About
Drawing has always been a cathartic and playful process for me, a method of exploring memories and inventing other worlds. I grew up in the woods of Pennsylvania, in a historic (and haunted) house, where I cultivated a deep love for animals, climbing trees, and digging for fossils in our backyard. After studying painting and printmaking, my love of pattern and repetition led me naturally to textiles.
I see textiles as a way to bring my drawings to life, giving them movement and presence. Textiles transform our everyday lives, imbuing our world with more meaning, hope, and creativity. Our textiles are artistic, authentic, and unique. Every design begins by hand from our Brooklyn studio, and the original artwork is preserved and celebrated in the translation from painting to textile. We hope that our work empowers you to be true to yourself and celebrate what makes you different!
Our Values
Joyful
We hope our work will bring you happiness and imbue your everyday life with more dreams, love, and celebration. We want to inspire you to love yourself and others.
Artistic
Every textile begins with an original painting or drawing. We preserve the authenticity of the original artwork while translating it into a luxurious textile that is also a work of art to inspire creativity in your life.
Kind
All creatures deserve love and kindness, we celebrate inclusivity and diversity of all beings. Through imagery that depicts the personality and magic of animals, we hope to inspire compassion.
Process
All artwork begins by hand.
Hand drawing connects us all to our shared purpose. Our work honors the mistakes, process, and vulnerability of self-expression.
Collaborations
We have enjoyed collaborations with artists and designers in fashion, interiors, music, and art. Olivia can be contacted for collaborations and commissions through info@oliviawendel.com.
Featured In
"The final products might feature a convivial clan of tigers or a collection of felines who seem to have stepped from the pages of Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats."
- Vogue
"The centerpieces, however, are “Wood Into Water,” which shows how Wendel imagines women “would be in the wild — unrestrained and moving in every possible way,” and “The Performance,” inspired by the German choreographer Pina Bausch, which places the women, now clothed, in a tight, circular formation."
- The New York Times Style Magazine
"Love is in the air, as evidenced by the marriage of art and fashion in Olivia Wendel's debut collection of silk and wool scarves."
- Nylon