Apprenticeship Reflections

I had the gift of an apprentice for the first time earlier this summer. Shawn Bjerke, an art student from Bethany Lutheran College, joined me for a month in JJJaspersen Studios in New Ulm, MN. I had the pleasure of teaching Shawn during the Spring semester at Bethany in one of my sculpture classes and was wowed by his ingenuity and craftsmanship. Despite classes being held remotely for much of the semester due to COVID-19, he produced an impressive hurdy-gurdy for his final project work. So when the opportunity arose to work with him more in the studio, I was excited to see what we could do.

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Apprenticeship has been on my mind for years. Since learning about renaissance masters and their formative training, I’ve been wondering if a similar caliber of art education can be accomplished today.

There were a few times in my college years that I came very close to applying for apprenticeships with artists I admired. I researched the resurgence of the apprenticeship educational model in various contemporary industries while pursuing my Masters of Experiential Education degree. I witnessed apprentices in action while I was a visiting artist at the St. Johns Pottery.

The theory of immersing a learner in a professional practice has been familiar to me for years, but I hadn’t had the chance to participate directly until Shawn Bjerke arrived mid-May 2020. As with any beginning, we were a bit stumbly, but I learned some important lessons and received a much-needed boost in manual help, morale, and fresh insights. I pray that Shawn’s experience was beneficial. I suspect his on-the-job experiences will unfold into unexpected lessons for years to come.

Shawn summarized his apprenticeship with me:

“My time spent in the studio was impossible. At first, I was surprised that I was allowed to work on my own with minimal supervision. I was also given very relevant jobs like framing some paintings. Most of the work I did was a benefit to the studio and not just some set of fixed tasks set before me at the beginning of my term in the studio.

I was doing work that constantly challenged my skills and knowledge, and many of my worldviews have been shifted after these experiences. I do believe that having the opportunity to work in the studio with Jason was not a coincidence. It was part of God’s plan for me.

Shawn Bjerke

“I was put in a very interesting position to accept an invitation to be an intern at the JJJaspersen Studio during a pandemic. The only housing I could find was a hotel offering a deal for students. I also only had a bike to get around with because my parents need my car. Their car had recently broken down.

“So I did it. I got a room at the hotel, packed my bags, and got a ride up to New Ulm. It felt like a simpler version of life to live in a hotel with a bike. I ate a lot of Ramen. One of the hardest things was the loneliness of the room. This was the first time that I was staying somewhere alone for more than a day or two. Having the studio to go to every day was a good thing because being alone all day can really mess with your brain.

“At the studio, I was able to work across many different mediums and styles. I did a fair amount of woodworking. I also sculpted oil clay for the first time on an ornate Bible cover. I did video editing for one of Jason’s proposal videos. There was also a project that involved drawing and graphic design. I learned how clay goes to bronze and how to clean bronze statues. And, on the last day of the internship, I worked with plaster on a 4’x4′ sculpture.

“Overall, I would say it was great to experience many different mediums in a professional environment. This meant I didn’t receive specialized training in a specific medium, but I did receive specialized knowledge about the philosophy and thought that is behind all of Jason’s artwork.

“This is very important for me because I am very new to the art program at Bethany Lutheran College. I spent my first year and a half at Martin Luther College training to be a Pastor but decided that I needed to go to Bethany and try art. So I transferred at the end of the semester. After one semester at Bethany, I knew I had found the right place. And near the end of the semester, Jason offered me a chance to learn from him in his studio. I can gladly say my time was well spent, and I would do it again if the opportunity arose.”

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We were delighted to welcome Shawn to the JJJaspersen Studios team. Shawn’s experience was informed by the projects in progress and his particular strengths. Future apprenticeship experiences would change – shaped by different projects and different individual strengths. This approach results in fully-present learners adapting to whatever God puts in front of us!

I’m eager to continue building a robust apprenticeship program, encouraging and training the next generation of Christian creatives to be good stewards of their God-given talents.

You can learn more about Jason’s work at JJJaspersen.com or connect with him on social media @JJJaspersen.