JMKAC-Chair City Celebration
John Michael Kohler Arts Center invites the community to its family friendly Chair City Celebration among the sculptures at James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden on Sunday, August 6, 2023, from 1–4 p.m.
The free event features performances by indie rock band Cedarwell at 1 p.m. and Adrian + Meredith with polka-inspired swing/folk at 3 p.m. Art-making activities include creating oven-bake clay sculptures to populate a take-home diorama and decorating cookies shaped like woodland creatures.
Artist and Black River resident Jennifer Kaiser will lead walking tours to her Cabin of Curiosities Clubhouse, which was created in response to artwork displayed on the first floor of the Art Preserve. Tours are offered at noon and 3 p.m.
Reservations at jmkac.org/events are recommended.
In addition, Don Howlett of Preservation Services Ltd. will talk about the restoration of the sculpture Our Lady of Fatima, after it was severely damaged in a windstorm last year. Alan Pape of Adaptive Preservation will also be on hand to share the history of the Brat Haus.
“This year the Arts Center is exploring what kinship means, and this is a lovely opportunity to explore kinship with each other, creatures, and the land,” said JMKAC Deputy Director of Programming Ann Brusky.
James Tellen (1880-1957) created and integrated sculptures into forest undergrowth on his family’s property in Black River. The sculptures include depictions of Native Americans and frontiersmen, religious and patriotic icons, and an assortment of poignant, devout, and sometimes humorous tableaux. His art environment offers an integration of nature, humanity, and spirituality. The James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden was gifted to the John Michael Kohler Arts Center Collection in 2001 by Kohler Foundation, Inc.
James Tellen Woodland Sculpture Garden is located at 5634 Evergreen Dr, Sheboygan, WI. For more information, visit jmkac.org/events or call 920-458-6144.
Chair City Celebration – John Michael Kohler Arts Center (jmkac.org)