As the year progresses and as more students come back to campus, more art is being made for hybrid Dana students to view. Fortunately, the Virtual Hallway displays remote and hybrid art for all of the Dana community to see, which is why the next Virtual Hallway installment comes from Tori Eysie ’22, an artist who painted two murals to hang up in the Erisman Student Center.

Tori’s inspiration came from the experience of distance learning on Zoom, with the isolation represented by the singular figures in each of the murals. Tori explained that “even though these two characters are separated, they’re still connected with technology” — something that rings true for many students across the globe. 

However, Tori faced initial trouble after she came up with the idea. “I wasn’t feeling the design. It was an interesting piece but wasn’t one that captivated your eye… It wasn’t sitting right with me, so I decided to redo it,” she explained. She decided to incorporate an aspect of the painting that was dear to her: cherry blossoms.

In the mural, the characters are surrounded by pastel-colored cherry blossoms, a choice influenced by Tori’s love for cherry blossom trees. “When Covid first started, people were going outside more to enjoy the environment, while also having to do a lot more of their regular activities outside. Nature is beautiful, and I thought a cherry blossom really captured that beauty,” she said. “I thought that the pink color would look beautiful with the blue walls of the student center.

Tori’s style is also inspired by anime, a style of animation that originates in Japan. “I really wanted my style to be shown in this piece,” she stated. “I wanted it to be a ‘Tori piece.’”

Mikayla Darville ’21, a boarding student, sees the mural often and commented on Tori’s piece. “I loved the colors and the details in the art. I love seeing it every day, and I hope to see more murals in the future,” she said.

Mia Housman ’22, a hybrid student, also admired the painting. “For me, the colors are inexplicably calming,” she explained. “The pure wonder the character has for the cherry blossoms is so peaceful, and I love the subtle details Tori included, from the iconic [character from the video game] Among Us keychain to the dimensions of the hair. I love the murals!

Through expressing her feelings about the difficulties of distance learning, Tori managed to create a piece that is easy for many to relate to during a period of isolation and loneliness.

For future submissions, please send your work and statement to Demitra Moutoudis in order for us to display it in our virtual hallway!

Photos by Ms. Krista Falcone.