Christina Joy Elsen is a visual artist in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. She received her BA in Studio Art from Carleton College in 1995. Following graduation, she worked as a scenic artist in Minneapolis, MN, building and painting sets and custom interiors for a wide variety of clients, including Sesame Street Live and Disney World. She pursued painting, both professionally and personally, from 1996 to 2005

In 2002, Christina and her partner started a small organic farm in southeast Missouri. With the arrival of her first child in 2005, Christina switched her focus from painting to pottery. She sold her wares at farmers’ markets and local craft shows while she honed her skills.

In 2012, after several major life shifts, Christina settled in St. Louis, MO. In 2021, Christina emerged from her basement studio, having developed her own unique style of hand-building with clay, and began to sell her work again. For several years, Christina’s work could be found at nationally juried art shows in the St. Louis region.

In 2025, Christina relocated to Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. She is soon to be opening C Joy Art Works, a studio storefront in the Little Bohemia neighborhood of downtown Ste. Genevieve.