Fern Whitaker is a native of the hills and valleys of Missouri. Born in St. Louis, she contributes most of her love of the outdoors to growing up along the riverbank and sloughs of West Alton, Missouri. “It was,” she said, “a great place to grow, a source of never-ending places to explore and things to find along the beautiful Mississippi.” But the remote area had its cost – a 27 mile bus ride each way to high school in St. Charles – when she got to go home. If the river flooded, it was take a boat, or stay with a friend in town. After graduation she went on to college at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

     Under the tutelage of such artists and teachers as Dr. David Huntley and Larry Marcella, her talents continued to grow and blossom. She was the first freshman ever to win the Gold Award in the Spring Art Show. Her media encompasses bronze, silver, acrylics, oils, watercolors, pastels, pen and ink and scratchboard. The University Museum still holds several of her pieces.

     Her first One-Man show was in Van Buren, Missouri in 1967. It was during that time that she lived in Brunot, Missouri and had an antique Smoke House that she used as a studio. Fern also did architectural renderings for Sturgess and Associates, Inc. of Cameron, Missouri. The Wayne County Journal Banner and other newspapers commissioned her to do renderings and illustrations for their publications.

     She created the pewter medallions that were presented at the Lewis and Clark Keelboat landing at Sunset Park and also at the Dedication of Fort Belle Fontaine Park. The Making Time Living History Reenactment Society, Living History Reenactors, Inc. and the Friends of Fort Belle Fontaine Park have engaged her to create various medallion designs.
 
     She is more than a regional artist – her works grace homes and buildings across Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, Mexico and France.