Meet Jen Lesea

Hi, I'm Jen. I'm so glad you're here.

Headshot Jen Lesea Designs

I am a jewelry designer, metalsmith, jewelry instructor, and gallery owner based in Lafayette, Colorado. Lafayette is a cute artsy town 20 miles north of Denver and 10 miles east of Boulder.

I love stories. I love hearing them and how they make me feel. I love telling them because I love to see the reactions of those hearing my stories. I got that trait from my father, who got VERY animated telling stories. He was a fantastic storyteller, and anyone who knew him remembers this about him.

So, I guess you can say I've always been a people-person and storyteller. Its in my DNA.

Jewelry is one of the best ways to connect you to your favorite stories, whether that is about your favorite place or your favorite person.

My "why" is to create jewelry which connects you to the places and people you love, so that you can hold your favorite stories close to you, wherever you may be.

My Story

I have always taken the road less traveled, a non-conformist of sorts. Through many twists and turns, I returned home to my inner creative.

As a little girl, I collected rocks, minerals, and seashells along the shores of the Bay Area in northern California. In school I excelled in science. With a formal education in Exercise Physiology, I took a detour from stone collecting and art and has a successful career as a Personal Fitness Trainer and Triathlon Coach for 18 years. It wasn’t until November 2009 when I was inspired to pull some dusty gemstone beads out of the drawer and do something completely unrelated to work: I taught myself basic stringing and started making jewelry.

At that moment, I reconnected with a part of myself that had been dormant for many years. Wanting more of a challenge, I studied metalsmithing at the Denver School of Jewelry Arts from 2012-2016, and I fell in love with fusing sterling silver, which enables me to create one-of-a-kind textures. In 2014, I found myself at a crossroads with my career when I was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia and labral tears.  After two hip preservation (PAO) surgeries, I decided to retire from my fitness career and go full-time with my jewelry business.

Since then, I have done hundreds of art shows, sold my work to over 60 retail partners across the country, studied at GIA (Gemological Institute of America) to become an Accredited Jewelry Professional, and most recently: opened my jewelry school and store, Silver Peak Studio and Gallery, in Old Town Lafayette.

Whether you are looking for an in-stock piece that connects you to your happy place or wanting a custom piece of jewelry, I encourage you to reach out to me via email or stop by my store. I look forward to hearing from you!