Jakeheckman.art
Jake lives in the Horseshoe Hills just northwest of Bozeman, Montana. Born and raised in the Rocky Mountains he acquired an immense appreciation for the wonder, beauty, and intricate detail of nature.
Jake's first exposure to welding came as a young man working for his father doing irrigation repair near the West Gallatin River. His interest and skill level grew under his fathers tutelage and by high school Jake was a well rounded welder/fabricator with a wide array of shop and field skills. Hoping to avoid college, debt, and desk sores Jake pursued his love of welding and attended the Ocean Corporation, a commercial dive school in Houston,TX.
After graduation he went to work for Cal Dive International at the age of 19. Jake advanced from Betty, Tender, Lead Tender, Surface Diver, and finally to Saturation Diver all within 3 years, and at age 22 was the youngest Saturation Diver in the world. During his nearly 14 year career as a professional underwater welder he logged almost 4 years of his life under pressure and made dives as deep as 785ft. Diving gave Jake a deep respect of physics, sea life, underwater oilfield construction, and the forces of nature that go with it. Meeting and working with some of the most intelligent, hard working, and interesting people in the world was a blessing.
Building off-shore oil rigs and living everyday surrounded by the beauty and fragility of the worlds oceans prompted Jake to make a change in his life and career. He decided it was time to pursue his art while living as simply as possible, in nature, and completely off-grid. Living and working off grid Jake uses solar energy and by utilizing 5KW of solar panels, most welding, grinding, and cutting applications are only a sunny day away. He is currently building a wood gasifier and is always working toward his goal of total energy independence.
Jake's passion for nature and steel are combined and expressed through his art. Inspiration can strike while gathering morels, wild onions, or huckleberries; trying his luck on a local river; or just seeing the wildlife roaming the hills and valleys near his Montana home.