William G. Kerr Leaves a Legacy Celebrating the Power of Art

Bill and Joffa Kerr, Image Courtesy of the National Museum of Wildlife Art

The art world mourns William G. (Bill) Kerr who died at age 85 this past July. He and his wife, Joffa, who died in 2022, were longtime residents of Wilson, Wyoming. Kerr was chair emeritus and one of the founding trustees of the National Museum of Wildlife (NMWA) along with his wife.

Robert F. Kuhn (United States, 1920 – 2007), In the High Forest, c. 1980. Acrylic on board. 36 x 24 inches. JKM Collection®, National Museum of Wildlife Art. © Estate of Robert F. Kuhn.

Kerr’s passion for art was ignited in 1962 when Joffa gifted him a modest Les Kouba painting of a panfish to celebrate his graduation from law school. Two years later, he bought Wanderers Above Timberline by German American artist Carl Rungius. Kerr’s appreciation for the work of Rungius helped launch a renewed interest in the man and his work. Today, Rungius is considered the greatest painter of North American big game. Kerr went on to become an art collector, generously sharing his deep appreciation of the power of art.

Carl Rungius (Germany, 1869-1959), Northern King, 1926. Oil on canvas. 42 x 60 inches. JKM Collection®, Na

The original NMWA opened its doors in 1987 occupying a 5,000 square-foot space in downtown Jackson. It featured most of the Kerr’s impressive personal collection at that time. In 1994, the museum was relocated to a 51,000 square-foot castle modeled after the Slains Castle in Abberdeenshire, Scotland. Clad in an Idaho quartzite façade, it is unique to Jackson Hole.

Upon celebrating the museum’s 25th anniversary in 2012, Kerr remarked, “Nature is as fragile as it is fierce. Our institution holds and cares for some of humankind’s most thoughtful and spirited portrayals of the natural world as we have known it. This is a legacy we have the opportunity to embellish and preserve.”

Robert F. Kuhn (United States, 1920 – 2007), Lions, African Suite, 1996. Acrylic on board. 14 ½ x 18 ½ inches. JKM Collection®, National Museum of Wildlife Art. © Estate of Robert F. Kuhn.

NMWA is the nation’s only museum dedicated solely to wildlife art representing wild animals from around the world. The museum’s mission is to “impart knowledge and inspire appreciation of humanity’s relationship with wildlife and nature through art and education.” The museum holds galleries featuring over 550 artists and 5,000 catalogued items of animal art. NMWA holds the largest collection of work by Carl Rungius in the United States. Also, on exhibit is work by prominent artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Robert Kuhn, and John James Audubon.

Robert F. Kuhn (United States, 1920 – 2007), A Stillness by the Pool, 1981. Acrylic on masonite. 30 x 42 inches. On Loan to the National Museum of Wildlife Art, from a Private Collection. © Estate of Robert F. Kuhn.

In tribute to Kerr, NMWA Director, Steve Seamons said, “We have lost more than just a museum founder, but a true visionary in the art world. This museum is a testament to his vision, philanthropy, and enduring impact.” The museum’s first curator and longtime board member, Sue Simpson Gallagher, remembers, “Bill Kerr talked about how art is essential in everyone’s life and that beauty should be shared. It started out as a community museum and still is. There is nothing elitist about it. That was the Kerrs’ goal.”