Jen Lesea-Ames, owner of Louisville, CO-based Jen Lesea Designs and Silver Peak Studio Jewelry School, is working to create new handcrafted jewelry collections for those women who lost their personal jewelry in the Marshall Fire on December 30, 2021.
“I was on a plane when the Marshall Fire started. When I landed, I had 20 texts and voicemails, only to discover my studio/school was evacuated and my assistant was pre-evacuating my apartment. At that moment, I realized I may be coming home to nothing. It was a crushing feeling I wouldn’t wish on anyone,” Jen recalls. The winds shifted and both her studio and apartment were spared, but for almost 1100 families in Superior, Louisville, and unincorportated Boulder County, they were not as lucky.
A Boulder County resident for over 25 years, in the coming days and weeks after the Marshall Fire, Jen learned of friends, colleagues, and her students who lost everything in the Marshall Fire. In addition to standard donation efforts, she wanted to do more. After donating clothes for a fire victim who her Pilates Instructor knows, Jen had the idea to use her gemstone beads and sterling silver supplies to create new jewelry for Marshall Fire victims. She also received donations of beads from local jewelry designers, Dana Birke of Dana Birke Designs and Karen Edgerly of Karen Edge Studio. “Jewelry is not an essential item for living, but jewelry can be deeply personal. It may hold a connection to someone special, a treasured memory, or at the very least, helps a woman feel empowered and beautiful,” Jen explains. “We want to be able to give some beauty back into their lives.”
Being an owner of two businesses, Jen realized she needed help making the jewelry. She called upon a small group of her local friends to help her make necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. “We get together, with all the gemstone beads laid out; everyone gets to be in charge of their design, and if asked, my assistant and I give our input on design. Once they string the beads, I finish the piece by securing the clasp or ear wire. The great thing is no experience is required, and my friends get to dabble in being creative with jewelry making and knowing they are helping their community,” states Jen.
Once she has a body of work created, Jen will reach out to her community so that women can shop the jewelry for free through a private showing (location TBD). Jen is requesting ID must be presented to prove residence was damaged or destroyed. Since beaded jewelry is not part of the Jen Lesea Designs jewelry line, any work that is not selected by May 1 will be sold at the Boulder Farmer’s Market, with 100% of the profits to be donated to the Boulder County Wildfire Fund (managed by the Community Foundation of Boulder County).
Founded in 2009, Jen Lesea Designs is a woman-owned jewelry brand that is focused on quality, sustainability, made in the U.S.A., and giving back. Inspired by the elements of nature (earth, fire, water, air and ore), her items are thoughtfully hand-created in Louisville, Colorado. She is committed to using refined metals and other recycled materials whenever possible. Silver Peak Studio, the studio home of Jen Lesea Designs, offers one-day metalsmithing jewelry workshops in a small group setting, which allows for an ideal learning experience. Classes are held on the evenings and weekends.
###
For more information about this topic, please contact Jen Lesea-Ames by calling 303.669.5338 or e-mail Jen at Jennifer@jenleseadesigns.com
