Roy Boswell being interviewed about the plein air project by a reporter for WFIU Public Radio

Wyatt LeGrand graduated from Indiana University in 2009 and Roy Boswell graduated from Purdue University in 1985. The two men came up with the idea of painting around their home state and set an ambitious goal of creating enough work for an exhibition. "We planned to develop a series of painting during the week, and once we got started we challenged ourselves to complete 100 paintings between us for the exhibition," they explain. "We had a rough idea of the locations we would paint each day, but sometimes our plans were thwarted and we had to improvise. What we were really after was recording our personal impressions of Indiana — the Genius loci of that area."

Spinning Around Morning, by Roy Bowsell, pastel, 10 x 8 in. Painted at the Indiana State Fair

The two young men began working in Bloomington and continued through Columbus and Brown County where some of Indiana's earliest impressionists painted among the hills and forests. Boswell created his paintings by first establishing an underpainting of watercolor and then working over that with pastels. The sizes of his finished pieces range from 4 x 6 inches up to 16 x 20. Le Grand painted with oil on panels and stretched canvases in sizes from 11 x 14 inches to 24 x 36.

Crump, by Wyatt LeGrand, oil, 20 x 10 in. Painted in Columbus, IN

LeGrand graduated with a degree in visual arts education, and Bowsell earned his degree in landscape architecture and design. Neither of them did much plein air work in college, but since graduating they have been pursuing their passion for outdoor work. "I've learned a lot from members of the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association like Larry Rudolech, Jerry Smith, and John Michael Carter," says Boswell. LeGrand notes, "I studied with Tim Kennedy at Indiana University and learned a lot from him that is applicable to plein air."

Grandpa's View, by Roy Boswell, pastel, 8 x 16 in. This is the view from the artist's grandparent's barn.

For more information on Boswell, visit http://boswell.fineartstudioonline.com/ and http://royboswellsdailypaintings.blogspot.com/.

White River Reflection, by Wyatt LeGrand, oil, 14 x 11 in. Created in Mill Race Park in Columbus, IN.

For information on LeGrand, visit his website: www.legrandartstudio.com.