We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Victoria Ericks a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Victoria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Painting murals around storm drains and water spillways was not what I expected this summer! When I was accepted for a grant to paint murals across my city of Lansing Michigan, I was SHOCKED that my proposal went through. This project was made to emphasize how pollution in storm drains directly affect the many rivers and lakes of Michigan. Often overlooked by the average pedestrian, my goal was to create an emotional and personal connection to the individual animals that these drains lead to. From the blue spotted salamander, urban herds of deer in our cities, to the beautiful variety of fish in our lakes, I covered it all.
Before this summer, I was far away from the forest I’ve grown up in, attending The School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, New York. Having the chance to make something that would always connect me back to my hometown was incredibly healing.

Why Murals are Meaningful: (Especially in 2025)
Beyond my own connection to Michigan. Murals themselves have an incredible impact on the local community, more than you’d think! Often, the act of artistic creation is done alone, and the intricacies and hard work needed to create is hidden. Public murals, allow for an experience for anyone who walks by. While I was painting early in the morning till night. Strangers would surprise me with treats, sir and watch me paint, and I’d even ask for their input on what I was doing.

This, I firmly believe, alongside many forms of human made art, cannot and should not be replaced. For thousands of years, it has been not just a tool, but a direct connection between one person to another. Especially in an age of ai, mural making has made me appreciate hands on art creation even more.
I hope I can continue to make art that connects people near and far, and come across people willing to work with me to get there.

This project is made possible by:
Tri County Regional Planning Commission and the Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management. It’s funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corp and partnered with The Arts Council of Greater Lansing. Thank you!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hello! My name is Victoria (Tori) Taava Ericks! While being a Painting Instructor, Illustrator, and Muralist… I take inspiration by gaining different experiences around me. From being a bartender, parrot caretaker, fisherman and small aircraft pilot in training; no job is out of my scope.

I love illustrating for books, posters, concepts, and maybe a little animating and sculpting here and there. I especially enjoy topics revolving around nature and our place in it.

My recent experiences include:
– Mural painting across nine different townships
– Mural painting for Target
– Working as a paint instructor in Lansing
– Freelancing as a digital graphic artist and traditional painter

I create with bold colors, playful shapes and a story to tell. For any project I undertake I research them heavily and hands on. I conduct interviews, get involved in the community surrounding a topic, and making something that will bring people the same amount of joy it brings me.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I am in a constant pursuit of joy that sometimes feels very far from me. It’s something I feel like a lot of us seek out. My tumultuous life and experiences have, honestly left me scattered. But artwork puts these pieces back together, puts me back together with the people around me.
When I create I feel my brain sparkle with joy when I can see my characters and stories have a sort of liveliness too them.
But the best part is when someone is able to receive such a thing, and that incredible connection is made. My creative journey is a fiery and determined pursuit of re-connection to the world.

Beyond that, a tangible short-term goal is I would hope to join a team of creatives one day! Through teamwork and help I want to make change and communicate on a bigger scale.
Further out, I would love to be a professor or teacher that can work for all kinds of people. Young or old, far and near.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

If one is interested in what the world is like in the eyes of an artist. I would like to tell you that my art is myself physically exerting energy to communicate to you. If we examine artwork throughout history, often we can squint at it, and think nothing more than what’s on the surface. But what is the point in creating it in the first place? Why does anyone care deeply about it, or not at all?

The least I can defend with my art is, you are viewing time passing, my life caught in a permanent moment to communicate with yours.

Although “art” can be made now with the click of a button and nothing more, easily produced and sold. I am a believer that as time goes on, unique works will be more admired and true appreciation for art will shine through in the coming years more than ever.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://victoriaericks.weebly.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henki.tori
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-t-ericks