Marshall artist John Munson stands next to his painting “Night Stroll,” which has been on display at The Grand Center for Arts and Culture for the last month as part of the ArtScape Juried Art Show exhibit. This week it was announced “Night Stroll” was awarded the People’s Choice Award.
Submitted photo
NEW ULM – The final award of the 2025 ArtScape Juried Art Show was awarded this week.
The painting “Night Stroll” by artist John Munson received the People’s Choice Award. ArtScape is an annual juried art show hosted by The Grand Center for Arts and Culture. This year 107 original works of art were submitted to ArtScape with many displayed in The Grand’s gallery space as part of a month-long exhibit. During the exhibit, the public was encourage to view ArtScape exhibits and vote for their favorite piece.
This year “Night Stroll” received the most votes. The artwork is an abstract oil painting depicting a late night walk through a small town.
“I was excited and very grateful to receive the award,” Munson said. “It was nice to get the recognition because I believe in my artwork.”
Munson is a very prolific artist. He said that since last December he has completed 280 paintings. His goal is to complete one painting a day.
“I try to do all my paintings in one sitting,” he said “I am afraid if I don’t finish it now, I’ll never finish.”
Munson said he began taking art classes in college. Initially he attended college in Worthington to play basketball but in his second year he had trouble with this knees and needed to find a new outlet.
He was taking a painting class and his professor praised his work and the decided to throw himself into the world of painting.
“Those early paintings were not good, but like with everything, the more you practice the better you do,” he said.
Munson eventually transferred to Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall and received a Studio Art Degree. He currently lives in Marshall working at Hy-Vee and painting in his off hours.
Munson said for a time, he stopped painting but recently started again after a Sioux Falls gallery showed some of his work. This year was the first time he has ever submitted to ArtScape.
He began painting “Night Stroll” in June and like most of his pieces he finished it within a day.
“There was not plan for it until I sat down,” he said. “The first thought that came to me was ‘lights’ and then everything came from that.”
The center of “Night Stroll” features a string of circular lights strung up over a small town road in a zigzag pattern.
Munson said the last part of the piece was to add a man walking dogs through the street, because he is the one in the family that usually takes the animal for a stroll.
Munson said “Night Stroll” is reflective of his overall style.
“I make a lot of landscapes and tiny towns,” he said.
Munson said he usually goes through a lot of oil paints when working. He said it is not unusual for him to use $200 worth of oil paints on one canvas. This is one of the reason he appreciates the People’s Choice Award. The extra prize money will allow him to buy more supplies and continue making new art.
