Acclaimed to have “changed the game” for concrete artists, Jake Brady is not one to shy away from sharing his passion and life story with interested guests. Originally from Nova Scotia, Jake now finds solace nestled away in his own wooded property with his wife and 2 dogs. Upon acquiring their dream location, the existing shell of his “workshop” consisted of nothing more than a single hung light bulb and lone outlet. Jake’s determination and seemingly endless range of skill allowed him to grow his concrete emporium into what it is today: a unique hub for creativity and invention.
Todd and I had the privilege of joining Jake for a morning and receiving a glimpse into his world. Just a short drive from our own office, Jake’s “neck of the woods” feels like we’ve entered another state. His driveway is undeniably distinguished by his custom concrete sculpture depicting the street number. The entryway is scattered with oversized concrete planters, pieces used to test new ideas and techniques, and in the distance propped against a shipping container rests geometric origami-like concrete hand-casted remnants from the custom façade of a luxury store in Miami’s design district.
We were greeted with a gold platter of French pastries and coffee, balanced on juxtaposing scrap material spanning a steel work bench. Jake reminisced about his fond memories of running a bakery with his family back when he was younger, and how the precise measurement of chemicals and compounds used in his concrete creations today constantly bring him back to the same precision necessary to bake delectable treats; a taste of how his mind works to tie together connections between all of his life’s experiences.
Jake gave us a tour of some of his current projects, explaining in detail his process form start to finish of concept, trying out various materials and techniques, creating custom fabricated molds, and testing his pieces to their breaking point. With pride profusely evident in his voice, he boasts of his trademark slogan “Harder. Thicker. Longer.” (because, if we aren’t finding joy in the simplest parts of our jobs, we’re doing something wrong). The result of his years-long research and trial-and-error has resulted in an almost entirely “new” standard of concrete combined with fiberglass, which allows his custom pieces to span longer lengths without requiring seams, with tensile strength strong enough to withstand the hurdles of transporting large-scale pieces.