Julyssa Rose first caught our eye on Instagram with her gorgeous style and fresh, flushed selfies wearing our Multi-Bene Stains. Based in Chicago, her beautifully handcrafted, sustainable jewelry line July Rose Jewelry is made using recycled and ethically sourced silver, with designs inspired by her past and future. Now a part of our NOTO Faces family, Julyssa connected with us to share more about her artistic practice and her NOTO obsession.
What made you feel connected to jewelry making out of all other mediums? Did you experiment with anything else before you landed on jewelry?
I have been a musician and singer my whole life, and when I really focused on music in my youth, I felt something was missing, and I realized it was a tangible expression that I was lacking. Yes, I could express myself in music and in writing, but I yearned for artistic composition that required tactile skills and that would yield something physical. I have always loved art and fashion, but never was into fashion design. Jewelry felt like the perfect middle ground to me. My work consists of sculpting small pieces of art in various materials, but you can wear them. That truly encompasses everything I could want.
What inspires your projects and creations?
Most of my designs are inspired by my younger and future self. My teenage years were difficult. The work I do today is to honor the younger self that had enough courage and individuality to go down this artistic route that felt so impossible. Many of my designs are nostalgic and inspired by experiences or memories from my childhood. For example, my Horse Necklace. That was inspired by my dreamy days at my family's ranch. I like my work to feel like a memory, to have some sort of emotional tie to you that you can't exactly articulate, you just feel and understand. I owe everything to my younger, resilient self. I think it’s beautiful that the art I create now is a direct reflection of her, of myself. She would never have expected such lovely things to come out of those experiences. My future self also inspires my work. I often think about where I’d like to be when wearing a certain pair of earrings, or what city I am in when I am wearing an upcoming ring design. This is then, in a sense, a form of manifestation. Oftentimes, I start a design by writing a vignette, like this for example for an upcoming autumn piece:
“The air loves us and you love me. We drink coffee and I get my hair wet by the lake and put my favorite red lipstick on”. When I envision myself in this ideal setting, I am wearing these earrings I’ve conjured up in my head, I feel gorgeous in that imaginary setting, and then I craft them! (P.S., I literally imagine that “favorite red lipstick” being the multi benne stain in oscillate)
Some of Julyssa's creations including the Horse Necklace
How do you set the ambiance for your work space? What are you wearing? What are you listening to?
I adore vintage/secondhand clothes and like to imagine I am the type of person to not care if those clothes of mine get a little roughed up, so I try to wear pieces that make me feel incredible. Realistically, I wear something comfy but still feel like myself. I am always listening to podcasts when I am working. It is so comforting. I am either listening to horror podcasts or the complete opposite, touching life stories about healing and growth.
Julyssa's favorite Multi-Bene Sticks
What did you want to be when you were a kid? And how does it connect to what you're doing now?
I wanted to be a fashion designer! Really, because I didn’t know what that actually entailed. I remember being in gym class in 5th grade designing an outfit I’d wear to a fashion show with my mom. We never actually went, but I loved the idea of it. I am happy to know that little me would be so excited to learn what I do now. I think it has aligned perfectly.
If you could collaborate with anyone artistically, who would it be?
I love this question, but I have so many interests that this could go in any direction! For now, I’d say Carmen Maria Machado. She is a writer who has the most unique, magical writing style. Imagine she wrote a vignette and I designed a piece of jewelry off of that mood? Incredible.
What's your favorite NOTO product and why?
Easy answer, the Multi Bene Stains. “Five” is my current new obsession, but I can’t betray Ono Ono. I have used that one every day for months on end. I recommend these to everyone and have backups of all of them. Nothing like the beauty of simplicity!
Julyssa wears Ono Ono Multi-Bene Stain
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