ART AFICIONADO: Julie Ann Clarke

Monday, August 11, 2025

Julie Ann Clarke

Model Appreciation

Back in my teenage years, there was this unforgettable photo of Julie Clarke on rollerblades that stuck with me. She’s crouched down, pink cap pulled low, light green fitness gloves on, two watches stacked on her right wrist — like time itself couldn’t keep up with her. She looked like a rollerblading Barbie straight out of my imagination.

Julie Anne Clarke was born in Tucson, Arizona, on August 11, 1969, but grew up soaking in the sunshine of St. Simons Island, Georgia. From an early age, she showed serious skill as an equestrienne, riding with the kind of grace most people can only manage in slow motion.

At 18, she snagged a win in a swimwear pageant, then took first runner-up at the National Finals for the Venus Swimwear Model Search in Clearwater, Florida. That’s where a photographer spotted her and thought, Yep, she’s got “Playmate” written all over her. Julie later laughed in her Playboy write-up, “If I ever had a chance to be a Playmate, you wouldn’t have to ask me twice.”

Playboy crowned her Miss March 1991, then put her on the April cover for good measure. Her natural charm and bright smile opened doors to TV spots, commercials, and even a ’90s comedy flick.

On her Playmate data sheet, the 5'5" brunette dreamed of graduating college, visiting Australia, breathing fresh air, basking in the sunshine, and hanging out with animals — plus, she had a soft spot for men with “cute buns” (the non-hair kind).

She admired actress Tawny Kitaen, President George H.W. Bush, and pictured her ideal guy as a mix of strength and sensitivity, with a good sense of humor… and magic hands for massages.