A new essay at Madison Magazine:

Last summer, while I was visiting some friends in Madison, I decided to make a side trip to a magical place that, believe it or not, is in Sheboygan.

Now, the list of reasons to go to Sheboygan is not very long. There are bratwursts. There is a sandy beach on Lake Michigan. There’s a children’s book-themed botanical garden. And America’s tallest flagpole.

But there’s one reason why the town recently moved to the top of my list: the Art Preserve of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, a one-of-a-kind, world-class museum filled with strange roadside creations and a different kind of art. Ever since I heard about it opening in June 2021, I knew I had to go there.

The Art Preserve collects what are known as “artist-built environments,” which are sometimes called “vernacular art environments” or simply “visionary art.” Others might call it “folk art” or “outsider art,” but it includes things like pieces from Fred Smith’s Concrete Park, Dr. Evermor’s giant metal Forevertron and Loy Bowlin’s glitter-covered Beautiful Holy Jewel Home.

Read the rest here.