| Bill Rabbit | |
| Birth Name: | William E. Rabbit |
| Birth Date: | 3 December 1946 |
| Birth Place: | Casper, Wyoming, US |
| Death Place: | Tulsa, Oklahoma, US |
| Known For: | Painting |
| Awards: | Master Artist by the Five civilized Tribes Museum (1986) |
| Website: | https://billandtracirabbit.com/ |
William E. Rabbit (December 3, 1946 – April 9, 2012) was an American artist who experimented with various styles, painting as he felt rather than according to public expectations. Rabbit exhibited his art in numerous locations and won many awards over the period of his artistic career. In 1986, he was designated Master Artist by the Five Civilized Tribes Museum. Toward the end of his life, Rabbit began collaborating on paintings with his daughter Traci, in their mutual studio located in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma. He died on April 9, 2012.[1]
Bill Rabbit was born in Casper, Wyoming on December 3, 1946, to parents Swimmer Dave Rabbit and Doris M.E.H Rabbit. He attended school in Casper, where he was the only Cherokee student in the school system. His talent showed early on in his kindergarten class. Rabbit sold his first watercolor in the fourth grade for $4, exhibiting his business savvy. Rabbit has no formal training in art apart from a two-week class in grade school.[2] After high school, Rabbit was accepted to the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico but enlisted in the army instead to serve in Vietnam.[3] Following the war, Rabbit moved to his father's homestead allotment in Mazie, Oklahoma. In Maize, he made Southwestern jewelry with his welding skills. Later, Rabbit took up painting full time and he and his wife began to travel to booth shows and galleries across the country.[4]
Rabbit began painting as he felt rather than in a more traditional style according to what the public wanted. He was part of a wave of artists that broke from the older generation of native artists. Over time, Rabbit's subject matter has evolved from the realistic to the ethereal.[5]
Rabbit's work is widely known and was exhibited in numerous locations, including:
Bill's work is also featured in numerous public and private galleries.Some of his greatest achievements include:
The Bill Rabbit Legacy Art Scholarship was created in Rabbit's honor by the Cherokee Nation Foundation.[6]