PRSRT STD ECR U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #861
“Minnesota’s Oldest Weekly Newspaper”
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Vol. 162, No. 45
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Bond makes living as self-employed potter BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS — Jasper Bond is a potter. When the Sauk Rapids resident took a work study job cleaning the art department in college and stumbled upon a wooden triangular framework covered in clay, little did he know the contraption would change the course of his life. “I had never seen a potter’s wheel,” Bond said. “One night after cleaning up, I sat at the wheel and tried to knead a piece of clay. The instructor came in and said if I wanted to learn pottery, I should take his class. I told him I knew nothing about it and he told me, ‘Don’t worry.’” That was the beginning for Bond and the Jasper Stoneware Company. Growing up on army bases across the country, Bond was never particularly exposed to a great amount of art, yet his family never discouraged the subject. Most of the young boy’s exposure to art came through earning merit badges in Boy Scouts. “In a way I was exposed to art more through Scouting than anything, because we didn’t have art in grade schools then. I had a photography merit badge; a leatherwork merit badge and a lot of badges for other crafts. I didn’t take any art in high school other than working on the army base in the photo lab,” Bond said. Regardless of the minimal exposure, Bond pursued his interests in college. He wanted to be a photographer more than anything in the world, but unfortunately the college he attended did not teach the trade. Bond graduated with a
Thursday, March 2, 2017
11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, Benton County, MN 56379
PHOTOS BY NATASHA BARBER
Jasper Bond, of Sauk Rapids, is a self-employed potter. He became interested in pottery and ceramics during college.
degree to teach art. But before then, he took the class the instructor had urged him to try. “I took his class, and he gave me an ‘A.’ It was almost like Àshing with good bait. I got interested,” Bond said. “I look at it now, and I certainly did not deserve an ‘A’. But the instructor was a good teacher. He knew how to nurture someone who was really raw.” Bond went on to become an
instructor himself, teaching in the town of Jasper, Foley and at Saint Cloud State University during the 1970s era. But soon, out of necessity of not Ànding full-time, reliable employment, he began making pottery and trading or selling his goods. With a desire to make functional folk pottery known as Mingai, Bond trained a year in Japan under a mentor deemed as
one of the country’s Living National Treasures, an individual certiÀed as the most elite in their trade. “That was probably the biggest help in life. I learned how to be efÀcient with my time,” Bond said. He also learned consistency through repetition. While training under the Japanese professional, Bond was asked to make his tools and, then, proceed to make 100 mugs. The conÀdent student thought the task at hand was simple. “I though this is easy. I made my Àrst hundred cups after viewing his sample and cross-section. I did my best. He came by, picked one up, placed it aside and told me to break the other 99 … I was a little upset. I thought they were good,” Bond said. “The process went on and 800 cups later, he walked by and said OK. They were Ànally good enough for his standards.” Over the years, Bond has trained his Àngers to create consistency through repetitive processes. He works in a minimalist clean space, with only the tools he needs in arms reach— a wooden rib, a sponge on a stick, a piece of leather, a wire and a bucket of water. Sitting on a Leach style foot-powered wheel, Bond kneads, throws and Ànishes his pieces one-by-one, emulating a skipping record. Even the points as which he wipes his hands are coordinated and intentional. According to Bond, it takes 4 minutes and 7 days to throw a mug. “It only take a few minutes to make the mug and a few minutes more to add the handle. Then it’s 4-5 days to dry, a couple minutes to decorate and then three days in the kiln” he said. In addition to mugs, the pieces Bond makes are functional kitchen items including casserole dishes, plates, bowls and platters. The thought-Àlled designs are formed using guide tools to determine depth and size, and Bond ensures each piece is without burrs or sharp edges.
Bond: page 2
Ellering sworn into council position Husband, father of four embraces new role BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS — When the Sauk Rapids city council voted to appoint Jason Ellering to the vacant council position two weeks ago, the St. Cloud native was pleased. “I was pleasantly surprised to hear I was going to be able to serve Sauk Rapids,” said Ellering, who was sworn into ofÀce Monday, Feb. 27 at the Sauk Rapids Government Center. “I want to make sure every decision we make as a council has the city and its residents best interests in mind. That’s our job.” Ellering moved to Sauk Rapids with his family in 2014. The 34-year-old, husband to Nicole and father to four children — Evie, 8; Oliver, 6; Isaac, 2; and Axel, 1 — had always wanted to serve in municipal government and saw Sauk Rapids as a community he could become engaged in. Ellering had even set a goal to run in the 2016 council election. But with his son Axle being a new addition to the family, he waited for the right timing. By January, when Kurt Hunstiger changed roles
from council person to mayor, and a council seat became vacant, Ellering felt more comfortable taking on a new role. “I’ve always had an interest and desire to be involved in the city. We have four young kids and a lot at stake for our family’s future,” Ellering said. “I knew at some point I would become involved, but it was a matter of when could I do the best job I’m capable of doing. Two years ago I feel like I would have only been half in because of our growing family, but now I feel like I have 100 percent of my head in the game.” The St. Cloud Tech High School graduate obtained a sales and management degree from Johnson & Wales University of Providence, Rhode Island before moving back to central Minnesota. Ellering is currently employed by St. Cloud Refrigeration, Inc. where he is a sales representative and project manager. He has volunteered with his family’s church, Joy Christian Center, and at Pleasantview Elementary, particularly in the
Ellering: page 2
Shots fired in neighborhood, two arrested
SAUK RAPIDS — An investigation of shots Àred in the early morning hours of Feb. 18 led to two arrests over Kevin Johnson a Àve-day period by the Sauk Rapids Police Department. According to a release from police chief Perry Beise, resident callers reported hearing gun shots shortly after 2:30 a.m. near the 700 block of Second Ave. N, Sauk Rapids Feb. 18. OfÀcers responded but could not determine a location or suspect. The following day, a homeowner reported bullet holes and a Áattened tire on a family vehicle. Shell casings were recovered, an investigation was initiated, and ofÀcers arrested a 15-year-old juvenile who was in possession of the suspected hand gun. OfÀcers took a report, that same day, of a victim who had gone to the hospital for treatment for a head laceration. OfÀcers arrested 19-year-old Kevin Hall Johnson, of Sauk Rapids, for felony assault. He is currently in custody at the Benton County Jail. While arresting Johnson, ofÀcers located property taken in burglaries that occurred in both the city of Sauk Rapids and Benton County. According to a statement made by Sergeant Brent Bukowski at the Feb. 27 city council meeting, the department also learned the residence at which Johnson was staying was being used as an unlicensed rental property. The department reached out to Sauk Rapids Building OfÀcial Jason Fleming, who inspected the property and deemed the residence uninhabitable until further notice. No one is allowed to occupy the residence at this time, but people are allowed at the property to restore it to a habitable state. The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force assisted the Sauk Rapids Police Department in executing the search warrant. The investigation continues into the criminal activity of the parties involved.
From Europe to Sauk Rapids Four girls experience SRRHS as foreign exchange students BY ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Jason Ellering and his wife, Nicole, stand with their four children (from left) – Isaac, 2, Evie, 8, Oliver, 6, and Axel, 1. Ellering was sworn into ofÀce for the Sauk Rapids City Council Feb. 27.
SAUK RAPIDS – Veronica Thomsen, Ilaria Clazzer, Deniz Engin and Sara Oestenheden may have never met one another, as they are from different parts of Europe, but the four of them have gotten to know each other through the unique experience of being a foreign exchange student. With not much prior knowledge of Minnesota as a whole, the girls felt a mix of emotions as they prepared to come to Sauk Rapids. “It was worse for me,” said Clazzer, whose home country is Italy. “My destination was Rice and the only thing I could Ànd was the population and that scared me. Then my friends in Italy all joked that I’d be living in a Àeld of rice.” Oestenheden had a different reaction, as she was coming from Norway. “Since there are a lot of Scandinavian people that settled here many years ago, I was very excited,” Oestenheden said. “It gave me more of a connection to the area.” Engin, of Turkey, was excited too. “When I heard I was coming to Minnesota, I didn’t know much other than the fact it was cold here,” she said. “That made me very excited
Foreign Exchange: page 3