Partner Spotlight: Maine Prairie Studio

JD and Megan Jorgenson, not only ceramicists of extraordinary talent and generosity, but the best dressed at the Story Feast table, too!

The Ceramicists Behind Every Piece On Our Story Feast Table

When I began planning our inaugural gathering at St. John's Abbey, I knew I wanted the table itself to be extraordinary. Not just the food, not just the venue, but the objects we'd eat from. I wanted to celebrate a local ceramicist whose work could hold the meal in every sense.

I reached out to JD and Megan Jorgenson of Maine Prairie Studio. I knew it was a big ask: 180 guests, a multi-course family-style dinner, custom pieces for an event that had never happened before.

To my astonishment and delight, they said yes.

1,300 Original Pieces

What JD and Megan created for Story Feast was nothing short of extraordinary.

They made 1,300 original pieces in 13 different glazes, fired specifically for this event. They walked through the entire family-style menu with Chefs Mateo and Erin Mackbee, listening carefully to every element of the evening, and then designed original serving vessels for every single dish. Platters, bowls, dishes, hundreds of pieces, each one made by hand. They made original water tumblers and whiskey tumblers, vases, platters. Every single element made with tremendous care by JD and Megan.

It was like having a ceramic museum on the table. It added so much visual depth and warmth to the long tables our guests gathered around.

They kept adding elements to execute the vision, refining and expanding as the event took shape. Their generosity and artistry transformed the gathering into something none of us could have imagined.

A Standing Ovation

On the night of the feast, JD and Megan joined us as guests. During the evening, they shared their story with the room, how they'd built Maine Prairie Studio, their philosophy of craft and community, what it meant to create work for an event like this.

They received a standing ovation.

The night overflowed with appreciation and gratitude for them and their work. Guests understood, viscerally, that they weren't just eating an exquisite meal, but that it was being presented to them on a work of art.

Connections Run Deep

One of the most emotional moments of the evening happened before dinner even began.

I looked over and saw JD embracing Phil Steger, the founder of Brother Justus Whiskey. They knew each other and are old friends. Both are alumni of Saint John's University. JD had apprenticed at The Saint John's Pottery. the very studio we'd toured earlier that day, and Phil had built his distillery on Benedictine values he'd absorbed during his time at Saint John's.

The connections kept revealing themselves: ceramic artist and distiller, both shaped by the same place, reuniting at a table set with JD's work and toasted with Phil's whiskey.

That's what Story Feast is about. The people, the places, the invisible threads that tie us together.

About Maine Prairie Studio

Maine Prairie Studio is the pottery studio and home of Megan and JD Jorgenson, located in Kimball, Minnesota, about thirty minutes from Saint John's Abbey. Their mission is to nurture creativity and elevate the ceramic arts through community education for rural Minnesotans.

JD trained at The Saint John's Pottery, apprenticing under master potter Richard Bresnahan. He brought his infant son along to his shifts in the studio, that baby is now a young man in his twenties who joined us at the Story Feast dinner alongside his father. The lineage of craft, passed down through generations, was present at our table in more ways than one.

Beyond their own work, JD and Megan support artists at every stage through internships, apprenticeships, residencies, and retreats. They offer pottery classes for all skill levels, from introductory "Come Try It" sessions to intensive summer workshops. They host private groups, field trips, and parties.

And they welcome visitors. You can schedule a studio tour and see where the magic happens.

Tell them Story Feast sent you.

One Regret

Two days before the event, JD and Megan invited us to come to the studio for the opening of the kiln, the kiln that held many of the pieces destined for our table. With our task list running long, we couldn't make it.

It's my one regret from the entire event. I would have loved to see those pieces emerge still warm from the fire, to witness the moment when clay becomes art.

Next time.

Visit Maine Prairie Studio

Maine Prairie Studio is located in Kimball, Minnesota.

They offer:

• Pottery classes for all levels

• Summer intensives

• Private group sessions and parties

• Apprenticeships, internships, and artist residencies

• Studio visits by appointment

Learn more and plan your visit →

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