Jacob Bontrager didn’t plan on becoming an artist.
The retired steel fabricator has been many things, including business owner and inventor, but art came relatively late in life for Bontrager.
After sharing his stained glass creations with friends and family for a number of years, the 90-year-old artist is bringing his work to a larger audience. For his most recent show, Bontrager joined the 71st Steele County Art Exhibition for the first time, showing his work alongside artists who’ve participated for years.
Bontrager attended the show’s opening reception Sunday at the Owatonna Arts Center, chatting with passersby about his life and art.
“He’s a storyteller. He loves to tell his story, so I thought it would be a good place for him to be for awhile,” said his daughter Char Esch, who encouraged him to submit a few pieces to the show.
“If I told you my life story, you would be here ‘til next month,” said Bontrager.
Bontrager showed a creative streak long before he became an artist. While operating his manufacturing business, he designed custom machinery for farmers upon request.
About 20 years ago, back surgery forced him to take a hiatus from his work. After a month in the hospital, he came out in a body brace, unable to perform much of the demanding work he was accustomed to.
Looking for another way to stay busy, he took up stained glass.
“I started doing it when I couldn’t do anything else,” he said.
His pieces in the exhibit include a terrarium and two landscapes from Arizona, where he used to spend much of his time. Bontrager now lives in Minnesota full-time to be closer to family.
Esch said her father has remained remarkably active into his 90s, though his wife’s recent death has been hard on him.
She’s happy to help him share his art with a wider audience.
“I think more people need to see it and enjoy it, because so much work is put into it. I think it’s beautiful,” said Esch.
Though piecing together his creations is a big undertaking, Bontrager enjoys the process.
“People say, ‘where do you get enough patience to do all that?’ And I said, it don’t take much patience, only just one little bit of patience. All I need is enough patience to do one piece,” he said.
Browsing the gallery, local artist Gail Thompson was particularly impressed by this year’s art, saying it set a new benchmark for the quality of the show.
“I’ve seen a bunch of them. We’ve always had talent and we’ve always fostered talent in this community, but this is amazing. People will be glad they showed up,” said Thompson.
The Steele County Art Exhibition is on view at the OAC until May 26. The reception also doubled as the opening for “Together: A Portrait of Americans,” a series of oil paintings by artist David Salerno representing the religious diversity of Chattanooga, Tennessee. A full article on Salerno’s show will appear in an upcoming edition of the People’s Press.
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