By CGN STAFF

Four artists began residencies this month at the Kohler Co. factory in Kohler, Wisconsin, as the John Michael Kohler Arts Center welcomed its third and final Arts/Industry cohort of 2026. A new pilot fellowship with the Yale School of Art brings a fifth artist into the factory’s studios this fall.

Abigail Lucien and Louis-Charles Dionne are working in the foundry, while Sharif Farrag and Jason S. Yi are working in the pottery studios. Over three months, the residents have access to industrial processes, materials and technical expertise, working alongside Kohler’s skilled artisans to experiment and develop new work.

A collaboration between the John Michael Kohler Arts Center and Kohler Co., Arts/Industry hosts 12 artists annually. The program provides around-the-clock studio access and technical support, allowing artists to explore the possibilities of making art within a working manufacturing facility. The program is one of the most remarkable collaborations between art and industry in the United States. Founded by visionary arts leader Ruth DeYoung Kohler, Arts/Industry provides artists a place to make their artwork in tandem with the skilled craftspeople who work for Kohler Co. The program is rooted in the collaborative efforts between contemporary artists and industrial artisans, resulting in brilliant works of art. Hundreds of artists have benefited from this celebrated artist residency since its beginning in 1974. Arts/Industry offers artists the time and space to focus on the creation of new work in studios located within the Pottery and Foundry at the Kohler Co. factory.

Joining this fall’s residents is A.Y. Wang, the Yale School of Art Fellow. The Arts Center, Yale School of Art and Kohler Co. are piloting the three-month fellowship during September–December 2026, offering a recent Yale graduate the opportunity to work in the Arts/Industry Pottery studio.

Past award recipients include Edra Soto, Ann Agee, Barbara Cooper and many others.

Learn More About the Artists