The Southwest Art Gallery and Science Center in Dickinson, North Dakota, is presenting a women’s Western art exhibition titled “Women Artists of the Western Plains” from May 7 through June 12. The show features 88 artworks including paintings, bronze sculptures, and historic saddles by regional artists Daphne Clark, Afton Ray Rossol, Barb Kalenze Kraft, Oksana Zvyagelskiy, Trish Stevenson, and Kelsey Jacobson. A public reception will be held May 14 with wine, cheese, and classical guitar. The exhibition was organized in collaboration with the Long X Arts Foundation and includes works by sculptor Linda Little and saddles from the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame.
The exhibition matters because it highlights the often-overlooked contributions of women artists in the rural Northern Plains, celebrating their connection to ranching, farming, and conservation. By centering female voices and fostering a supportive “sisterhood” among artists, the show challenges traditional narratives of Western art and underscores the cultural and ecological value of the region. It also serves as a community-building event, with free admission and a suggested donation to support future programming at the gallery and science center.