The American road trip has long symbolized the adventure of open skies and self-discovery. Yet, a northern journey from Chicago into the Midwest reveals a subtler charm grounded in rich cultural and artistic heritage. This region offers an exploration devoid of dramatic canyons and coastal landscapes, instead presenting serene prairies, glacial lakes, and a significant contribution from architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright.
Though frequently overshadowed in the realm of contemporary art, the Midwest boasts a creative history intertwined with agriculture, home crafts, and self-taught ingenuity. Artist-built environments, innovative architecture, and impressive craft collections reflect the generational passion to fill the abundant space that characterizes this region.
This inaugural edition in WBEZ’s art road trip series celebrates that legacy, guiding travelers from Racine to Milwaukee to Sheboygan. Unlike traditional pilgrimages to well-known art destinations, this journey emphasizes that artistic expressions intermingle with daily life in supper clubs and gardens, making it an affordable, accessible, and enlightening outing for art enthusiasts.
**Racine: The Heart of Craft**
Often overlooked as an art hub, Racine stands as a crucial starting point for those passionate about contemporary craft. The Racine Art Museum (RAM) is home to the largest collection of contemporary craft in the nation, featuring an array of bold ceramics, intricate fiber works, and stunning glass and wood pieces within a minimalist building near the lakefront.
“The legacy of Objects: USA is remarkable here,” noted Shoshana Resnikoff, the Demmer Curator of 20th and 21st Century Design at the Milwaukee Art Museum. This groundbreaking exhibition, which toured the United States from 1969 to 1972, was backed by SC Johnson, an influential figure who acquired and donated several pieces to various institutions, including Racine’s own museum.
Among RAM’s impressive collections are the works of ceramicists like Toshiko Takaezu, Mara Superior, and Viola Frey, artists who have expanded the boundaries of their fields. Frey’s monumental clay figures, for instance, exude a profound presence, highlighting the emotional weight embedded in the material.
Another critical site in Racine is the SC Johnson Administration Building, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1936. Open to visitors on Sundays, this building allows an opportunity to explore Wright’s vision for non-residential spaces. Resnikoff describes the building as immersive: “You have a sense of being in a forest,” thanks to the lily pad like columns and glass tube ceilings that diffuse natural light. Interestingly, this environment was crafted for a man who, ironically, never occupied an office.
For those considering a visit, the Racine Art Museum (441 Main St., Racine, Wisc.) operates from Wednesday to Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with admission priced at $10 for adults and free for children under 12.
Tours of the SC Johnson Administration Building (1525 Howe St., Racine, Wisc.) are available from Wednesday to Sunday during the summer months and are free of charge.
**Milwaukee: A Hub of Architecture, Folk Art, and Frosty Delights**
Just forty minutes north, Milwaukee’s vibrant lakefront pulses with its own artistic energy. The Milwaukee Art Museum, distinguished by Santiago Calatrava’s stunning brise soleil, also captivates visitors with its less apparent design elements.
“The museum is like a rabbit’s warren,” Resnikoff explained. “But if you look down, the floors tell you where you are.” Each section of the museum is marked by distinctive flooring materials: white marble for the Calatrava addition, parquet for the Saarinen wing from 1957, and end-grain wood for the Kahler extension from the 1970s.
Notably, one of the museum’s most cherished yet commonly underrated spaces is the folk art mezzanine. This gallery showcases an impressive array of hand-carved figures, whimsical whirligigs, and self-taught masterpieces collected over decades. Resnikoff calls it “beloved by Milwaukee school kids,” emphasizing its authentic Milwaukee character while encompassing national scope.
Visitors should not miss the newly opened exhibit “Erin Shirreff: Permanent Drafts,” which showcases over 40 installations including sculptures, photographs, and videos by the Montreal-based artist. This exhibit marks the most comprehensive survey of Shirreff’s work in a decade, highlighting her unique ability to manipulate diverse materials such as foam, paper, and bronze.
Outside the museum, take a break at Kopp’s or Leon’s for some iconic butter burgers and architecturally inspired custard. For a scenic outing, South Shore Terrace beer garden in Bay View, housed in a former bathhouse, offers bratwurst and brews paired with spectacular skyline views.
In nearby Fox Point, the Mary Nohl House stands out as a unique landmark. Often referred to as the “witch’s house” in local lore, this lakeside cottage is one of Wisconsin’s most remarkable examples of an artist-built environment. Nohl transformed her home and garden into a cohesive artwork, covering walls with mosaics, constructing sculptures from driftwood and concrete, and embedding personal symbolism throughout the space.
“She wanted the world around her to be different, so she made it so,” Resnikoff highlighted, adding that “every surface is intentional,” and every object portrayed Nohl’s perspective of reality.
For visitors, the Milwaukee Art Museum (700 N. Art Museum Dr., Milwaukee, Wisc.) welcomes guests Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with Thursdays extending hours to 8 p.m. Admission is set at $27 for adults, while kids 12 and under enter free.
**Sheboygan: Art in the Everyday**
The journey concludes in Sheboygan, a smaller city that impressively merges Midwestern humility with exuberant art. Known for the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and the expansive 160-acre Art Preserve, Sheboygan provides a nuanced view of American visual culture that serves as both gallery and living archive.
This summer, the Arts Center showcases a significant exhibition featuring Hmong American photographer Pao Houa Her, whose works poignantly depict themes of refugee resettlement through a blend of memory and myth. The mid-career survey, The Imaginative Landscape, will remain on view until August 31, spreading its impact beyond the museum’s walls into various city landmarks, including a karaoke bar adorned with a poppy-covered backdrop and portraits of Hmong elders displayed in the county courthouse.
“It’s personal and universal at the same time,” said Jodi Throckmorton, the Arts Center’s chief curator, remarking on the need for awareness about Her’s community. Visitors can navigate the exhibition by picking up a map at the Kohler Museum to find the seven neighborhood locations.
Within the Art Preserve, which debuted in 2021, over 30 artist-built environments are on full display, showcasing the singular collection cultivated by the center over nearly four decades, thereby elevating the Wisconsin destination to a nationally significant locus for outsider art.
One of Throckmorton’s favorite pieces in the collection is Emery Blagdon’s Healing Machine—a dynamic installation crafted of foil, magnets, and copper wire purportedly designed to harness natural energies for healing. “There’s something energetic happening in that space,” she affirmed, reflecting on the palpable atmosphere of the environment.
Additionally, the Art Preserve houses the reconstructed collection of Imagist Ray Yoshida, which is filled with flea market treasures and eclectic artworks, offering a glimpse into the mind of an influential Chicago visual artist.
For those visiting on Thursdays, the Kohler Center also hosts free weekly concerts at the City Green, transforming evenings into lively community events. With attendance reaching three to five thousand, Throckmorton emphasized the unique vibrancy of these concerts, stating, “I was so shocked when I came here.”
After a day full of artistic exploration, consider unwinding at Majerle’s Black River Grill in nearby Black River, where roasted chicken and brandy Old Fashioneds can be enjoyed in a rustic wood-paneled setting overlooking the tranquil forest. Supper clubs, once mere rural roadhouses and Prohibition-era retreats, have evolved into a quintessential Wisconsin experience, combining elements of steakhouses and social clubs, and celebrated for robust relish trays that embody local culinary craftsmanship.
The John Michael Kohler Arts Center (608 New York Ave., Sheboygan, Wisc.) and the Art Preserve (3636 Lower Falls Rd., Sheboygan, Wisc.) are open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday until 8 p.m., and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to both venues is free, making the art center an unmissable destination.
Lastly, for those looking to extend the adventure, returning to Milwaukee for an overnight stay can be rewarding. The historic Burnham Block boasts one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s rare American System-Built Homes, offering both public tours and opportunities for overnight accommodations. This restored Model B1 harkens back to Wright’s early 20th-century vision of affordable, high-quality housing and is open for tours on Saturdays.
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