clark designs are always sophisticated, sometimes urban and often vintage-esque. owner and designer julie lellis specializes in handmade jewelry using a variety of semi-precious gemstones and high-quality metals. motivated by her love for the city, creative fashion, and the people in her life, lellis – a trained visual artist but self-taught jewelry designer – established the studio in 2008 while living in boston.

her art also honors her late fiancé, clark, who was an innovative thinker with a ridiculous sense of humor and significant entrepreneurial spirit. inspired by their shared passion for matching a thrift-store find with its unexpected designer companion, lellis often incorporates something old – vintage beads or other “scrap items” – with something new in her one-of-a-kind and custom designs.

lellis completed a minor in studio art from the university of richmond in 1999. her fish batik – and first award-winning piece of art – was on permanent display at thornwell elementary school in her hometown: hartsville, south carolina. in addition to being an artist, writer, jewelry designer, business owner, cat rescuer, dog walker, yogi, gardener, and southern cook, lellis works as a communications professor at elon university. she resides in durham, north carolina with her siamese-mix cats frasier and bebo; a fish, montana; and sock monkey, harry.

ten percent of proceeds go to the clark m. rivinoja award established by duke university medical center.

julie’s website: www.designsforclark.com