Morgan Jasmine Design - First Friday Sept 2021 - Forests, Tides, and Treasures

Note: All discounted items purchased are considered Final Sales and are not returnable

August 26, 2021

Morgan Bernardi of Morgan Jasmine Design

Town: Annapolis, MD

(Previously Seward, AK)

Hello there, I'm Morgan.

I’m a University of Washington Alumna, born and raised in Seattle, Washington, though most recently transplanted from beautiful Seward, Alaska, to Annapolis, Maryland. We are a military family, which is why we left - but still own our home in Seward and plan to one day return.

I enjoy working with a variety of people across the globe, covering a well-rounded portfolio of art, graphic design, copy writing, photography, social media management and marketing consultation, as well as many other creative services.

When not sitting behind a desk, you can usually find me exploring local coffee shops, probably drinking my 2nd cup of coffee in the afternoon, and chasing down my twin toddlers.

I greatly enjoy hiking, creating, and spending quality time with my friends, husband, sons, and dogs.

“Wherever you go,
no matter what the weather,
always bring your own sunshine.”

— Anthony J. D’Angelo

When did you first start creating?:

My family will tell you that I was always making or building something from a very young age. My father is a contractor and I dreamt of one day being in Architecture and Construction Management, but my path took a turn into Art and Design during my undergrad at UW, and I've not looked back.

What inspires you to create?:

I think it depends on the medium I'm using. Nine times out of ten, my graphic design work is for a client, so I'm inspired by the commission! Kidding - well, mostly - I draw my inspiration from a variety of other artists & designers, the audience that we want to address or represent, and the beautiful scenery I've been blessed to live in or visit with my family.

Creating "art for art's sake" isn't something I get to do as often, as parenting twin toddlers is extremely time consuming as it is. But I've been finding more time to do things for the fun of it. This First Friday show is the first since my undergraduate studio juried shows, so I'm extremely nervous and excited - I had a lot of fun creating and curating these pieces, so I hope guests enjoy!

What’s your favorite thing to see/do in Alaska?:

ANYTHING - TAKE ME BACK PLEASE!

Okay, maybe a touch dramatic, but I can tell you after moving back Outside, there isn't a day I don't think about Alaska, Seward especially.

I'll answer this in multiple parts: In Seward, my favorite thing to do is drive through town, get a hot cup of coffee (Seward has SO MANY GOOD COFFEE SPOTS), and walk both the waterfront trail and pop into the small shops and visit with the business owners. I've grown to befriend several and enjoy spending my time chatting with them or letting them love on my boys.

I also enjoy trekking two lakes with the twins and our two dogs, Stormy (GSD/sleddog mix), and Whiskey (corgi). Walking down on Lowell Point Beach and collecting rocks and small shells is always a soothing pastime. Really, if I'm near Res Bay and can hear the waves or wind, I am at home.

Greater Alaska/Kenai Peninsula - this is a weird one, but my Aunt and I love to visit old cemeteries. Alaska isn't short on these, and they are all so beautiful and different. We happened upon the old Russian Orthodox church in Ninilchik during a drive to Homer and I was entranced. Something about paying respects to the generations/history before you while also witnessing the way that nature slowly reabsorbs these sites is really fascinating.

What is your advice for aspiring artists?

There's no such thing as a true mistake when it comes to art. Try and embrace when a medium gets the best of you, and embrace where it takes you. Ink and watercolor are two of the more difficult art forms I've encountered, the fluidity cannot fully be controlled, you literally have to go with the flow. Didn't mean to make that big of a mark? Well, let's lean into it and change the final product - it might be better than you've ever envisioned.

Get dirty and try something new. Think that tree bark with the moss looks interesting? Get right under it with your lens to see if there's a neat shot you can take with your camera. Try using vine charcoal for a drawing, coat the whole page in some then erase for highlights or add darker charcoal for shadows - it is a medium worth experimenting with, even if it means you get smudges all over!

Come & Meet Morgan the FIRST Friday of September (3rd)
at FTT for our First Friday Art Walk - 5-7pm!

Morgan will be in attendance virtually via Zoom, which will also live stream on our facebook page!

Learn more about Morgan on her website, instagram, or facebook page.

Also in Heart of Art: FTT Featured Artists & Vendors

Heart of Art: Annie Brace

June 24, 2026

After studying art and design in Italy, she followed her heart to Alaska and opened her Anchorage studio in 2004. She dabbles with various artistic mediums, including watercolor, pen and paper, and acrylics. Her combination of fine art and graphic design backgrounds gives her work a unique flair.