Located along Main Street in historic downtown Livingston, Montana, the Parks Reece Gallery reflects the town's creative spirit. Housed in a modest red-brick building that blends naturally with the surrounding cafes and shops, it captures Livingston’s relaxed charm and appreciation for the arts. For more than 35 years, Parks Reece has been a guiding force in the local art scene. In 2025, Reese was honored with the Park County Council for the Arts’ inaugural Artist Laureate Award, a fitting tribute to his enduring influence.

I grew up surrounded by art thanks to my mother and Ruth Faison Shaw, the woman who invented finger painting. They were prolific painters and held art shows from New York to Los Angeles. When I was five, they had me finger paint alongside them so they could keep an eye on me. They never formally taught me. They simply answered my questions and let me play. That freedom to explore was the spark that shaped my creative spirit, I guess. And so, painting became a lifelong passion, keeping me somewhat sane, happy, and always teaching me.

I’ve shared this love of art around the world, instructing students and painting murals on the Crow Reservation, in China, Great Britain, and here at home. Just down the road from the gallery, you’ll find my 48 foot by 17 foot mural East Meets West, a tribute to global friendship. These days, I’m called everything from a modern mythological surrealist to a refined caveman. And it’s been said that I have an altogether peculiar perception of our natural world.

But I just paint what I love, the wildness of nature and social commentary, with satire and humor tucked inside. I like to remind people that we’re not apart from nature. We are all a part of nature. When you walk through the front door of my gallery, you’re greeted by one of my favorite relics, a seven-foot black bear in a cowboy hat. Make your way down the hall and check out my archival prints, representing decades of making art. In the main gallery is my twelve-foot marlin hanging from the ceiling. Along its sides, I’ve painted animals peering out of port holes like a submarine. There’s just one human on board, Marlin Brando. Get it? Marlin.

My original lithographs and paintings are on display, but check out the other curiosities. The resident jackalope and other ancient taxidermy I’ve collected through the years. I also have metal art benches and my art books. I often paint in the gallery, and I always enjoy connecting with visitors.