Mural Makers: Tori Immerwahr
The mural titled "Impact" was painted as part of a project celebrating Elmira's creative economy.
MURAL MAKERS

Impact

Mural Artist: Tori Immerwahr
Location: Elmira, NY

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Still underway at the time of publication, this mural was commissioned by Community Arts of Elmira as part of its Elmira Infinite Canvas public art program as a project celebrating Elmira’s creative economy. It features two famous dancers from the area, as well as references to the arts, culture, and history of the city. I’m looking to tell the story of what makes Elmira inspirational; not only the people who made an impact here and elsewhere, but also what impacted them.

I chose to include an Osprey on the front corner of the building. These birds hunt and nest along the Chemung River that flows through Elmira, and have inspired many local artists, appearing in other murals and a statue in the area.
I chose to include an Osprey on the front corner of the building. These birds hunt and nest along the Chemung River that flows through Elmira, and have inspired many local artists, appearing in other murals and a statue in the area.
Progress shot of the Impact mural.
Progress shot of the Impact mural.
A section of the Impact mural, in progress, picturing a stained glass window. The pattern is first painted in solid colors, followed by a second layer of varying hues and Iridescent colors, and finally traced in Payne's Gray to represent solder lines.
A section of the Impact mural, in progress, picturing a stained glass window. The pattern is first painted in solid colors, followed by a second layer of varying hues and Iridescent colors, and finally traced in Payne's Gray to represent solder lines.

About the Mural:
Name: Impact
Size: approximately 1500 sq ft, wrapping around 3 walls of the building
Products used: Golden Paintworks Mural and Theme Paints & Montana Spray Paint
See it at:
Community Arts of Elmira Inc.,
413 Lake St., Elmira, NY 14901

About the Maker

My name is Tori, I’m a 26 year old artist and muralist based in upstate NY. I’m self taught and have been freelancing for almost 3 years now.

I first began painting murals back in 2020. I had a desire to create larger than life works, but aside from the financial challenge that poses, I hated the disconnect between artists and the public felt within a gallery space. Murals provided me with both a creative and social outlet in addition to paying the bills.

I still don’t consider myself much of a painter; outside of public art most of my work is rendered with colored pencil. My mural style was developed via trial and error, adopting a similar mixed media approach to walls that I use for wood panel pieces. I work in layers of washes (diluted bucket paint), spraypaint, and a mix of matt and gloss colors to create a hyper- real look.

Muralist Tori Immerwahr next to the painted osprey on the corner of her Impact mural.
Muralist Tori Immerwahr next to the painted osprey on the corner of her Impact mural.

What is your creative process like when making murals?
After meeting with a business owner, a board, or whoever is commissioning the mural to learn about their vision for the project, my first priority is visiting the wall. If I’m unable to do so in person, I explore the area through Google Maps, and try to get a feel for the unique character that site brings.

I like to establish what I think of as “connecting points”; elements that relate not just to the mural’s theme, but details that tether a mural to the location itself. This could mean including local wildlife and landmarks, directional indicators like constellations or compasses, or even subtle details like positioning the image’s light source relative to the path of the actual sun at that location.

This mural is one of 14 painted along Railroad Avenue for the 2023 Elmira Infinite Canvas Mural Fest.
This mural is one of 14 painted along Railroad Avenue for the 2023 Elmira Infinite Canvas Mural Fest.
Bismuth Yellow is the background color for the neighboring mural by Chris Eldred, so naturally this house sparrow had to nab some.
Bismuth Yellow is the background color for the neighboring mural by Chris Eldred, so naturally this house sparrow had to nab some.

Do you have any other projects coming up that you’d like to share anything about?
I’m keeping my horizons wide open in 2024. When this mural season wraps up, I’ll be relocating to Frankfurt, Germany in search of work there. I’ve got a couple projects lined up in NY for next summer, and am looking to fill up the remainder of my schedule with work in the EU. Got walls, will travel.

See more of Tori’s work:
Facebook: facebook.com/toriib.artwork
Instagram: @4immerwahr

I painted this bike trailer for the Ithaca based organization BikeWalkTompkins back in May 2023. The bright colors and linework are an homage to the non-profit's logo. Daylight Blue and Purple were used to paint a gradient wrapping around the trailer, establishing scenes of both day and night.
The hot metal of the trailer decreased drying time. For more detailed elements like the figure, I diluted my paint with water so I could blend while avoiding textured build-up.
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