Meet Jill Lee of FLORA + LEE in Arvada

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jill Lee.

Jill, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m happiest in the garden or playing with flowers. I love digging in the dirt, planting seeds and plants and then watching them sprout and grow. I love examining each plant and flower to see how they are formed and thrive.

I wanted to find a way to preserve the shape and color of fresh flowers. I started researching and found that I could use silica gel to preserve flowers. Silica gel is a porous, sand-like material that absorbs and holds moisture. I carefully pour the silica gel around and over each bloom, completely encapsulating it. Depending on the size and moisture content of the flower, it will remain in the silica gel anywhere from two to three days (for small flowers like daisies) or one to two weeks (for large flowers like ranunculus and roses).

Once completely dry, the flowers are removed from the silica gel and cast in epoxy resin. I pour numerous thin layers of resin over the flowers until the mold is full or the appropriate depth is reached. Although most resin will fully cure in about 72 hours, I prefer for each piece to cure for at least seven days to ensure it is rock solid. My goal is to create pieces of art that look like fresh flowers that can be cherished for years to come!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my best challenges is finding enough time to work on my art. I’m also a full-time Paralegal and mom to 5-year-old twin girls, so there isn’t much time left in the day for creative work. I try to carve out three to four hours each night after my girls go to sleep. My hope and dream is to one day work on FLORA + LEE full time.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
FLORA + LEE creates custom keepsakes out of real dried flowers and epoxy resin. I specialize in wedding flower preservation, but I also create memorial pieces and general art pieces. I love creating a piece of art out of flowers from someone’s BIG day that they can enjoy for the rest of their life. Being a part of this memory-making is very meaningful and special to me!

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I’m a Colorado native but I spent each summer break on my grandparents’ farm in Western Kansas. I have fond memories of running around the farm with my siblings and cousins playing with kittens, calves, chickens and piglets.