A COLORFUL LIGHT. Jenna Sheen (pictured above), the ceramicist behind Jenna Bean Ceramics, has built a world of her own where whimsical creatures and emotional breadth are encouraged. Her work spans abstract sculpture, hand-building, and creating her own plaster molds.

Contemplating over a piece of clay, Jenna Sheen stirs with emotion — a twinkle in her eyes can be seen across the room. What whimsical character will emerge today? A cocktail shrimp or a friendly apple? Or perhaps, a whole flatware set reminiscent of a bouquet of daisies?

Jenna, the ceramicist behind Jenna Bean Ceramics, known for her joyful home decor and sculptural pieces, has quickly grown her presence both online and throughout the Chippewa Valley in recent years.

Long before Jenna Bean Ceramics came to be, Jenna learned to sew, quilt, and illustrate while spending time with her grandmother and twin sister, Jessa. It was with them that Jenna first experimented with molding and shaping polymer clay.

As the years flew by, she remained inspired by nostalgic cartoons and friends who illustrated alongside her. This growing affection – and talent – for art led Jenna to pursue an education in the arts and explore her abilities with hand-building.

Jenna graduated in May 2024 from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a bachelors degree in fine arts and concentrations in both ceramics and sculpture. Her artistic pursuits during undergraduate studies included abstract works, large-scale sculptural models, and efforts to refine her skills in ceramics.

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I CAN SEE THE VALUE IN CHOOSING TO BE THAT FUN, WHIMSICAL, AND COLORFUL LIGHT FOR PEOPLE.

JENNA SHEEN

CERAMICIST

Jenna Bean Ceramics'  "little guys," pictured above, are molded by Jenna in various hues and shapes — each with their own personality and emotions.

During her time on-campus, Jenna was witness to and part of the critique environments which many art students experience with faculty and peers. Several of her ceramics professors, early on in her undergraduate studies, often criticized "cute" and "kitschy" aesthetics when it came to classifying fine art in pottery and ceramics.

Reminiscent of the thick clay she worked with, Jenna felt as if she floundered under the weight of opinions faculty and leadership placed onto her creative pieces – those who were intended to serve as mentors.

"I had always wanted to (create my pieces) but it was never accepted within the world of academia," Jenna said. "I would never show up to a critique with any of these (ceramic pieces) — it was a much more serious environment."

"I want to provide something of meaning and sentimentality to someone's regular, day-to-day life. If I can provide someone with their new favorite mug (or) their new favorite bowl, I've done my job."

JENNA SHEEN

CERAMICIST

It was a later sculpture professor, Kelly O'Brien, who encouraged Jenna to combine her passions for creative illustrations with ceramics. This holistic approach helped Jenna move beyond her comfort zone, enabling her to craft more authentic pieces – and ultimately proved vital to the creation of Jenna Bean Ceramics.

“For a long time I thought that if you made silly stuff then it somehow discredited you (or meant) you weren't a real artist,” Jenna said. “Now, I can see the value in choosing to be that fun, whimsical, and colorful light for people.”

“The people that appreciate handmade art and handmade ceramics are my target audience and my favorite people ever,” Jenna said.

In just the past three months, she made the leap to pursue Jenna Bean Ceramics full-time, and has taken advantage of her connections within the regional ceramics community to expand her world of whimsy. The Chippewa Valley has become something of a second home to Jenna, where she glazes and fires her handmade pieces through Half Moon Clay (930 Galloway St., suite 117) in Eau Claire.

Jenna's involvement with Half Moon Clay, Eau Claire's only community clay center, began as an internship while attending UW-Stout. Whether she was sweeping floors, cleaning, or watching other ceramic educators share their talents through seasonal courses, Jenna continued to explore her curiosity in ceramics through the Banbury Place studio.

Half Moon Clay has welcomed many artisans, including Jenna, to access its resources and platform their own businesses. With the support of Whitney Stuart, owner and founder of the ceramics studio, Jenna quickly became a fixture within the space and had the opportunity to fire large quantities of her work in Eau Claire.

“I get a lot of joy out of helping other people be successful,” Whitney said.

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WHEN (JENNA) FIRST STARTED HERE, (SHE) HAD A LOT OF PROFESSORS WHO WERE TRYING TO STEER (HER) WORK IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

We did a lot of discussion about (how) art doesn't have to be pretentious to be considered art.

WHITNEY STUART

ARTIST, OWNER OF HALFMOON CLAY

Whitney has observed the new generation of Chippewa Valley artisans, like Jenna, who are redefining traditional notions of ceramics and pottery. She reflected on her own arrival to Eau Claire and how the local pottery community was quite protective regarding their processes and definitions of fine art.

Seeing many creatives emerge from or work at Half Moon Clay over the years, Whitney realized young creatives can misinterpret these messages – often internalizing those critiques; refraining from allowing their individuality to appear in their artwork, in search of acceptance in the arts space. 

“When (Jenna) first started here, (she) had a lot of professors who were trying to steer (her) work in a different direction,” Whitney said. “We did a lot of discussion about (how) art doesn't have to be pretentious to be considered art.”

Witnessing these hesitations — and artists’ struggles to confidently legitimize their work — Whitney continued her mentorship with Jenna and encouraged the young ceramicist to pursue artwork that brought personal joy and satisfaction.

“I watched Jenna get a lot more confident in her work as she kind of explored the value of creating (her) own brand and being empowered by (the idea) that ‘my brand is fun little guys that you want to be friends with,’ ” Whitney noted.

Jenna's "little guys" are best described as abstract characters in various shapes and colors, she said. They represent daily practices and qualities that consumers aspire to, but may lack the time or space for, she shared. These figures can be found engaging in activities like reading, sunbathing on a picnic blanket, or openly expressing a wide range of emotions.

Not only do the “little guys” validate the feelings and desires of their consumers, they represent the world in which Jenna hopes to build through her art.

“(The little guys) come out during the creative process to keep you company; they are the physical representations of emotions you feel while you're creating something.” Jenna said. “The root of my work is validating those feelings and having these physical representations of them to help you keep going.”

Alongside the "little guys," Jenna recently completed a 200-plus collection of mugs, bowls, hand-held sculptures, and floral-inspired spoons. Each piece is brought to life through smiling faces and colorful stitch-work iconography — an ode to her grandmother and sister, who first inspired her dreams to create.

Jenna's latest collection was recently on display at Art in the Park in Plymouth, Mich., from July 11-13. For Chippewa Valley residents who didn’t make the drive across state lines, Jenna plans to offer the rest of the collection online and at future markets — including the annual Cranberry Fest in Warrens, Wis.. Jenna also accepts commission requests for one-of-one ceramic pieces, pending her availability, through her Instagram account.

Jenna will continue to build a playful world — filled with seemingly ordinary objects that hold meaning and spark joy for their users — and her future looks bright.

“I want to provide something of meaning and sentimentality to someone's regular, day-to-day life,” Jenna said. “If I can provide someone with their new favorite mug, (or) their new favorite bowl, I've done my job.”

A Jenna Bean Ceramics artist signature, in the shape of a smiling face, pictured above.

Stay up-to-date with Jenna Bean Ceramics’ work and market announcements, online through her social media platforms (@jenna.bean.ceramics).