The Saint John’s Pottery to host two resident artists in June

Cadence Nelson of Minneapolis and Jason Jaspersen of New Ulm, Minnesota, have been selected as the 2017 recipients of The Saint John’s Pottery Jerome Foundation Emerging Artist Program. Nelson and Jasperson will create ceramic art while in residence in June at Saint John’s University.

Nelson and Jaspersen were selected to receive support from the Jerome Foundation through an extensive panel review. The panelists included Richard Bresnahan, director and artist-in-residence at The Saint John’s Pottery; Ben Jose, fine arts fabricator in Mechanicville, New York, and a previous Jerome Emerging Artist awardee; and Stuart Klipper, fine art photographer from Minneapolis.

Nelson is a documentary filmmaker who studied at the Prague Film School, Czech Republic. Building on her previous experience in ceramics, she hopes to explore the tension between the physical distance of film and the very physical art of ceramics. Nelson has had films screened at the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival, and has been awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board Initiative grant.

Jaspersen has worked in many artistic mediums, including painting, book illustrations, bronze, stone and ceramics. He has a number of public sculptures and murals installed throughout Minnesota.  He has worked for many years as a teacher at Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in experiential education at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

The Saint John’s Pottery Jerome Foundation Emerging Artist Program is made possible through a Jerome Foundation 50th Anniversary Grant. The Jerome Foundation, created by artist and philanthropist Jerome Hill, supports the development and creation of new works by emerging artists in Minnesota and New York City.

The Saint John’s Pottery embodies the Benedictine values of community, hospitality and self- sufficiency as well as SJU’s commitment to the integration of art and life, the preservation of the environment, and the celebration of diverse cultures. For more information, contact Ryan Kutter, studio manager, at 320-363-2930.