Katie Leute

Katie Leute is a fine art jeweler and designer whose work explores the intersection of natural form, material history, and personal narrative. She earned her BFA from Eastern Washington University and has continued her formal training through intensive study at New Approach School for Jewelers, Pratt Fine Arts Center, and Tacoma Metal Arts.

Working primarily in silver and gold, Katie creates one-of-a-kind pieces that highlight the inherent character of natural gemstones, often embracing inclusions and irregularities as markers of origin and transformation. Her process blends traditional metalsmithing techniques with intuitive design, allowing each composition to emerge through an evolving dialogue between material and maker.

“I choose materials that come from the earth—real gemstones, fossils, silver and gold—because they are simultaneously vulnerable and enduring. Gold yields. Silver darkens. Stone marks and shifts. They carry the imprint of time without losing themselves, and often can be reworked anew over and over again. We often define value as permanence—unchanging surfaces, untouched by use; plastic, steel, synthetic materials meant to be frozen in time.

But I’m more interested in materials that form a relationship, absorb contact, and gather history, and hope my jewelry can capture this feeling for the wearer.”