Recent Acquisition: Mary Jo Schwalbach will showcase a selection of the artist’s so-called “collages,” made from detritus gathered on the shores of Lake Michigan. These assemblages are part of a recent gift to the Arts Center from her son, Fitz Gitler, and the Kohler Foundation, Inc.

Born in Wisconsin in 1939, Schwalbach followed her artistic passions to New York City. There she became known for soft sculptures composed of rags, paper, and glue, often capturing scenes of sporting events. On trips to her family’s cottage in Belgium, Wisconsin, she would comb the beach for scraps, incorporating them into whimsical depictions of animals set in plaster. These were shown in her first New York exhibition in 1966.

On view for the first time at the Arts Center, these works celebrate Schwalbach’s connection to Lake Michigan and her playful artistic vision.

Image: In-process images of works by Mary Jo Schwalbach, n.d. Photo courtesy of the artist.