Jean Stamsta Art Collection

Donated to Carroll University by the Kohler Foundation in 2011, the 94-piece Stamsta Collection showcases works from each of Jean Stamsta's (1936–2013) major artistic periods—from early tubular weaving to her final pieces inspired by winters spent in Hawaii. Stamsta's playful and innovative vision, her fearless and joyful use of material and her love of color, pattern and humor cannot be missed in the hallways, classrooms and lobbies of the Center for Graduate Studies, where much of the collection is on permanent display.

1. Tubular Weaving
Renowned for pioneering the art of tubular weaving, Stamsta used the unique medium to create monumental, sculptural, freestanding works as well as three-dimensional wall pieces. Untitled, 1977 exemplifies this early artistic period. 

2. Airplanes
Stamsta loved to fly with her son who was a pilot, viewing the Wisconsin terrain from above, evidenced by the frequent use of airplanes as dominant subject matter in much of her work. Many of her large weavings like Sheltering Wings, 1981,  feature shadows of airplanes amidst her colorful interpretation of farm fields.
  

3. Paper Works
By the mid-1980s, Stamsta freed herself from the constraints of a rectangular loom by producing works with handmade paper. With this change in medium, her shapes, like that in South of the Studio, 1986,  became more organic and playful. Animal shapes inspired by Native American effigy mounds became common motifs. She combined these new found shapes with fabric, paint, mirrors and her signature patterns and textures. 

4. Hawaii
In her later years, Stamsta and her husband wintered in Hawaii. Work from this period, like West Shores, 1998–2000, features images of palm trees, wriggling lizards and swimmers in wildly patterned bathing suits. Footprints sink into the wall hangings made from paper pulp, as they wander across exuberant fantastical Hawaiian landscapes. 

Established in 1940, Kohler Foundation, Inc. has evolved to be a strong supporter of the arts, education and preservation initiatives. The foundation’s scope encompasses five areas:

• Scholarships  l  More than $300,000 is awarded annually to students at Sheboygan County’s 12 high schools
• Grants  l  Awarded to non-profit organizations for projects and one-time endeavors with a primary focus on the arts and education. Preference is given to Sheboygan County and small Wisconsin communities.
• Distinguished Guest Series  l  A performing arts series that features internationally recognized performers in theater, dance and music
• Art Preservation  l  Concentration on the preservation of art environments and collections by self-taught artists. Preservation efforts historically were limited to Wisconsin culture and heritage, but have expanded beyond
• Waelderhaus l  Manages the beautiful and historic Waelderhaus in Kohler, Wis. Typical of Bregenserwald architecture in Austria, Waelderhaus reflects the ancestral roots of John Michael Kohler, founder of Kohler Co.