Jerry O. Wilkerson (1943-2007) was a “St. Louis artist from Texas.” Wilkerson was a lifelong painter who received a Bachelor of Science in Commercial Art from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas in 1966 and a Master of Fine Arts in painting in 1968 from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970, and upon his completion of military service he made St. Louis, Missouri his home.
Wilkerson is recognized for his pointillism style, which he referred to as “dotillism”, Wilkerson incorporated images of food and other common day objects to create contemporary still life images intended to be edgy, fun and accessible. Wilkerson’s subjects of lobsters, hamburgers, cigarettes, fortune cookies and soda confront indulgence with loving, playful colors and pattern. His quilts combine traditional quilting patterns with American comfort foods such as pizza, hot dogs and Fig Newton’s.
Wilkerson began his career as a full time artist in 1971. In 1976, he had his first of six one- person exhibits in New York City, with 5 exhibits at OK Harris Works of Art. In 1983, he had a one person exhibit at the Modern Art Museum of Caste, S. Pietro Terme, Italy.
Wilkerson’s work is represented in St. Louis Art Museum, Evansville Museum of Arts and Sciences, Springfield Art Museum, Nelson- Atkins Museum of Art, Delaware Art Museum and Tucson Art Museum.
