Avery Oatman

"I love making jewelry that celebrates earth's elements with joyful metallic fringe and stones that highlight the landscapes of the American West."

Avery's collections are inspired by the bold shapes and colors of Colorado’s canyon walls and river beds. Raw yet refined, the signature elements of her work include responsibly sourced hand-cut stones and metal fringe that allows for joyful movement. The roots of her craft grew from the childhood experience of discovering a treasured rock, holding it in your palm, and becoming captivated by its unique beauty. As you wear your Avery Lee designs, she hopes they evoke the same sense of wonder in you.

Avery uses ancient metalsmithing techniques like lost wax casting, fabrication, and stone setting. In 2018 she fell in love with Lapidary, the art of cutting stones, and has continued to cut many of the stones she uses in her designs in her own studio in Longmont, Colorado.

Avery received her BA in Fine Art and Dance at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA. After college Avery started her metalsmithing training back home in Colorado at Front Range Community College in 2016. She continued to take workshops and classes at the local Metalsmithing Association, where she learned Lapidary with John Heusler. In 2021 Avery took a stone setting class at the New Approach School with Blaine Lewis and, in 2022, a wax carving course with Kate Wolf.