John Michael Kohler Arts Center In Sheboygan, WI

John Michael Kohler Arts Center – a gem along the lakeshore in Sheboygan

The JMKAC in downtown Sheboygan, Wisconsin is a great place to spend a couple hours. We may know Sheboygan as the freshwater surfing capitol of the world and home of the Sheboygan hard roll and bratwurst, but Sheboygan is also home to the city’s treasure of culture, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.

How is it possible that I’ve lived my whole life 25 minutes away from the art center and never visited? Shame on me!!

In 1966 the Kohler Foundation donated the Kohler homestead to the Sheboygan Arts Foundation to be used as an arts center.

Of interest is the fact that the house is listed on the National Register Of Historic Places. What a cool place to have an art center!

Founded in 1967, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center is a not for profit dedicated to making the arts accessible to a broad audience, from artists and academics, to young children. Featuring nine galleries that are always changing, a theater, meeting spaces, classrooms, a cafe called ARTcafe, a retail space called ARTspace, and a creative space for all ages called ARTery. I’d say it’s a one stop shop for the arts!

Don’t forget to check out the one permanent exhibit, the bathrooms!

Probably the most famous and most beautiful restrooms in the world are located here. With that in mind, it’s a must stop and look inside every one! Upon our arrival they encouraged us to peek in ALL the bathrooms. Just remember to kindly tap on the door of the opposite sex restroom before opening the door! You will see the most beautiful urinals anywhere! I never thought it was possible to use beautiful and urinals in the same sentence. Ha!!!

The tile work is definitely photograph worthy!

See them yourself to believe them!

Youth art month

Every March JMKAC displays the works of talented youth in the area. From Kindergarten through High School, you will be amazed at the sheer creativity of these kids. Everything from mixed-media, to sculpture, to pencil drawing, there is so much to see. I was glad I picked March as my first ever visit. It’s such a great thing to see when youth art is supported by such a world renowned art center.

The galleries are ever changing

This makes a visit always fresh! I just love the idea that I can visit again in six months and most likely I will see something different. Along with the Youth Art Exhibit, there are currently five other temporary exhibits. If I wait six months to visit again, each one of those five will be replaced. Currently as of this writing the exhibits are as follows.

• Lenore Tawney: Mirror of the Universe:  Until March 7th 2020
• Dr. Charles Smith:  Aurora Until may 17th 2020
• Beauty Surplus Serra Victoria Bothwell Fels:  Until May 24th 2020
• Autofocus:  Until February 16th 2020
• COLLECTION HIGHLIGHT: FELIPE JESÚS CONSALVOS:  Until February 16th 2020

Check out the JMKAC website for more information about these exhibits and more.

Past exhibits I loved from 2019

I have to say I had two favorite exhibits. First was Apartment 4. The collaboration between JMKAC, the Chipstone Foundation, and artist Iris Haussler, this one was so interesting. Since I love stories, this exhibit is another way of telling a story of a character. In this case it is fictitious Florence Hassard’s perceived living space during her time in Milwaukee in the 1920’s until her disappearance in the 1940’s. There is little known about her except what this collaboration could piece together. The result is an immersive story that lets us find clues as to her life by observing the objects in her apartment as they remain untouched after her disappearance. It was just like walking into a historical novel, one filled with mystery, deep character observation, and social conditions at the time. I decided that I have to go back before this exhibit closes and dig deeper!

The second one is the Visionary Outpost. Clearly walking into this space it transports you to a spa of mindfulness. This is exactly what it’s supposed to do. “The Outpost allows users to enact their desires for a positive future.” Artist and visionary Saya Woolfalk have created a fictional race of women called the Empathic who could alter their genetic make-up and fuse with plants. They then form a corporation called ChimaTEK to offer this process to others. This exhibit is that corporations version of a day spa. Interesting huh?

As I am doing the research on these two exhibits, I am even more motivated to go back before they close. Immersive art is incredibly interesting. Art in all forms tells a story. Whether it’s as a book, dance, immersive, or on canvas, it’s designed for interpretation.

It seems the older I get the more I find art in all forms interesting.

It took us about an hour and a half to get through everything. I could probably have spent more time had I done more research into the exhibits beforehand. Also, we didn’t stop for lunch at the cafe. Next time, I will definitely try out ARTcafe.

The John Michael Kohler Arts Center should be on your list of places to visit in Sheboygan. There’s so much to do in this city located just north of Milwaukee along the Lake Michigan coast.

Take a look at your city and surrounding areas. Is there things that you have never seen that you should? Be a tourist in your own town!

For more information, hours, theater performances, events, and up to date exhibits, visit the JMKAC website.

Admission is FREE, but donations are accepted.

Here’s some more photos from the Mary Nohl exhibit.

Thanks for reading!  I hope everyone has a great week!

Go explore!

xxoo

Lori

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