Jen Lesea Designs Jewelry

Jen has always taken the road less traveled, a non-conformist of sorts. Through many twists and turns, she returned home to her inner creative. As a little girl Jen collected rocks, minerals, and seashells along the shores of the Bay Area in northern California. In school she excelled in science. With a formal education in Exercise Physiology, Jen took a detour from stone collecting and art and worked full time as a Personal Fitness Trainer and Triathlon Coach for 18 years. It wasn't until November 2009 when she was inspired to pull some dusty gemstone beads out of the drawer and do something completely unrelated to work: she taught herself basic stringing and started making jewelry. At that moment, she reconnected with a part of herself that had been dormant for many years. Wanting more of a challenge, she studied metalsmithing at the Denver School of Jewelry Arts and fell in love with fusing sterling silver, which enables her to create one-of-a-kind textures. In 2014 Jen found herself at a crossroads with her career when she was diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia and labral tears. After two hip preservation (PAO) surgeries, she decided to retire from her fitness career and go full-time with her jewelry business. She thinks about her story every time she sits down at her jeweler's bench to create a new design. The result is by blending unique metal textures with recycled sterling silver and ethically-sourced gemstones; she creates jewelry that has its own unique story and inspiration.