Fern Lord Herring (March 22, 1895 - May 31, 1975) was born in Excelsior Springs, the daughter of George Lord, Sr. and Louise F. Hyder. She married Edgar Tillman Herring on February 19, 1921, in Excelsior Springs. They moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1929, where she lived until her death in 1975.

In Wyoming she became a well-known artist, writer and lecturer. Mrs. Herring had wanted to paint since she was a child but she didn't start until the middle of the Depression when an ad in a newspaper offered lessons for 50 cents. Her career as an artist spanned nearly 40 years and she sold over 350 paintings. Her husband became her "main inspiration". 

She studied under Dave Sterling, Robert Lindneux and Frank Vavre.

Two of her early paintings were chosen to represent Wyoming at New York's Second Exhibit of American Art in 1937 and were on permanent exhibit at the Wyoming State Museum. 

In 1962, the University of Wyoming asked Mrs. Herring to do a painting for its new Commerce and Industry Building in memory of the Herrings' son, Lt. John L. Herring, who was killed in 1945 during World War II. 

In 1965, she was commissioned by the National Guard Memorial Museum in Washington to paint a life-size portrait of Lt. Gen. R. L. Esmay, Wyoming's former adjutant general.

Mrs. Herring's painting of "The Old Wyoming Prospector" was shown in the Smithsonian and also at the Show of States at Rockefeller Center during the World's Fair. Her portrait of Curt Gowdy was on display at the All Star Banquet at Washington's Sheraton Park Hotel when Gowdy spoke there.

In 1970 Fern Lord Herring was commissioned to do five paintings of Excelsior Springs including the original Elms Hotel, a Mulesta mule, the first Siloam Spring pavilion, and the Jesse James home.

The museum has several other paintings and drawings by Fern Lord Herring in its collections.

Oil Paintings by Fern Lord Herring

First Elms Hotel