Art/Industry John Michael Kohler Arts Center
To begin my visit, I took a three hour tour of the Kohler plant that included going through the cast iron, brass and pottery factories. They use casting to create their vast amount of products in cast iron, ceramic, brass and glass. As we walked through the factory where they slip cast all their ceramic products (toilets, urinals, sinks, etc.) it was clear the amount of expertise in molds and casting that was there was vast. The kiln was fascinating as it looked like from the outside, a very large storage container. Inside, a huge conveyer belt move large sections of shelves slowly through the kiln. The heat is elevated in each section of the kiln so it was the pots that moved to the sections that got hotter and hotter until they reach cone 10. There were “smaller” kilns too, more usual in structure, where the pieces are stationary. All kilns are accessible to the residents although most use the large conveyer belt one.
The workspaces were large in a open and airy part of the factory with nice natural light from big windows. As we passed, one of the residents was in the process of using a crane to lift one half of their large plaster mold. There was plenty of shelf space, large walls to hang whatever reference photos, plans, sketches, inspiration or whatever else, desks, carts, and all the slip casting materials an artist could want.
After the tour, I walked around the “Village of Kohler” and got a quick snack at the Horse and Cart restaurant where I had the best pretzel and beer cheese ever. The area is comprised of older buildings that have been very well maintained. There was a very nice spa, many restaurants, a high-end hotels and a gulf course, and a comfortable neighborhood.
10 minutes away is the main town of Sheboygan, WI, a pleasant town right on Lake Michigan. Here is where the Kohler Art Center is located. The smaller town still provides a person with things to do, filled with friendly people, good food to be found.
The artist in residence program here is a very strong resource for any artist looking to expand their skills in slip casting and make large scale slip casting accessible with many experts available to share their knowledge. I would highly recommend this place to any artist who is looking for a residency program who use or want to use casting and mold making in their work.
