Meet the Maker: Joanna Morgan Design

We continue our Meet the Maker series with a feature on one of our favorite jewelry artists in the city. Joanna Morgan creates timeless and beautiful pieces in her studio in Pioneer Square. We sat down with her to learn more about her craft and what it takes to make her wearable art.

When did you start making jewelry and why?

I feel I have always been creative, but I started making jewelry about 10 years ago. At the time I was living in New York and still had a full-time job. I would see things in stores that I liked but that I wanted to make changes to - since I was in New York I could go to the fashion district, pick up materials, and make what I wanted myself. It was a bit crazy. I would work my job all day, then create the jewelry pieces at night and bring them back into work the next morning to sell to my friends.

Then about nine years ago my husband and I moved to Seattle; six years ago I decided to work on my jewelry full time, and three years later I opened this studio. Since then I've started to become more interested in metal work and have become entrenched now in working with it. 

What is your favorite thing to create? 

Silver is my favorite metal to work in right now. It’s so versatile.

When creating jewelry I rarely make anything that is meant solely for special occasions. My jewelry won’t just sit in your jewelry box. It is meant to be worn every day, from work to drinks. You can dress it up or dress it down. It doesn't fit a certain season or age. It becomes a part of your life. It has longevity. 

When my clients reach for their jewelry every morning they can feel comfort they have this piece. It might remind them of a special moment or a period of time. I feel privileged my jewelry can be that for people.

What inspires you and your creations?

I love museums. Any time I’m feeling depleted I go to museums or look at art books or beautiful websites. I am inspired by modern art, but I also love Roman and Greek history. I think whatever we create now is in some way a repetition of that time period. 

My husband also jokes I make jewelry for myself. Everything I create needs to be something I would add to my own wardrobe. 

Bridget rings

What is your favorite (current) piece that you’ve created?

I have stages where I create a certain piece and then wear it ad nauseum. Right now my favorite pieces are my Bridget rings in silver and gold. I also wear this silver Kali cuff every day. 

How long does creating a piece take?

If I’m being honest I would have to say 50 years, which is about how old I am. When you create something you pour your life experiences into it. I may create something in one day, but it really took more than the actual hours I spent on it. 

When I work on a new design, in addition to making it aesthetically pleasing, I also make sure that it is functional. It is extremely important to me that my designs are easy to wear. I try the pieces on, walk around in them, make adjustments – to the length of necklaces, weight of earrings, thickness of rings. I have to love it and want it first, and I want to make sure that a person who chooses to purchase my jewelry is not only satisfied with how pleasing to the eye it is, but also feels good wearing it.  As you see, making a new design is a process.

What is your process?

I fill countless Moleskine notebooks with sketches. The inspiration can come anytime and anywhere so I doodle a lot. I try to do something creative every day. I think it brings ideas to fiddle about in the studio, even when I’m not working on anything particular.

Largely I am self-taught, but I also took some classes to learn the foundations of jewelry making. I think you need to learn the rules first, so you can break them.  

How can people find you?

The best way to find me is my website, Joannamorgandesigns.com. It also shows you all the events I take part in (like the Pioneer Square Art Walk and Second Saturdays open studio events at the Tashiro Kaplan Building), where to find my studio, and how to contact me for special requests. 

Who inspires you?

My idols in the design world are probably Michelle Oka Donar, Patricia Von Musulin, and the Scandinavian designer, Torun. 

I'm also surrounded by creative and talented people in my studio building. It's hard not to let them inspire you.  

Joanna and her dog, Mandy!

Thanks, Joanna! Know an amazing maker who should be featured? Email us at rainorshineguides@gmail.com.

Seattle Brewery Tour: Capitol Hill

By now you probably know we are working our way around the city to taste all that our local breweries have to offer. Here are the results from our trek around Capitol Hill. 

Optimism Brewing 

Quote by the bar at Optimism Brewing

Optimism is an intriguing new addition to Capitol Hill breweries. This open beer hall is the creation of a Microsoft/tech power couple who were tired of software. Naturally, they decided the next step in their lives would be to open a humble, 16,000 sq ft. brewery in one of Seattle's hottest neighborhoods. 

When you walk into Optimism you feel the openness of the massive space, their brewing operation is front and center and they have communal seating. The yellow paint and large windows give off a light feeling. Perfect for drinking a beer with some friends. 

Many beer enthusiasts will pause in confusion when reaching the bar to order though. Optimism's owners have been clear they want to bring beer drinking back to the "every day (wo)man." So instead of calling it a Stout, they describe and label their beers with more general names (Ex. Black: bold, coffee, nutmeg). 

They state beer is "not something that should be intimidating, pretentious or expensive. For this reason, we try to make beer approachable to everyone by describing our beers in ways that everyone can understand without beer-geek jargon."  

It's a nice thought. Not sure if it really works though.

Regardless of how they name the beers, we've found that they do indeed know how to create beer that tastes good, which is more important than anything else. Dive into a sampler and you'll agree with us.

Sampler at Optimism Brewing

In addition to the good beer, the no-cash checkout is speedy which means you'll never wait in a long line and the food truck pod in the back brings delicious food to their door. You can also bring your own food in to enjoy with their beers. 

And can we just get on a soapbox for a minute and say that the way they've done their bathrooms is how EVERYONE should be doing bathrooms. Seems so obvious. Thank you, Optimism.

Our favorites? Amplify and Zest

Elysian Brewing Company

Night Owl Pumpkin Beer at Elysian 

Elysian. Ohhhhhh Elysian. We used to all love you without question. You made great beer. You were Seattle's pride and joy. Then you sold to Anheuser-Busch. You went corporate. And now we are all confused. 

We will try to put on our unbiased reporting hat for this review though.

Capitol Hill is Elysian Brewing's original location, which opened in 1996. For the most part, it's your classic brewpub (their food is decent). There isn't any trendy logo or minimalist design like these hot new kids on the block. It's a more traditional atmosphere with exposed timber and dark, heavy curtains hanging in the windows. 

As for the beer. It's delicious. They might have sold out, but they didn't change the recipes that have made them big enough to gain interest from the largest beer company in the world. Right now they have their famous pumpkin beers on tap, which go well with the rainy, chilly weather!

Our favorites? Space Dust and Super Fuzz

Outer Planet Brewing

A "One of Everything" sampler at Outer Planet 

Another new brewery to Capitol Hill! Outer Planet opened in 2015 and is a small operation, but it has a great vibe and some good beers. With their live music performances and huge pile of card and board games you can always bank on entertainment while you drink. 

Their taps are also fun to say, with names like The Meddling Monk and Galaxy Girl it will make you spark up a conversation with the brewery owner to find out what inspired them. 

Oh, and did we mention they just recently started serving pizza? I mean why wouldn't you go check this place out? 

Our favorites? Kumbaya Supernova IPA and Spacetrucker Brown

Standard Brewing

Photo from Instagram by @nathaniel.stott

This small brewery up on Jackson St. is wonderful. It might technically be the Central District, but we wanted to include it here because it's not too far and you gotta know about this place!

With what seems like a million breweries opening up around the city it's hard to accomplish a unique vibe. So many are starting to blend together in look and feel. We think Standard's ability to do something a little different is what drew us in. And fortunately for us they are doing a pretty good job on the beer front too. 

With 12 beers on tap you'll have plenty of options, regardless of what you like you'll find something good here. If you need help choosing a truly exceptional one though, they have two award winners from the WA Beer Awards this year, the Imperial IPA (bomb.com people) and the Brett Earl. They don't serve food but allow you to bring it with you, so hit up a food truck and head on over. 

Our favorites? Imperial IPA and West Coast IPA (We like IPA's okay?)

Rain or Shine on the Road: Moab, Utah

It's pretty obvious that we love the Pacific Northwest seeing as how we have dedicated our entire website to it. Like most people, though, we also love vacation! We are curious explorers, and we both spend a great deal of time traveling outside of the Northwest. We thought it would be fun to occasionally share our thoughts about place we have been. Up first, Moab, Utah!

Moab is a beautiful area of the U.S. known for its unique red rock formations, incredible hiking, and outdoor recreation. If you only have a few days in the area, here is what we recommend:

Delicate Arch Rock

• Hike to Delicate Arch Rock in Arches National Park. The park has a plethora of places to explore, but if you only have a small amount of time, the Delicate Arch is a (somewhat) easy hike that will take you to a very famous Moab landmark.

The Canyonlands view from Dead Horse State Park

• Drive to Dead Horse State Park to see the incredible view of the Canyonlands that rivals the Grand Canyon. If you don't have time to explore all of the Canyonlands National Park, then you can catch all the beauty from this one spot. Bonus points if you get up early and go for sunrise. Just don't forget coffee.

Hwy 128

• Drive the scenic Hwy 128 and pull over to check out the unique formations of Fisher Towers. This highway is one of the most scenic in the world and will allow you to see Moab in all its red rock glory. Many movies have been filmed in this location due to the beautiful backdrop (Thelma and Louise for starters!)

Castle Creek Winery

• Visit Castle Creek Winery. Who knew grapes could grow in the desert?!?! They do and they are delicious. The winery is located along Hwy 128, so it's an easy stop along your scenic drive. There is a movie museum located in the lodge next door that showcases all the films that have been made in the area! It's fun and free.

Morning Glory Arch

• Hike to Morning Glory Arch. Also located on Hwy 128, this is an easy hike (four miles roundtrip) and will take you to one of the longest natural bridges in the world! It's a pretty hike that will take you across a creek bed multiple times, past cactuses, and across rock slabs. If you are you lucky, you might see climbers propelling down the bridge.

• Eat a delicious breakfast at Eklecticafe. To be honest, the town of Moab is small and somewhat unimpressive, but we loved the charm of Eklecticafe. This cute, local spot has a diverse menu and wonderful coffee. It's decorated with neat knickknacks and garden art.

• Grab a burger and shake at Milt's Stop and Eat. This place is a local favorite and the oldest restaurant in Moab. It's a great deal and all of the meat is grass-fed and hormone-free. Eat on the patio and enjoy the Moab air.

Seattle's Best Dumplings

Din Tai Fung

In our humble opinion, Din Tai Fung is the king of soup dumplings. The wait at this restaurant is always obscene, but it's worth it. Our tip? Don't go with a party bigger than two. Then when you arrive, try to snag a seat in the bar area. Same delicious food, 1/8 of the wait time! 

What to order? Pork XiaoLongBao and Spicy Steamed Pork Dumplings (Foodie Tip: the sauce the spicy dumplings come in is also great poured over fried rice)

Fu Man Dumpling House 

Fu Man Dumpling House is famous for their garlic dipping sauce. It is CRACK. Probably full of all sorts of bad stuff, but who cares. Indulge, pour it all those steaming, delicious dumplings and enjoy how happy your mouth feels. 

What to order? Fu Man Boiled Pork and Vegetable Dumplings 

Judy Fu's Snappy Dragon

Judy Fu is literally making your dumplings in the back room. She gets mad respect from us because even though these dumplings are misshapen and, compared to others, quite skimpy on the stuffing, they are so so good. We could eat 20 alone (we aren't saying we HAVE, but you know...we COULD). 

What to order? Pork and Vegetable Jiao-Zi, the handmade noodles are also to die for! 

Little Ting's Dumpling House

Little Ting's has great dumplings which are made fresh every day before each shift. They also add to the great dumplings with their friendly service and cute decor. 

What to order? Pork and Chive Dumplings and the Pan-Fried Scallop and Chive Dumplings