Dai (pronounced like “Day”) was born Dailyn Eades is a painter based in Indianapolis. She received this nickname originally from her mother. She had heard all through her life that “day” is almost symbolic because she reminds people of sunshine. Her unique perspective comes from a cumulation of adversities she has faced throughout her life. Dai was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder when she was in elementary school. Although she aims to resemble sunshine, Dai is not neurotypical and has fought depression most of her life.
She stumbled into painting in February of 2022 as a therapeutic tool. Very quickly an activity turned into a hobby and then took on a life of its own. Dai says she has never loved anything as much as she loves painting and it truly has saved her life. Her work is raw and vulnerable. Although at first glance it is often missed, her work has a lot of social, psychological, and political references. Every piece she works on pulls from an emotional place. Color is her favorite component of the process. She thinks her work shows the duality and multifaceted reality of her life.