Dynisha Murray – Locally Animated
Everyone’s done it at least once. And if we’re being honest, probably a couple times. And if you tell me you haven’t, I wouldn’t believe you for one second. Or at least, I’d think you’d forgotten. But you can’t tell me that you haven’t, at least once when you were a kid, took a hard look at your toy, a toy that just wasn’t where you remember leaving it, and thought to yourself, maybe…. JUST maybe…And you certainly can’t say you haven’t dreamed that your family, your crazy but ordinary family, was something more than just a little different. That suddenly, the roof could blow away, and a maniacal laugh could echo through your house. That your mother, father, brother and sister could spring into action, matching jumpsuits and all, ready for a back and forth battle of wills with CGI-
And you certainly can’t say you haven’t dreamed that your family, your crazy but ordinary family, was something more than just a little different. That suddenly, the roof could blow away, and a maniacal laugh could echo through your house. That your mother, father, brother and sister could spring into action, matching jumpsuits and all, ready for a back and forth battle of wills with CGI-tastic super powers!But that’s the magic of these films right? They make you believe that something that can’t possibly be could just might be hidden right under the surface of our everyday lives. Certainly, that’s a part of it. Yet… we all know there is something else. Something more.
But that’s the magic of these films right? They make you believe that something that can’t possibly be could just might be hidden right under the surface of our everyday lives. Certainly, that’s a part of it. Yet… we all know there is something else. Something more.Dynisha Murray, 19, has lived her whole life in the city, and knows a little something about animated films. After all, she’s seen them all. And for good reason.
Dynisha Murray, 19, has lived her whole life in the city, and knows a little something about animated films. After all, she’s seen them all. And for good reason.They’re simple, yet complex. They’re easy on the eyes of the viewers, but hard on the hands of the creators. They’re unbelievable, yet grounded in reality. It’s these wild contrasts that make these movies great and inspire her to chase her dream.
They’re simple, yet complex. They’re easy on the eyes of the viewers, but hard on the hands of the creators. They’re unbelievable, yet grounded in reality. It’s these wild contrasts that make these movies great and inspire her to chase her dream.“I want to be an animator for Pixar!” exclaims Dynisha with her bright smile widening.
“I want to be an animator for Pixar!” exclaims Dynisha with her bright smile widening.
It extends across her face as if that of a certain loveable panda who first drew Dynisha’s attention to the wonder of creating fantasy dreamscapes. Still, her eyes stay trained, steadiness defining her every movement. A measured approach born not simply of practicality, but of necessity.
“Growing up, there were a lot of ways that I could have gotten into trouble. A lot of fighting going on around me. But my parents taught me to focus on my art, and focus on what I want to do.”
And it’s to them that Dynisha attributes her love for art.
“It’s a family tradition,” she explains as a matter of fact. “I’ve been doing it since I was about 6. My dad taught me how to draw, and my grandpa did the same with him and his brother.”
But these lessons aren’t the only thing that runs in the family. Her father and uncle were comic strip artists, her uncle’s works regularly featured in the South Philly Review. So it isn’t any wonder that Dynisha follows in a similar vein.
“When I was in 3rd grade, I developed a character, Super Rabbit, and my dad asked me to look into it, develop it more,” she explained. “So I made him a family, put a school around him where he’s not one of the jocks, but a well balanced kid who can’t let anyone know his real identity. I added a villain, Evil Cat, and by the 8th grade, I had written a comic.”
Putting aside for a second the battles of Super Rabbit and Evil Cat, or the drawings of Mario and Luigi that Dynisha makes for her little brothers, ages 8, 12 and 13, her tastes also extend past cartoons and animation.
As for many, Frida Khalo is a source of inspiration for her, Khalo’s willingness to put her own life on display and paint that which tormented her early and adult life providing new perspective.
“She helped me be more open and honest with my art,” said Dynisha. “To draw more about my life and what I’m going through. Maybe not directly portraying, but indirectly portraying.”
“Sometimes the colors can represent how I’m feeling. And that helps me focus, it helps my concentration, centering myself so I don’t feel so stressed out all the time. It keeps me balanced.”
It is the soothing nature of art that will drive Dynisha to walk around the city seeking inspiration. To move through all of the ever-changing neighborhoods, and down South St. purveying all of the murals and installations that define Philadelphia. And once she gets home, she’ll browse social media, checking out the amazing works of local artists, collecting her thoughts and threading together a mosaic of both the beauty and hardship in her life and all around us.
And it will be from this inkwell of reality that Dynisha will drop her quill as she fills in the remaining blanks in her journey.
"I don’t have any formal experience in animation,” notes Dynisha. “So my goal is to graduate, transfer to a four year college, get my Bachelor’s, and get an internship with Pixar. And from there, possibly make my own dreams come to life one day.” She’ll continue to take it one step at a time, applying and reapplying her experience as she transitions into a world of fantasy, blurring the lines of real and unreal.And through it all, she’ll remember how important all of these inspirations were to her, as she encourages her little brothers to pursue art while laying out the plans of her future studio in which she will help teach kids who are interested in art and animation.
And through it all, she’ll remember how important all of these inspirations were to her, as she encourages her little brothers to pursue art while laying out the plans of her future studio in which she will help teach kids who are interested in art and animation.“I believe everyone should do art,” said
“I believe everyone should do art,” said Dynisha. “My dad was a big supporter for me in that, but I tell people that if you don’t have the support, go find it! There’s a lot of people out there that are like you, who need support, and will give you support. So you can’t be scared! Build your own support.”Dynisha is a shy person by nature, having previously turned down opportunities to put her art on display in shows. But she’ll be featuring them prominently this Saturday for The KIND Institute’s Benefit Fundraiser, just as she had for the local Art Feast.
Dynisha is a shy person by nature, having previously turned down opportunities to put her art on display in shows. But she’ll be featuring them prominently this Saturday for The KIND Institute’s Benefit Fundraiser, just as she had for the local Art Feast.“I just wanna push myself. I’m still an artist-in-training, but I’m getting better. So I say, to others, really push yourself too! You gotta get out your show. Just get out your show!”
“I just wanna push myself. I’m still an artist-in-training, but I’m getting better. So I say, to others, really push yourself too! You gotta get out your show. Just get out your show!”And as she displays her talents, what will shine through is a family tradition that goes beyond a long Saturday afternoon learning how to draw with her grandfather at the University of the Arts, or creating comics with her father. A tradition of sharing a real superpower that charges the feelings that is the heart of these wonderful animated films: love and support.
And as she displays her talents, what will shine through is a family tradition that goes beyond a long Saturday afternoon learning how to draw with her grandfather at the University of the Arts, or creating comics with her father. A tradition of sharing a real superpower that charges the feelings that is the heart of these wonderful animated films: love and support.
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Kevin Taylor
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