Bright Idea

Combining their talents as thoughtful artisans, an upstate couple lights up the world.

by Jana Riley

Emily and Joe Clark sit on a couch in a hipster coffee shop in the Village of West Greenville, smiling at their baby daughter, Penelope June. Tattooed, effortlessly stylish, and impossibly cool, the couple exudes creative energy, and their smartly dressed little one reflects a similar, pint-sized curiosity for the world around her. In a world of mass-produced everything, Emily and Joe represent an uprising: hardworking, passionate individuals who use their creative talents to bring handmade, high-quality goods into the artisan space. Constantly striving to connect with their target market both in person and online, they offer potential customers the opportunity to buy from people who they can get to know, not faceless corporations. As they pursue their dream together, one thing is for sure: the Clark family is just getting started.

Originally from Ohio, Emily and Joe met each other while Emily was working at Circuit City. The pair hit it off, and began dating shortly after. Emily graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and later went back to school to learn to be a dental hygienist. Joe became a welder out of high school, dreaming that one day, he would build motorcycles or something similarly rugged. Both artistic, the two bonded over their creative inspirations, and when they began watching the hit AMC show “Mad Men” together, which is set in the 1960s, they realized they were both enamored with the clean lines of mid-century modern design. They bought a fixer-upper house together, and honed their style there, decorating it with scandinavian art and mid-century modern furnishings. When Joe’s welding career brought the pair to Greenville, South Carolina, they brought their creativity with them, and the city hasn’t been the same since.

A double light brass wall sconce from the Draper Collection.

One day, while looking at Himmeli-style wreaths online, inspired by a traditional Finnish technique of threading straw together into geometric shapes, Emily was struck with an idea. Wanting something similar but more durable, she asked her husband if he could weld a wreath in the same style. Joe obliged, and his first wreath was exactly what Emily had envisioned. He began trying his hand at the style, and before long, their home was filled with art pieces featuring sharp lines and modern vibes. Then, Joe decided to try to make lighting, teaching himself the electrical side of things while creating unique silhouettes. The result was brilliant, and before long, friends began commenting on the work, encouraging the pair to begin selling it at local markets and on Etsy. Armed with Emily’s marketing background and Joe’s willingness to consistently perfect his designs, they jumped in with both feet, opening up their Etsy shop, Lonely Mountain Metalworks, in 2016.

To get a feel for their audience, Emily and Joe set up a table at The Indie Craft Parade in Greenville, an artisan market hosted by the Makers Collective. There, they met other local artists who inspired them to follow their craft. They attended more markets, connecting with the ever- growing community of makers in the Greenville area. They hauled their beautiful wares all over the region, setting up tables and hauling their original minimalistic art out each time. Visitors were impressed, but Emily and Joe soon noticed that the lighting was what generated the most interest. They turned their attentions to Etsy, creating a line of lighting named after celestial objects and marketing to customers all over the globe. It was a solid move; soon, they were creating fixtures for people in all corners of the United States and into Europe. Restaurants and businesses across the country began contacting them, putting in large orders for custom lighting that fit the aesthetic of their locations. Queries came in from far-flung international destinations, and Emily found herself researching the best ways to ship fragile, often oversized items across the globe without breaking the bank. After a while, they found their groove, and now sell beautiful, modern light fixtures and art to everyone from individuals renovating a bathroom to establishments seeking to visually solidify their brand.

The Clark family.

Though they have officially been in business for a little over two years, Joe and Emily still have their day jobs. Joe is a main prototype welder for General Electric, and Emily works as a dental hygienist a couple days a week. They also pour their hearts and souls into raising their beautiful daughter together, and yet still, their creative energy propels them to their one-car garage every day, where they design, build, package, and ship out incredible works of usable art. And somehow, despite the long hours and sleepless nights and unending to-do lists, Joe and Emily Clark are happy. Really happy. They are pursuing dreams, adding beauty into the world, and, most importantly, working together to support their household. They are the picture of the new American Dream: a family who works hard to put food on their table while staying true to their passions and never sacrificing an opportunity for adventure. Joe and Emily can see a future where they run a small lighting and furniture shop in a walkable, art-focused community, where Joe could teach welding to local youths and adults and Emily could focus on her passions. For now, they work toward the goal, toiling gratefully over every order, happy to live in a place like Greenville.

The Lykta Pendant light.

“Greenville is a fantastic location for artisans,” says Emily. “The Makers Collective, a local group focused solely on artisans and makers, fosters an environment of support and entrepreneurial spirit within the area. Coming from another state, we never experienced the celebration of local artisans there like we do in Greenville. I don’t think our business would have successfully launched had we not moved down South. We are truly in the most perfect place for us right now.”

A single bulb wall sconce from the Luna Collection.