“No Time for Tears,” Exhibit Featuring Local Artist Dixie Reece

“No time for Tears: The Life and Art of Dixie Reece,” is an appropriate name for the exhibit of local artist Dixie Reece’s artwork at the Campbell County Rockpile Museum in Gillette. Born in Gillette in 1936, to Ernest and Merle Reece, followed two years later by her brother, Richard, Dixie grew up on the family homestead and ranch near Echeta. In 1950, when Dixie was in high school, her father purchased land near Leiter, Wyoming, and the family moved to that ranch, where Dixie lived until her death in 2018. They kept the Echeta land, trailing cattle back and forth from summer pasture there to winter pastures at Leiter, where the cows could be fed hay. Her mother died in 1961, and Dixie had the charge of making a home for the family, as well as helping outside on the ranch.

Julie Tachick, volunteer at the Rockpile Musuem who curated the exhibit, talked about Dixie and her artwork, and how the exhibit came to be.

A mostly self-taught artist, Dixie showed early talent in her paintings. First and foremost a rancher and cowgirl, she was an active part of the ranch, riding, branding, trailing cattle, helping with the haying. She took a correspondence course in art but much of she learned was on her own.

Two of Dixie’s artist mentors from around Sheridan were George Ostrum, who visited the ranch, offering feedback and helping her with her sketching. Another was local artist Bernard Thomas. “She looked to other artists to improve her own work,” Tachick said.

Tachick talked about doing the exhibit of Reece’s work, and how she learned about the artist. She said about two or three years back she was asked if she would like to help and put and exhibit together with Reece’s art,

Dixie painted in her spare time, but in 1970 her life underwent an enormous change. While helping her family gather cows for branding, her horse bucked her off and the accident broke her back, severing her spinal cord, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair.

Although she continued to help on the ranch, as well as cooking and taking care of the house, after the accident Dixie continued to paint, and began the most prolific time for her artwork. During the 1970 and 80s, Dixie’s artwork appeared on many magazine covers, and five of her paintings were chosen to hang in the Washington, D.C. offices of Senator Cliff Hansen and Senator Malcolm Wallop.

“I’m amazed at what she did,” Tachick added.

You can see the progression of her artwork, Tachick added, and something else she thought was interesting was that Dixie did duplicates of many of her paintings. She would paint duplicates to keep for herself or give to other people who were impressed with a painting they had seen, Tachick said, pointing to the four pictures of the Nels’ Martin cabin that are on display. “Each are just a little different,” Tachick added.

Robert Henning, Rockpile Museum director, talked how the exhibit happened, and his meeting with Dixie.

He added that the around 70% of the artworks on display are from Dixie’s private collection, but some are on loan from private individuals and some from the Museum at the Big Horns. He added that she had a strong connection to Sheridan County as well as well as with Gillette. He added,

Dixie painted what she loved, ranch scenes, cowboys and wildlife. She loved horses and had an eye for detail in them as well. The exhibit includes not only her artwork, but also excerpts from her diaries and a great deal of background about Dixie and her art.

Henning added that there is some merchandise with her artwork that will be for sale at the Museum’s booth at the Campbell County Fair, which is happening now through August 6 at the Camplex. The exhibit will be up through the end of the year, and the museum is open from 8 to 5 Monday-Saturday. Anyone wanting to contact the museum about Dixie’s artwork can call Henning at 307-682-5723 or email at robert.henning@campbellcountywy.gov.