Our Story

Where Art, Science & Pollinators Meet

Hi! I'm Jen Rose, founder of Bee Cups and ecological artist. What started as a curious observation during the 2020 lockdown has grown into a global movement to save pollinators—one teaspoon of water at a time.

How It All Began

It was the spring of 2018 and I was packing up a semester of teaching. The final project for my ceramics students was an installation of colored porcelain that was to be placed in a specific spot on the Richland Campus. I dutifully demonstrated how to create a range of colors using ceramic pigments and porcelain. Then, I took my 300 porcelain pieces home and put them in my yard.

For the next 18 months these porcelain spikes lined the earth by my mailbox. I noticed that when I watered, insects would come over to check them out. It took me a while to catch on, but I realized they were drinking the water that collected on the tops of the spikes.

In 2020 I decided to improve on the design. I experimented with the size of the cup on top. Too large and the bees would drown, too small and the water evaporates too fast. One teaspoon of water was just the right size—enough to let bees drink, but it evaporated by the end of the day so mosquitoes wouldn't be a problem. I found out bees have toes so I added grippy texture. It was kind of like adding a bathmat for the bees.

The Bee Cup was born… and people seemed to like them! I sold them through Facebook and was surprised how quickly orders came in.

The Bee Vision Innovation

The more I learned about pollinators, the more fascinated I became—especially with bees. When I discovered that bees can see ultraviolet light, I knew I had to push the science further.

Using my technical background in ceramics, I engineered our signature Bee Vision™ glaze that reflects UV wavelengths invisible to human eyes but visible to bees. Just as bees use ultraviolet patterns to find flowers and navigate back to their hives, our Bee Vision glaze makes gardens even more inviting for pollinators—it's like a neon "WATER HERE" sign that only they can see!

From Garage to Global Impact

What began as a solo venture in my garage has grown into something extraordinary. Today, I'm proud to employ a talented team of artists who handcraft Bee Cups watering stations, nesting tubes for native bees, and electrolyte tablets for bird baths.

Our studio is proudly:

  • Zero-waste – Every broken or imperfect piece gets crushed and upcycled
  • Plastic-free – From production to packaging, we've eliminated plastics entirely
  • People-first – We're committed to mentoring young people studying art, environmental science, and entrepreneurship

Our Planet-First Commitment

We didn't stop at making plastic-free products. We revolutionized our packaging too! After extensive research and development, we created 100% biodegradable, compostable packaging that's as beautiful as it is sustainable. Every box that arrives at your door will eventually return to the earth, leaving zero waste behind.

The Impact We're Making Together

Every Bee Cup placed in a garden becomes a life-saving hydration station for pollinators. But the impact goes far beyond individual bees:

  • Healthier Gardens – Hydrated pollinators mean better pollination, leading to more abundant flowers, fruits, and vegetables
  • Ecosystem Support – We're helping reverse pollinator population decline by providing safe water sources free from pesticides and microplastics
  • Global Awareness – Our community spans continents, raising awareness about pollinator conservation one garden at a time
  • Zero Plastic Impact – Every Bee Cup sold is one less plastic water source contaminating gardens and harming wildlife

Our Mission

Bee Cups uses art, science, and design to promote environmental sustainability and pollinator awareness by creating handmade objects that are both beautiful and environmentally significant.

Our Values

As a women-owned small business, we're committed to living our mission every single day. We maintain a zero-plastics policy and use innovative production techniques to close the waste cycle.

Our commitment to solidarity with all people and animals requires that we acknowledge the impacts of climate change affect each of us differently based on our varying identities. We're dedicated to creating positive change through sustainable practices and education.

Join Our Community

We're so glad you found us! Together, we can support pollinator populations with beautiful, handcrafted products that make a real difference.

From my garden to yours,

Jen Rose
Founder & Ecological Artist

P.S. By the way, I still make art for humans too! If you want to see my other ceramic work, visit https://www.jenroseart.com/