Meet Jess Beamer | Silversmith & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jess Beamer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jess, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I was very young, my grandmother told me that I could be anything I wanted to be. That really resonated with me as a child, and even now as an adult. I purposefully chose not to pursue veterinary school, another dream of mine, because I knew someday I’d want to own my own business and not have to be solely tied to one career. I am still building the dream life, but choosing to start my own business doing what I love has given me a good head start down that path.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

It all started in high school when I chose to take a jewelry class elective rather than the popular ceramics class. I remember being so enamored with the processes and magic that we created in that little school room in the last hour of the day. Our teacher challenged us creatively, and I remember him asking us to make a hollow piece, whatever we wanted to make. I wanted to make a star, and he said that nobody had ever made a hollow star successfully in his class. I’m stubborn, so of course I took that challenge. I made a hollow star pendant that my mom still has to this day!

I went on to be an equine veterinary technician, a job I’ve cherished for almost 20 years. However, being a creative, your brain constantly churns with ideas and thoughts about what you can do with your hands when you’re done working your day job. I started crafting necklaces and bracelets from beads and selling those. Although this filled my cup for some time, the real dream had always been to get back in to silversmithing. I started with $1000 I received for Christmas one year and just went for it.

I am a girl who likes to be outdoors and get my hands dirty, so I love to craft pieces that can be worn day and night without having to think about getting something dirty or scratched. My goal is to have a balance between practical jewelry that can be worn around the clock and bigger statement pieces for those rare occasions that we get to escape life and feel fancy for a few hours.

I have created a lot of wedding jewelry in the past several years, and I love to make pieces that couples will treasure for years to come and remind them of their special day. I have big plans for wedding jewelry in the future, and am excited to get that program up and running this year, so stay tuned for more on that.

I pride myself on learning new skills and teaching myself when I’m not sure how to fabricate this design that I’ve had swirling around in my head. It takes a whole lot of patience, but the reward is always worth it in the end.

Building a dream isn’t very easy in my opinion. If it was, everybody would do it. It hasn’t been easy, and I still have a very long way to go so that I can truly live the life I’ve always dreamed of. However, I haven’t gotten to where I’m at in life by taking the easy route either. I believe that everything in life comes from a place of hard work and dedication. Sleepless nights, research, research, research, and literal blood, sweat, and tears. The challenges I’ve faced have been overcome by having faith that I will get there. I feel that I was put on this earth with a purpose and God has a way of putting things in our path that He knows with confidence we can achieve. I’m here for the ride.

I’ve learned what to do, but more importantly, what not to do. I’ve made plenty of mistakes in how I handle customer interactions. I’ve learned that I’m just one person, and taking on too much at once causes heartache all the way around. However, I’ve learned that if you want it bad enough you can make anything happen.

I hope that people get to know me through my brand and what I stand for. My goal is for everybody to find something they love in my creations. Whether it’s the stones, the silver, the stories, the process, or all of those things. I want to be able to share my talent and happiness with the world. I hope that they see that jewelry can be worn for every occasion whether it’s a sweat pants date night on the couch or working cows on the wide open range. My ranching family is rooted deep in my soul along with my Native American ancestry, and I hope that each piece I create brings a touch of each of these heritages to light.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I’m a Colorado native, so there is an extensive list of favorite spots for me. If we had plenty of time on our agenda I’d start by road tripping to the Western slope, where I was born, and some of my family still resides. The sleepy little town of Ouray is my favorite place in the state. We could hike Ouray Perimeter Trail or drive the beautiful mountain peaks to Silverton. It still snows there in July, so we’d likely head to the Golden Block Brewery before driving back to Ouray. In Ouray, after shopping in the small street shops, we’d enjoy the view from the roof top bar of the Ouray Brewing for a juicy burger and fries. From there, we can’t leave the western slope without unwinding in one of the many hot springs that we get to enjoy in Colorado. Orvis Hot Springs in Ridgway are my favorite to soak the day away in.

I live on the plains of Northern Colorado, so on our way home we’d likely stop in Glenwood Springs for the best tacos in the nation at Slope and Hatch. This would fuel us for an evening at Red Rocks watching a Texas country band take the stage. We know we will be hungry after the concert, so we’d likely hit up Beau Jo’s pizza in Idaho Springs, a Colorado favorite on our way. If we aren’t able to see a concert, the next best activity in my opinion is catching a Colorado Avalanche game in Denver. Being a hockey player myself, I love to spend time rooting on the Avs while they are at home.

Once the excitement of Denver has worn off, and it doesn’t take long for this now small town girl, we’d head North to the farm town of Eaton where I live. There’s not much to do in our town for a visitor, so we’d want to adventure into Ft. Collins for a day or two. Before we leave, Eaton we’d stop for breakfast at Coffeehouse 29 (a local non-profit helping people escape from sex trafficking). From there we’d head West to Ft. Collins. We’d stop on our way for coffee from The Human Bean, my favorite coffee shop of all times. The drinks are amazing, but the ultra friendly staff makes the experience great every time! If the weather is nice we’d likely take out the paddleboards on to Horsetooth Reservoir or some of the Windsor lakes on the way. We’d paddle around and watch the wildlife with the dogs in tow is the perfect way to spend the day.

If we aren’t going to paddleboard, instead we’d head to Ft Collins for a day of shopping and walking the streets checking out all of the cool breweries and stores. Cozy Cottage is necessary for some new home decor. CC’s flower truck has to be on the list so that we can take home a handpicked bouquet made from their flower bar. Tater tots are likely in order at the Blind Pig Pub, or a french dip from Ginger and Baker.

Once back in Eaton we might pass the time having a bonfire in the backyard, or walking to the lovely little brewery in town, Sheaf and Kettle. We’d probably order pizza from Pizza Plus in Ault or burgers from the old school burger joint in town, Steve’s Grill. Ice cream from A and W for a midnight snack of course.

Overall, spending time outdoors, enjoying the beautiful state of Colorado, supporting local small business, and getting the dogs out and about is the best way to pass the time. Enjoying this life we’ve been given and soaking up the small moments that make it great.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my family first and foremost for always supporting my dreams, no matter how big or small. They have never tried to hold me back or tell me I couldn’t do something. In fact, they push me to strive for more and achieve as much greatness in my life as possible. I’d also like to give a shoutout to anybody who has ever supported my small business. Everything from as big as making a purchase,to liking a social media post. I see each and every gesture, and this is what drives me to continue to pursue this dream. Knowing that I’ve made something that can be passed down to other generations, or a simple necklace I see people sporting in their daily lives brings me the most joy. I couldn’t have gotten to where I’m at without the whole hearted support I’ve been shown since this journey began.

Website: https://charcoalandlace.com

Instagram: @thecharcoalandlace

Facebook: @charcoalandlace

Other: Pinterest: @charcoalandlace

Image Credits
Rainbow Fish Designs