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.

Meet the Maker: Seattle Granola Company

Welcome to our first edition of Meet the Maker! We are excited to launch this series where we sit down with local creators to learn about their craft.

First up, Seattle Granola Company!

A little about the company.

Emily Dean used to gift her granola to tons of people prior to it becoming a business. Everyone she gave it to raved about the flavors and texture. Her brother-in-law, Chris Field, was the first to encourage her to take it to market. Being a chef, Chris was constantly surrounded by food and knew the good stuff when he tasted it. No surprise that almost three years later Seattle Granola Company is going strong and making plans for future expansions. 

What's the size of the operation? 

Every week they make almost 1,000 pounds of granola. Emily's kitchen is one of the most delicious-smelling places we have ever set foot in. Like Christmas year round. 

What are some secret or favorite granola uses/recipes people should know about? 

The obvious, yogurt or almond milk are great. People also use it for sweets, crumbling it over ice cream, or on top of donuts. Emily even used it as a topping on her Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole. You can add it to a salad for some crunch or to your popcorn for more flavors. Or just snack on it, which Chris points out is one of the reasons their granola is the best, you can eat it plain, and it's just as delicious. 

What about the ingredients? 

The granola is all vegan and gluten free. The oats are from a special farm in Colorado where they don't rotate the crops, which means the only thing that touches the soil are the oats, keeping them free from any traces of gluten. 

They also create their granola with a shelf life of 8 weeks, which is unique to their company. Most are much longer, but after extensive testing they realized that keeping it much longer decreases the crunch and sweet and salty flavor, and they only want their customers eating the best they can make. 

Where can you buy Seattle Granola Company granola? 

Lucky for us, they listed every location out on their website. They are in Central Markets and Town and Country markets around town, and you can also purchase it directly from their website. The first company to buy their granola? New Roots Organics, a Seattle delivery service. You can still find their granola in the bins of fresh produce and goodies being delivered around Seattle. 

When interviewing food people we always have to ask, what are you favorite spots in Seattle to eat?

Chris landed on 2C Thai, which apparently has the best green curry with avocado and Palace Kitchen for the best burger in Seattle.

Emily, being a vegetarian, is not chowing down on the burgers at Palace Kitchen, but she does love Seattle Deli's Tofu Bahn Mi and is a regular at Pho 99. She even knows the veggie pho's number on the menu (#14B). 

What is coming up next for SGC?

Currently SGC has two flavors of granola, regular and coffee, but Emily and Chris are about to launch their new No BS line of granola. It is made without the brown sugar, so if you want ultra-healthy granola this is the way to go. 

Us? We walked out of the interview with 6 bags of the WITH sugar granola goodness, but if you want no sugar, we won't think less of you.

Meet the Maker: Bryan Jarr of JarrBar

On the backside of the market inside a small, unassuming blue door is one of our favorite watering holes. Owner and creator, Bryan Jarr, opened JarrBar a Spanish/Portuguese inspired cocktail bar, in November 2015. We went the first time to try the infamous Iberico ham, and we kept coming back for the good company and delicious drinks. Now that the sun is shining more days than not, we make sure to grab a seat by the windows, which are thrown open to let in the sun and fresh air. When you sit in those wicker chairs, sipping a glass of Iberian wine in the sun, and popping olives in your mouth you can feel yourself transported to the Mediterranean. 

The bar has a great Happy Hour from 4:00 - 6:00 PM, 10:00 PM - 2:00 AM, and all day Sunday (see the HH menu here). They also host Sunday Night Cinema every week where you can come and enjoy a film on their giant projection screen (they do accept movie requests, but no promises!).

As for their specialties, JarrBar is a great place to find a large selection of sherries and vermouths, as well as a large wine list from Spain and Portugal. Their cocktail list was hand crafted by the amazing Jesse Spring and features our personal favorites, the El Cochino and Westside.

Bryan Jarr

Meet the Maker: Bryan Jarr of JarrBar

What inspired JarrBar? 

I did a research trip to Portugal and Spain where I researched ways they dealt with preserved seafood. While traveling I fell in love with the small, intimate neighborhood bars there. You'd get a plate of anchovies, a glass of wine, and watch soccer. It was perfect any day, any time.

What is a little known fact about the bar?

This is one of the only places in Seattle serving Iberico Bellota, a gourmet cured ham from the Iberico black pig in Spain. The special organic diet of the pig creates this great buttery, sweet flavor you can't get with any other meat.

There is also a typo on the clock in the bar. My wife ordered it as a gift and spelled bar with an extra "r," so it reads JarrBarr. 

What is your favorite thing on the menu? 

Food? I always find myself going back to the organic piquillos with oil-cured anchovies. The oil cured anchovies in Spain are a real delicacy. You get a nice salty flavor with the sweetness of the pepper, which is delicious.

Organic piquillos with oil-cured anchovies

Drink? This time of year I really love the Txakoli wines. It is great with seafood. I have this rosé that is a little bubbly and perfect on a warm day. It reminds you of being on vacation.

Rezabal Txakoli rosé

Some might label you a foodie, what are your favorite places to eat in Seattle right now?

I like Sushi Kappo Tamura. Anything there is incredibly good. The sushi is great, the entree dishes are amazing. Babirusa and Blind Pig are owned by the same person, and their food is a great value. Stateside in Capitol Hill is a cool space with great cocktails, and their dishes have amazing flavor. Manolin is awesome; amazing seafood there.

Basically, I want to go to a place that is welcoming, and I like going to a place that will have food I'm not going to cook at home. 

What do you do when you aren't running the bar?

I go out to eat a lot with my wife. Currently, I am doing a lot of planning on my new spot in Pike Place Market. 

That leads us to our last question: What's next for you?

The plan is to open a place in the new Marketfront Building in the Pike Place Market expansion. It is going to be a restaurant, bar, retail, and food production venue, all in one spot. We are going to use artisan methods for preserving seafood, so canning, smoking, and preserving on sight. The name is still TBD, but it will be opening Summer 2017. 

Grab a table by the big window!

Iberico ham is worth every single cent.

Painted mirrors decorate the white walls.