Bates 2009

Her Basalt studio in the late '80s and '90s produced custom one-of-a kind designs and pieces for private and corporate clients, including the Subaru Aspen World Cup Skiing Trophies, City of Aspen Service Awards, Aspen Volunteer Fireman Awards, Aspen Valley Hospital Awards, Gentlemen of Aspen buckles, The Little Nell Hotel, the Hotel Jerome, Aspen Valley Ski Club, and the wholesale side of all Hayes Silver & Goldsmithing production, as well as many of the items sold at the Aspen studio.

Jim, Bates, and Tamas Bates 1988

The Basalt studio was closed in 2000 in preparation for the family's move to Seattle.
"Certainly our 15 years in Basalt were very productive, but they also resulted in a high degree of burn-out. I had to go do something completely different for awhile".

Bates completed a degree in 3D digital modeling, texturing and animation at the Digipen Institute of Technology in Redmond, WA while her son Tamas Bates finished High School. She afterward worked as a Technical Artist, modeler, and texture artist in the Video Game Industry in and around Seattle WA.

Bates engraving in Aspen 2008

Jess Bates, Master Silver and Goldsmith
26 years making Hayes jewelry.

Bates is Jim's youngest daughter. She served a 6-year formal apprenticeship with him beginning in 1982. Together they have since produced the Hayes line, sharing different portions of the business at different times.

Bates worked at the Hayes Bleeker Street studio until 1988 when she was able to establish an additional workshop at her home in Basalt CO. She and her husband Steve Solomon maintained that workspace until 2000 when they moved to Seattle.

Bates and Jim at work  in Aspen 1984

During the '90s Bates also began oil painting, and enjoyed a successful creative streak in that medium. She has taught silversmithing, drawing and painting to students of all ages throughout the Roaring Fork Valley, and was active in many community roles in the Mid-Valley.
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Bates at work in the Basalt studio 1990

Bates returned to the Aspen studio part-time in winter 2006 when Jim's eyesight began to fail, and would drop in every six months to catch up the orders.

Currently she runs full operations of the Aspen studio.

Bates' personal blog and Fine Art website 
can be found here.