Announcing Our 2027 Featured Artist: Rebecca Proctor

[Meagan Trotta]

Announcing Our 2027 Featured Artist: Rebecca Proctor​

The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) is proud to announce Rebecca Proctor as the 2027 Featured Artist. A fourth-generation artist with deep ties to SEWE, Proctor brings a vibrant, contemporary approach to wildlife and sporting art shaped by a lifetime spent surrounded by artists, animals, and the outdoors. Her original painting, The Pursuit, has been selected as the 2027 Featured Painting and will appear on the official SEWE 2027 poster. For Proctor, the honor represents the realization of a goal more than 20 years in the making.

“Ever since I started attending SEWE with my mother, I viewed being named Featured Artist as one of the highest honors an artist could receive. At the time, I was fresh out of high school and just beginning to dream about what my career as an artist could look like, but one thing I knew was that someday I wanted to be good enough to receive that honor,” shared Proctor.

“Fast forward 20 years, and that goal has always stayed with me… I feel incredibly honored that SEWE has seen my work as worthy of representing this show, and I consider this one of the highest honors I will receive in my art career.”

A Family Legacy at SEWE​

Born in Spanish Fork, Utah, Proctor grew up surrounded by art. She follows in the footsteps of her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother, renowned Western wildlife and sporting dog artist Julie Jeppsen.

Jeppsen was named the 2003 SEWE Featured Artist and will return to showcase her work at SEWE 2027, making Proctor the first second-generation Featured Artist in SEWE history.

Proctor studied Studio Arts and Art History at Brigham Young University and spent time in Europe studying the work of the masters before ultimately developing a style distinctly her own. Her paintings are recognized for their expressive brushwork, rich texture, and vibrant, often unexpected use of color.

“I am honored to share in the announcement of Rebecca Proctor as our Featured Artist for SEWE 2027,” said John Powell, SEWE President & CEO. “She understands and represents where SEWE has been, where it thrives today, and where we are going in the future. As our first second-generation Featured Artist, Rebecca understands the history and culture of this organization. Her work is outstanding, and what she has curated for SEWE 2027 tells stories of her life in the wild, how it connects with our collectors, and why she will remain a celebrated artist in the genre and at our beloved event for decades to come. Rebecca has a loyal following at SEWE and across the U.S., and we are fortunate to call her a friend in addition to our 2027 SEWE Featured Artist.”

The Pursuit​

Selected as the 2027 Featured Painting, The Pursuit depicts an English Springer Spaniel moving through a richly colored autumn woodland as quail flush overhead, capturing the energy and anticipation of a moment in the field.

Through expressive brushwork and layers of unexpected color, Proctor brings movement to the spaniel, birds, and surrounding landscape while celebrating the connection between sporting dogs, wildlife, and the places they inhabit.

The painting reflects an artistic approach Proctor has continued to develop throughout her career. After stepping away from painting for several years while starting her family, she returned to the studio with a renewed passion for experimentation.

Her work has been influenced by artists including Carl Rungius, James Reynolds, Bob Kuhn, Jim Norton, and Jason Rich, though she credits her mother as her greatest artistic influence and mentor. That willingness to experiment has become central to Proctor’s work, particularly through her bold use of color, texture, and light.

Today, Proctor lives in Newport, Washington, with her husband and children, surrounded by the animals and rural landscapes that continue to inspire her work.

Her selection comes at a fitting moment as SEWE prepares to celebrate its 45th annual event, continuing a longstanding tradition of showcasing artists whose work reflects a shared appreciation for wildlife, fine art, conservation, and the sporting lifestyle.

The Pursuit will be auctioned during the SEWE 2027 VIP Gala & Sale on Thursday, February 11, and will be on display in the Fine Art Gallery at The Charleston Place throughout SEWE weekend.

SEWE 2027 takes place February 12–14, 2027, across five venues in downtown Charleston.

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