Artist Takes Wallpaper from Computer to Your Wall

I obviously spend a lot of time in the world of technology. So when I hear the word wallpaper, my first thought is the background image on my laptop or phone. But the more tactile form of wallpaper – that goes on an actual wall – is making “a fashionable comeback.”

And one of Dell’s entrepreneur customers, the interdisciplinary artist Kathryn Zaremba, is poised to take advantage of this trend and, in fact, may be one of the catalysts for the renewal in wallpaper popularity.

Artist and wallpaper designer Kathryn Zaremba sitting in her studio

Hers is not the mirrored and flocked wallpaper of my 1970s childhood, however. Zaremba’s designs include everything from swans and avocados to Matisse-inspired abstracts.

“Wallpaper seemed like a melding of my life experiences, I want to make things that enliven a space, that provide creative energy and inspiration for its inhabitants,” Zaremba told Urban Outfitters. “An idea for a pattern can really pop up out of nowhere or sometimes it’s in a museum looking at works of art or it might come out of playful experimentation in my studio.”

She spent time on theater sets and sound stages during her first career (yes, while many her age are still figuring out their first, Zaremba is onto her second career). Zaremba experienced coast-to-coast art galleries, stage sets and science museums, which became learning labs for her future illustrations and designs.

Zaremba stepped away from stage and screen to attend the Kansas City Art Institute in Missouri and went on to graduate school at The Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, D.C. It’s also where she founded her wallpaper business and co-founded The Lemon Collective, a workshop space in Washington D.C. that is focused “mostly on making and makers” The Washington Post reports.

Starting these endeavors after college, however, she did not have access to the same high tech equipment she did while in school. She connected with a Dell Small Business Technology Advisor who had tips on what tech would be good for her business – including a Dell Precision All-in-One.

“.. I’m pretty obsessed with it,” Zaremba says of her Dell Precision All-in-One. In the video below, she explains how she draws and cuts out shapes then digitizes them for her wallpaper. “I manipulate the shapes in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator to make wallpaper that is uniquely me for clients.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLNjnGGNISY

Often she needs to meet with those clients in their own space, so her Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (below) allows her to take a portable studio with her. She notes that it is strong enough to power the creation of high-resolution illustrations, and “makes it easy to show [clients] vibrant details, samples and renders of how the wallpaper will come to life in their space.”

She might need to add some video conferencing technology to her setup next because people around the world are taking notice of Zaremba’s wallpaper. Her Swansy Noir and Muse Variations designs were recently featured in Refinary 29 UK’s list of “Best Removable Wallpaper for Your Rented Flat.”

Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop in tablet mode on a desk

Our Small Business Technology Advisors are available and ready to help with your tech questions so you can focus on running your business. From selecting the right systems to incorporating servers or creating networks for employees and clients near and far, they can make managing your technology easy.

About the Author: Laura Pevehouse

Laura Pevehouse was profiled as one of five “social media mavens” in the March 2009 issue of Austin Woman Magazine and named an AdWeek’s TweetFreak Five to Follow. She has been part of the Dell organization for more than 15 years in various corporate communications, employee communications, public relations, community affairs, marketing, branding, social media and online communication roles. From 2014-2018, Laura was Chief Blogger/Editor-in-Chief for Direct2DellEMC and Direct2Dell, Dell’s official corporate blog that she help launch in 2007. She is now a member of the Dell Technologies Chairman Communications team. Earlier in her Dell career she focused on Global Commercial Channels and US Small and Medium Business public relations as part of the Global Communications team. Prior to that, she was responsible for global strategy in social media and community management, as well as marcom landing pages, as a member of Dell’s Global SMB Marketing, Brand and Creative team. When she was part of Dell’s Global Online group, Laura provided internal consulting that integrated online and social media opportunities with a focus on Corporate Communications and Investor Relations. She managed the home page of Dell.com, one of the top 500 global web sites in Alexa traffic rank, and first brought web feeds and podcasts to the ecommerce site. In her spare time she led Dell into the metaverse with the creation of Dell Island in the virtual world Second Life. Laura has earned the designation of Accredited Business Communicator from the International Association of Business Communicators, and received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Louisiana State University. Before joining Dell Financial Services in 2000, she worked at the Texas Workforce Commission and PepsiCo Food Systems Worldwide.