Sydni Reubin knew it would be a gamble to become a full time artist.

“I started painting as a full time job in 2015,” she said.

But she beat the odds and has become a fan favorite in Dixon.

“I think there’s always been a history of artists here.”

Her specialty? Water colored portraits.

“There’s a therapy level to it,” Reubin said. “I can communicate the best through art and I understand color better than anything else,” she said. “It’s nice to get lost in trying to figure color out.”

Not just any kind of portraits, big ones that are mounted in several businesses in town.

“I’m inspired by people,” Reubin said. “Specifically people that I know and have intimate relationships and friendships with and that comes through in my work,” she said.

Ones that share a special meaning to different people in the community. 

“The painting at Somkit in particular it was such an honor to do that painting because I know what it meant to the family at Somkit to have Sam painted,” said Reubin.

She even has different themes, such as the mugshot style paintings of different celebrities in a local bar.

“Getting to know the story behind each of these separate stories,” Reubin said. “I tried while I was working on each of them; to learn about the person,” she said.

One of her most famous paintings in the one of  Ronald Reagan. 
While most of Reubin’s art work is water color, she uses acrylic for larger paintings, including her favorite.

“The one of my brother in the bookstore, it was very meaningful to me,” Reubin said.
“I think I captured the best parts of my brother in that painting,” she said.

Her younger brother currently serves in the Air Force and holds a special place in her heart, just one of many people who witnessed her pursue her dream.

“To see how long I’ve been talking and thinking about being an artist and I feel good about the fact that I have followed that through,” said Reubin.

Adding to the artsy vibe the small town has.

“It’s easy to feel like as an artist you’re not being heard or that you’re not doing enough or that your work sucks,” said Reubin.

Crediting the community she was born and raised in.

“I’m happy to have lived in a community now for this long that supports its local artists,” said Reubin. “An artist that’s trying to make a living off of art, I don’t think I could ask for more from Dixon,” she said.

Sydni graduated from Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design in 2009.