LISA LIPPMAN

like a perfect combination of art as well as the experience of storytelling through art,” says Ali. “I studied in London at Central Saint Martin’s. I just wanted to create. After college, I was living in the city and started working for Diane Von Furstenberg, where I created textile prints. I later opened my art-to-print design company so that I could turn my art into textiles. I also worked in Italy at a textile companies’ archives. I became so fascinated with the textiles that they’ve done for so many years and got to see how they’re interpreted. Each piece and figure and icon really meant something. I love this idea that things had more significance than just being pretty. I’m always interested in the story behind the piece and the reason people were using those textiles back in the day.”

After working with other clothing brands including Oscar de la Renta, she decided to launch ALIPRINTS a few years ago. With everything from textiles to wallpapers, plus artwork, tapestry, and traditional painting, her varied business built around her talents allows her to do what she does best – create. “I’m really focused on all things custom made. For me, it’s such a collaboration with every single one of my clients. Some clients are very specific, and so I’ll create something similar to their vision, while others will have no idea what they want so I will research what their style is and try to get their dreams from their head onto an artwork.”

Ali, who grew up with parents who are both lawyers, could tell from a young age that she tended to see things much more visually and, well, her own way. “They would say, ‘until I see it, I can’t envision it,’ so I really want to make things as visual as possible for those more left side brain types. I will paint a million different paintings until I get the exact right artwork for the project I’m working on. For custom wallpaper, my most popular design project, I start by creating a mood board which really helps my clients and I decide on the artwork direction together. They will tell me a story and I will pick out elements that I know will make really good artwork.”

PHOTOS BY REBECCA PEREZ

Her main business comes from word of mouth or through her social media channels, and she has also worked on many creative collaborations, including a recent project with the World Wildlife Association + Airwick. The project, called SuperBloom, allowed her to incorporate a lot of flowers, as well as greenery and creatures, something that came naturally to her as she is constantly being inspired by nature. She also worked for the children’s clothing company Giggle, where she helped develop prints for kids’ brands, using her imagination and colored pencils to create cute and fun designs. Recently, she used this sense of whimsicality to paint a child’s bedroom with koi fish in dreamy watercolors.

“The process of creating a custom design is so much fun. I love figuring out how everything is going to come together and the style I am going to use for the project. I find it so interesting working with clients and seeing what’s important to people and most importantly, getting to be a part of their story through my art.”

As an Artist in Residence at Scribner’s Catskills Lodge, you can now view Ali’s wallpaper works in the hotel’s quaint and charming rooms. The lodge, which was originally built in 1966, recently reopened in 2016 as a new interpretation of a Catskills classic. Set amidst a backdrop of awe-inspiring nature, the rustic yet chic 38room eclectic mountain lodge is indeed the perfect setting to display Ali’s own interpretation of the outdoors. Her Winter Forest is currently in a Catskill Queen room while the Catskill Ferns can be found in the Mountain King room.

She is also working on a contemporary spin of the Ancient Roman gardens meets the Catskills, something Ali is enjoying due to the project’s uniqueness, which lends itself to allowing her to come up with a special story. As wallpaper is one of her most popular projects, Ali is also excited about an intricate wallpaper mural she is about to embark on, where she will be including a different story on each panel. Additionally, she is planning on flying out to California to work on another mural for multiple rooms. “It’s going to be a very cool, layered piece. One of the mural’s is for a kid’s room with an around-theworld theme featuring monuments with layers on top.”

One of the reasons Ali is so sought after is due to her dedication of going behind the scenes to find out what her clients really want and combining unique elements into their home. For instance, she might hide a name or picture of a pet somewhere in a piece, something she recently did with a family’s pet pug. “I try to be thoughtful, whether it’s working with their interior designer or designing a project on my own. When it comes to creating a custom wallpaper, I think of it as a way of expressing oneself, so I believe the client’s vision and personality should show through.”

Also heavily inspired by the serene beauty