SHEBOYGAN, WI.- The Board of Directors of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center has confirmed its intention to preserve the Mary Nohl home and art at its current Fox Point, Wis., location. JMKAC expects to restore this residential property so that it may exist within the applicable zoning regulations of the Village of Fox Point.

Last year, in the face of intense opposition by many Fox Point neighbors to any form of limited public access at the Nohl site, JMKAC made the difficult decision to explore moving the Nohl home and art to Sheboygan County. However, extensive research has confirmed that moving the Nohl environment could jeopardize the integrity of the art to an irreversible degree.

Ruth Kohler stated, “Our preservation experience has demonstrated that each project is unique and requires a specific approach. In the process of determining the best future for the Mary Nohl environment, we have sought the counsel of excellent conservators and preservation architects and organizations such as the Wisconsin Historical Society. Extensive research has brought to light the possibility that significant and unforeseeable challenges associated with a move might put aspects of the art at potentially devastating risk.”

At a July 2014 symposium regarding the Mary Nohl site, held at the Milwaukee Art Museum, JMKAC Director Ruth DeYoung Kohler stated that she and others had devoted more than 27 years attempting to preserve Nohl’s home, art and legacy in situ. These efforts have only intensified since JMKAC assumed ownership of the property in 2012, following a transfer of ownership from the Kohler Foundation.

JMKAC Board President Michael P. Cisler said, “We are thrilled to have found a way to preserve Mary’s art in the special place that inspired her to build it.” Cisler added, “We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, and we are hopeful that Mary’s many enthusiastic advocates will support this important project.”

JMKAC has exhibited Nohl’s work several times over the years to both the public’s and Mary Nohl’s delight. Nohl’s property was named to the prestigious National Register of Historic Places and Wisconsin Registry of Historic Places as well as designated as a Milwaukee County Landmark. In 2005, the Wisconsin Preservation Trust listed the site as one of the ten Wisconsin historic sites in greatest jeopardy.

JMKAC has specialized in the preservation of artist-built environments and has a decades-long track record of successful conservation projects both with the Kohler Foundation and on its own. JMKAC’s collection now comprises eight complete artist environments, major components from fourteen environments and representative elements from seven others. The complete environments have been left in situ whenever possible.

With this announcement of in-situ preservation of the Mary Nohl property, the John Michael Kohler Arts Center confirms its intention, as the steward of this unique artistic treasure, to honor Mary Nohl’s legacy in the best way possible.