J. Ottis Adams’ landscapes are emblematic of one of the most fascinating times in American history. Capturing the wildness of untamed nature through oil paint, Adams attempted to show the new American frontier through his creations, from a time when Indiana was still a part of the American West. Even now, a part of this idea still remains in our country’s consciousness, through the labeling of the “Midwest”, which runs from Ohio to North Dakota. But the flat vistas outside our windows don’t give us a sense of the untamed frontier. At the very beginning of the 20th century, Indiana was still wild, and through the paintings of Adams, we can see the inherent savagery of the natural landscape. 

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