The Indiana Plein Air Painters Association (IPAPA) is exhibiting its annual group show in the Underground Gallery this month. The juried exhibition features the submissions of over seventy artists. IPAPA is an assemblage of Indiana artists who practice en plein air (painting outdoors). It is the organization’s mission to support the endeavors of Indiana plein air painters, as well as to embrace and educate the public on Indiana’s rich history of landscape painting.

The paintings were judged and awards were presented to participants during First Friday at the exhibition’s opening on November 5th. This year’s juror was Cincinnati painter Brad Davis. He holds a BFA from the Art Academy of Cincinnati and an MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

IPAPA members submitted a wide array of works. The pieces differ vastly in scale, medium (watercolor, acrylic, oil, pastels, charcoal), and subject matter. Many artists chose to depict rural landscapes, while others focused on more urban subjects like factories, street intersections, and storefronts. Four painters claimed the top prizes: best of show, first, second, and third places. Merit awards were additionally presented to many of the artists for their submissions.

The third-place prize was awarded to Kyle Ragsdale for his work New Harmony Thicket. Ragsdale is a resident artist and curator at the Harrison Center. His solo show Chœurs Insulaires is currently on view in the Harrison Gallery.

Roy Boswell claimed second place with Brown Co. Lake Light, a wonderful gestural oil painting of a fall scene.

The first prize went to Aaron Pickens for his work entitled 7.1.2020. The piece utilizes thick sweeps of oil paint to realize a water tower scene.

Benjamin Nay III received the “Best of Show” award for his watercolor Movers and Shakers. The work features farming equipment situated before a hazy landscape.

Congratulations to all who submitted such fantastic work for this year’s IPAPA group show. The organization will also confer a People’s Choice award, so be sure to stop in and vote on your favorite painting of the bunch.

The Indiana Plein Air Painters Association Group Show will be on display and available for purchase through the month of November in the Underground Gallery. All work can additionally be viewed and purchased in our online gallery.