Photo Credit: Mary Nohl at her Lake Cottage (Fox Point, WI), 1997. Photo used with permission courtesy of John Michael Kohler Arts Center.

BORN:   1914, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

DIED   2001, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Mary L. Nohl was born in Milwaukee, the daughter of a lawyer and his wife. When Mary was 10, the family built a summer cottage on the Lake Michigan shore in Fox Point. In 1945, the home was enlarged and in 1948, when snowplows were newly available, the family moved full time to the Beach Drive location. In 1938, Mary graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago and taught art at Milwaukee junior and senior high schools. She was a painter, silversmith, sculptor and owned a production pottery studio that she ran for 10 years.

Mary is a notable Milwaukee mystery. Known for her decorated home packed full inside and out with her own brand of "quirky" art that overflowed into a yard filled with concrete sculptures, stained glass, mobiles, wooden reliefs of all kinds of unimaginable creatures. Mary Nohl explored all means of materials, form and design. 

In 1968, Mary’s mother died, leaving her a substantial inheritance. This enabled Mary to focus on her art full time.

With her home as her canvas, Mary experimented and covered every surface, wall, floor, window, door, cabinet, and piece of furniture with brightly colored paintings, fanciful wood sculptures, colorful mosaic patterns. She painted walls and ceilings, and drip-painted furniture and carpets. In her garden, she used found objects, stones, and wood from the lake shore, and discarded trash including TV dinner containers, and old electrical cords to weave, construct, assemble patterns and sculptures.

She had a compulsive need to explore and delight her senses.  Mary is noted as saying, “Good design is what I am interested in.” 

Nohl traveled widely showing influences of Picasso, Duchamp, Calder and Nevelson in her art. Yet her style is distinctly her own, creating design that is child-like, sophisticated, and fun! Her work as an artist and as an environment builder earned her national and international acclaim. 

Mary lived frugally but upon her death bequeathed over  $11 million to provide continung support for visual arts and art education programs in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. She also willed her home and art collection to The Kohler Foundation.

THE GALLERY IS PLEASED TO OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF RARE DRAWINGS, SKETCHES, JEWELRY, CERAMICS AND SCULPTURES BY MARY NOHL. THIS EXCLUSIVE OFFERING COMES FROM THE COLLECTION OF A PERSONAL FRIEND.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO PURCHASE MARY'S WORK, CONTACT US AT: INFO@GALLERYOFWISCONSINART.COM

Biographical Sources: 

Agilitynut.com/h/nohl, Wthp.org/10_most, Rohde, Mary, Artist’s Legacy Lingers. February 25, 2005. JournalSentinel: Lifestyle, Gould, Whitney, Artist’s Wonder House Amazes. February 18, 2007, Wisconsinhistory.org, Kohlerfoundation.org/new_NohlSite

Photo Credit: Mary Nohl at her Lake Cottage (Fox Point, WI), 1997. Photo courtesy of John Michael Kohler Arts Center.