Jean Wells - Artist Statement
I began drawing and carving onto my pieces a few years into my career as a potter and have never stopped. Inspired by the natural world, my imagery has expanded over time to include everyday household objects and elements of popular iconography. I strive to create work that is both visually engaging and, at times, quietly playful.
My surfaces are decorated using sgraffito, or slip-carving. After a piece is thrown on the wheel and trimmed, I brush on layers of colored clay, or slip, to the surface. Once the slip reaches the right dryness, I hand draw and carve each design through the slip. After the first kiln firing, I apply a clear glaze and fire it again at over 2000 degrees to complete the piece. Function is central to my work. I create durable, high-quality stoneware intended for everyday use. My forms are smooth and straightforward, allowing the surface design to take focus. Each piece is made entirely by hand on the potter’s wheel and individually drawn and painted. I do not use molds, stencils, stamps, or decals. I feel this process brings a sense of energy and individuality to every object, giving each piece a distinct character and presence that makes it special for its future owner. All work is dishwasher and microwave safe. Photos by: Stephanie Bartz Photography 
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Jean Well Bio
Jean Smaglik Wells is a professional potter with over 30 years of experience, creating contemporary stoneware pottery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Known for her bold, graphic designs, Jean uses the age-old technique of sgraffito, hand-drawing and carving each motif through layers of colored clay so that every piece is entirely one of a kind.
Jean studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art (1985–1988), majoring in Ceramics with a minor in Portrait Painting. In 1990, she apprenticed at Geneva Art Pottery in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, with John and Claire Bailey, and established her own studio practice in the early 1990s. She sells her work through her online Etsy shop, at regional art and craft fairs, and by appointment from her home studio in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. From 2013 to 2018, Jean produced a popular series of limited-edition handmade mugs for Colectivo Coffee shops throughout Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago. In 2017 and again in 2025, the USGA commissioned her to create commemorative pieces for the U.S. Open Men’s and Women’s Championships at Erin Hills Golf Course. Jean is a longtime member and former president of Wisconsin Craft and currently serves on its board of directors. She is also a member of the Milwaukee Artists Resource Network. In 1999, she co-founded Milwaukee Empty Bowls, an organization that has raised over $1 million dollars for local food pantries and meal programs in Southeast Wisconsin. Milwaukee Empty Bowls is now run and organized by Nourish MKE. | ||
Here is a process video of how I create my pieces. This video was made for the release of the Colectivo Sugar Skull Mugs in 2013.
