We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Matthew Breunig a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Matthew, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

I really owe my decision for my career path to my folks. I was not the best academic student when in high school and I think that had my dad concerned when I was 16-17 years old. My dad was a guidance counselor for a small community college near my hometown so he had me take an aptitude test. I had always been interested in art & being creative from a young age & the test gave me a list of several jobs that I might be interested in. Jeweler (Goldsmith) immediately struck a chord in me for some reason so the career baton then was passed to my mom who always had an eye for jewelry so having a kid that was interested in jewelry making was just the excuse she needed in order to have a valid reason to visit local jewelers! We then visited two independently owned stores in nearby Nebraska towns where the owner was not only the sales person but also the craftsman. I really appreciate the time those guys took to tell a teenage kid some of the “in’s & outs” of the business. Step two was to research where a guy could learn to be a jeweler. This was in the early 90’s so Googling “how to be a jeweler” was not an option. My dad found two schools within a day’s drive of my hometown so we embarked on a road trip the summer between my junior & senior year where we visited a school in Illinois & the Texas Institute of jewelry Technology in Paris TX which is where I ended up going. I love telling new clients that I studied how to be a Goldsmith in Paris. This comment is often met with “Oh wow!” to which I reply Paris Texas! Then we all laugh & they buy jewelry!

I feel very fortunate to have parents that supported my decision to do something creative & am not afraid to admit that without them to help me research a somewhat narrow field of study I would not have chosen that path.

Matthew, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Upon graduating high school in Hastings, NE, I attended the Texas Institute of Jewelry and Technology in Paris, TX. This is where I received my Goldsmith and Gemologist Degrees. After working as an in-house jeweler for over 20 years I decided to start my own business. In 2012 my wife and I started exhibiting my jewelry at art shows around the country. I mainly exhibit Sterling Silver pieces with some Gold thrown in for extra flair.

I am influenced heavily by the music I listens to in my studio, as well as custom ideas from people I meet at art shows. Lately I have been working with casting found objects, insects and other small biologics. All of my jewelry is either made through lost wax or lost object casting, with centrifugal caster, or it is hand fabricated. I upcycle gemstones as well as metal and takes pride creating quality custom items while maintaining a very low overhead.

I can repair Platinum, Gold, Sterling Silver, Copper, and Brass jewelry. I also size all of the rings that I sell free of charge. Moving to Indiana in 2013 and becoming involved in the Fort Wayne art scene has brought lots of new opportunities and an exciting future with many more years of making beautiful jewelry.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

In 2009 I was working for a corporate jewelry chain that fired all the jewelers right after Christmas in January 2010. That was the unexpected push I needed in order to start my own Etsy shop which eventually led me first to art shows, and then my own website. At the time it seemed like the worst thing that could happen to my family, but in hindsight the experience taught me to be resilient and to adapt quickly.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Not everyone honors a handshake. It’s best to put everything in writing, especially when delivering a quote for a custom project. When it comes down to money I have to remember that I am running a business, not just creating jewelry for my friends and family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jewelrybymattb
• Instagram: instagram.com/jewelrybymattb
• Facebook: facebook.com/jewelrybymattb
• Twitter: twitter.com/jewelrybymattb
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWD5nIvCV_93aMutpcnQ1FA
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jewelry-by-matt-breunig-ossian

Image Credits
All photos taken by my wife: Tyler Breunig