The line between art and design has always been blurry, and perhaps now it’s faded altogether.
Ryland Arnoldi is the co-founder and CEO of Wrapped, a studio that produces handmade artwork on paper, canvas, and now countless interior elements. Arnoldi first forayed into interior design by collaborating with Pallas on textiles and upholstery. “But then we started to think outside the box and consider other mediums,” said Dean Lindsley, vice president of operations and product development at Pallas.
KI tapped Arnoldi’s talents to infuse Evoke architectural walls with artwork and other graphic elements. The aim is to allow designers to convey an artistic theme seamlessly throughout a space, across elements that include curtains, furniture, area rugs, and the wall itself.
“People typically go to art consultants or buy canvasses a la carte, but we generate the full body of work. We’re giving designers many more pieces to play with. They can almost curate an exhibit, item by item,” Arnoldi explained. “It makes the whole space feel cultivated and coherent.”
A major advantage Wrapped offers is its experience digitizing handmade work into massive files—so large they’ve been used on aluminum murals in public spaces. “When artwork is scaled up, it gets fuzzy and blurry. But our prints retain the tonal, textural depth and gradation of handmade design,” said Arnoldi. “The piece holds up from one foot or 20 feet away. There are different nuances every time you look at it.”
Another benefit of this approach is the quick turnaround. A 10- by 20-foot painting could take months to complete. “We can offer the same experience and accommodate a six-week lead time rather than having designers plan a year out for a statement piece, and piecemeal put everything else together,” Arnoldi explained. “Digitizing also allows crops, changing color and scope. We’re opening up a new toolset.”
The final boon is beauty. Arnoldi’s aesthetic is eclectic and engaging. “One of the themes we’re seeing now is the retro-remix, mid-modern century look,” said Lindsley. “So Ryland takes fresh and new elements, and adds a subtle twist of the iconic and classic.”
The result is a site that is timely and timeless, at the same time.
