Jonathan Rutledge. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBIN SUBAR
Jonathan Rutledge isn’t only a former firefighter, military veteran, and father of two. He has also turned his longtime hobby of jewelry design into an award-winning career. Rutledge’s inaugural event as a designer was at the 2004 American Craft Exposition where he entered as an Emerging Artist with his hand-crafted gold pieces. Rutledge walked away from that Exposition with the People’s Choice Award and has been returning ever since to show his crowd-favorite designs. Here are some of the Evanston native’s top picks on the shore and in the city.
What’s on the horizon? I will be exhibiting my newest work at the American Craft Exposition this September 21-23, in Glencoe at the Chicago Botanic Garden
Mantra? You can do it
Best grooming tip? Exercise
Guilty pleasure? Binge watching a new series with something sweet and high in calories
Favorite foods? Anything breakfast Music you love? Wide ranging … country, reggae, pop, and a little bit of everything else
Best advice ever given to you? You can do whatever you put your mind to
Best advice you’ve given? Run! And you can do whatever you put your mind to
Earliest memory? Three years old, army crawling/sneaking across the living room floor towards the gingerbread house
When you wake up, you…? Give myself 30 minutes to read on the couch with a cup of coffee… it’s the most relaxing part of the day
Before bed, you…? Relax with a little TV and read
What’s on your bookshelf? Andre Agassi and Mike Tyson’s autobiographies
You can’t live without? Family, God, country, my passion: jewelry, weight lifting, and air
Love to escape to? Marco Island with my family
Advice you would give to your younger self? Be more passionate about learning … you can still have fun …
ON THE SHORE
Your style is…? Jeans and a T-shirt. Totally casual
Can’t leave the house without? A protein shake and a banana
Transportation? Anything big
Driving music? Bob Marley or a good podcast
Place to eat? My all-time favorite restaurant is Walker Brothers in Wilmette
Shop? Nordstrom
Best thing about the Shore? It’s 10 degrees cooler in the summer
Worst thing about the Shore? No skiing
The perfect day is…? Making pancakes for my family, playing baseball with my kids, and doing Jiu-Jitsu at Staley Martial Arts in Wilmette
IN THE CITY
Your style is…? Dressed up casual
Can’t leave the house without? My iPhone
Driving music? 99.5 or 101.9
Place to eat? Remington’s on Michigan Avenue
Shop? Nordstrom
Best thing about the City? Visiting friends
Worst thing about the City? Parking
The perfect day is…? A good lunch with the guys and easy parking
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