Jake Brunner is a nomad of the Millennials. He’s been a carpenter in Colorado, a waiter in Fire Island, a jeweler in Washington, and a son to a beautiful woman in Houston, Texas. He is an artist, both with the pencil and with the guitar, and a designer of tattoos, including his own and mine. He always had dreams of creating something to share with the world. His heart never stopped moving toward those dreams, and neither did his feet: All the way north to Colorado and down to the Virgin Islands, with a quick stop in New York to play in the sand. Every step of the way, plans changed from jewel hunting in Brazil to plane tickets bought by rich strangers in coffee shops. Every moment in Jake Brunner’s life is a brand new opportunity.

Recently, he has found his calling in jewelry making. Jake and his friend, Brandon Robbins, have opened a new shop, Leaf and Badger, through which they share their talents with the world. I decided to check in on Jake to hear some stories, old and new, and find out what’s in store for his ever-changing future.

When you were a little kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

"I think I'm still a little kid to be honest, however, all through school I wanted to work for Pixar. To have a good animation requires the understanding of movement and general life, which I'm really into. I studied 3D Animation for four years, and worked in a studio for two years before I decided I didn't belong at a desk anymore. I wanted to animate my own life."

Definition of Animation: the state of being full of life or vigor; liveliness.
Definition of Alive: alert and active; animated.

What’s the best job you’ve ever had and why?

"That is such a hard question, I've had so many different jobs. What I'm doing right now is definitely the top. In the past, the most rewarding job I've ever had was building a three-barn horse stable for a professional barrel racer. We worked on their dusty ranch, out in Galisteo, New Mexico. Built the thing up from the foundation, the sun was relentless, and the horses watched us work every day. It felt like the horses knew what we were up to. It took us three months, but by the end of the project, I felt so healthy and satisfied. The horses were happy too."

Who has inspired you along the way?

"While in the Virgin Islands, I met a friend name Cody McLain; he really helped me out down there. He taught me the in’s and out’s of silversmithing and let me practice with his metals from time to time. That was probably the spark the got me started in all this.
Along the way, my mom. She wants a picture of every single thing I make. At the times where I'm not sure what I'm doing and I'm freaking out, she seems to be sure that I'll be just fine.

As far as inspiration for my actual work, artists like Andy Cooperman and Hannah Sindorf really inspired me to start building my studio. I've never met with either of them, but I admire their work."

What lessons has your nomadic life taught you?

"Don't take Schist for Granite, (geology joke <_>) life will give you everything and take it away in the same instant. Be great full for everything, from your light bulbs, to your own breath. Life is a gift, use it well!"

How would you define home?

"Home, what a magical concept. I've been searching for the answer to that question for many years. However, I can say I know what isn't my home. My home is not where my possessions are, It's not where my family is, and it's not where I am right now. To my best knowledge - home is where you feel most comfortable, where your heart tells you to go. Home is inside you."

How did you meet Brandon?

"I met Brandon at a coffee shop in Austin, Texas actually. We were conversing about giant bones, rocks, and painting with coffee. I ended up inviting him to an art show I was putting on at my house, which he eventually moved into. After being roommates for quite some time, we realized our visions of life were pretty parallel. Living in Austin was tough for us both, though. We didn't make a lot of money, and Austin was getting weird. So we hit the road in search of work and a new life. After many years, we are still hanging out and pushing the limits of what we think we are capable of. Good friends are hard to come-by, you know. I think its great."

When did you decide you wanted to make jewelry for a living?

"It’s a funny thing, I was having a conversation with the Bar Manager at a Restaurant in the US Virgin Islands. He told me he used to make jewelry before he moved to the island. He showed me his work, along with various other projects he was working on, and I asked the guy the first thing that came to mind, "What made you move to the VI and open a Liquor company, out of all your other projects?"

He told me he’s always had too many projects going on to ever finish anything, and one day he decided to stick with one. That one for him, was booze.

I took his simple advice, and decided to stick with jewelry! I compiled a battle plan, began saving my paychecks, stockpiling tools I didn't know how to use, and watching video after video on YouTube. By the time I Moved back to Texas, four months later, I had everything I needed to begin. From ball peen hammers to Turkish techniques, I was ready."

What is the most rewarding part of making jewelry?

"Without a doubt, the most rewarding part of the process is the last part. Giving someone a piece of art that will never go away. It’s something that the person looks at throughout the day, and wears it in their image. Picking out a piece of jewelry is a hard choice for a lot of people, so seeing the client smiling when they put it on really takes the cake."

Tell me an interesting story behind one of your pieces.

" One of the early pieces of jewelry I made came along with one of the weirder experiences I've had. Brandon and I were living atop the Sangre De Cristo Mountain range in New Mexico at the time. I was on a mission to find a gift for this girl I really liked, but I had no money and I lived in the woods. I decided to make something for her, but I had no idea what to make. I walked and walked for about six hours through the woods, searching for my answer. I was exhausted and about to give up. I then closed my eyes and leaned against a big Aspen tree. I can’t really give you much of explanation on this, but I heard in my head, "its in the eyes.” It felt like I was sitting under a talking tree. I immediately opened my eyes, and across from me was another big Aspen tree. Now I don't know if you've ever seen an Aspen tree, but they have what looks like eyes all over their trunks. I looked around and found a dead limb, used my knife to cut out one of the eyes, and after a few hours of carving, I had a perfect little ring. I used tree sap as an adhesive to set a little gemstone in the center, and viola. She loved the ring, but I gave all credit to the tree."

What’s your dream? What do you ultimately hope to accomplish?

"One day, I’d really like to make something that impacts the world in a big way. Brandon and I both have a lot of curiosity when it comes to water. For me, I’d really like to figure out a better way of desalinating salt water. After living on multiple Islands I have realized the importance of drinking water, and how hard it is to get when you’re surrounded by salt. That is just one dream though; I have plenty of them. For now I'm going to start with jewelry, and see where it takes me."