featured Article, October 2019
Dan’s Papers Cover Artist Carl Bretzke Honors Sag Harbor Cinema
Outdoor Painter Feature Article: A Winning Work, Painted Through Cold Temps and Changing Light
Artists on Art Magazine Cover and Feature 2018
OutdoorPaintiner PleinAir Podcast: Episode 51 – Carl Bretzke’s Transformation
artfoodhome.com Featured Artist
Featured in Fine Art Connoisseur Plein Air Magazine, November/December 2016 issue. Read the article here.
Anatomy of an Award Winner: Carl Bretzke, PleinAir Collector Read the article here.
Carl Bretzke won the PleinAir Salon $15K Grand Prize at the Plein Air Convention & Expo
A Joyful Sense of Urgency - Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine
Emerging Artists - Southwest Art Magazine
"What the Doctor Sees" - PleinAir Magazine profile by Bob Bahr - See the full article
American Psychologist Feb-March 2016, Cover and article
PleinAir Magazine coverage of the Winners at the Carmel Art Festival
Fine Art Connoisseur magazine - California Impressionism Lives On
Washington Post Review of Carl Bretzke's One Man Show 2015
Feature article in the January 2015 edition of Plein Air Magazine's Outdoor Painter
Interview with Peninsula Pulse
Judson's Art Outfitters Artist Profile
The Georgetown Dish article regarding opening at Susan Calloway Fine Art Gallery in Washington, DC.
PleinAir Magazine Articles about Carl
PleinAir Magazine Announces April-May Salon Contest Winners
PleinAirCollector.com Article - City Scenes from the Midwest
