PARADISE — Despite being closed 20 of the last 24 months, the Paradise Art Center like so many others have pushed through. The Art Center first re-opened Nov. 1, 2019, following the Camp Fire in November 2018 that burned through the town. In March COVID-19 once again shut the center down, leaving artists and teachers without their home away from home.
On Sunday, the Art Center opened for its first time since March, welcoming Paradise muralist Shane Grammer for the re-opening. Grammer, who grew up in Chico and now lives in Los Angeles, returned to Butte County once more for the two year anniversary of the Camp Fire.
Following the Camp Fire, Grammer used spray paint to paint murals around Paradise on charred pieces of housing, cars and other burned items around town — all of which were received positively by the town. Two of Grammer’s most well-known pieces include “Beauty Among the Ashes” and “Rising From the Ashes.”
“Shane has been an outstanding supporter of us,” said Paradise Art Center President Kathleen Dysert. “When he was doing the murals he came to us to do a fundraiser for us that basically helped us exist for the last year.”
While artists from the Art Center had their art on display and for sale as well, the line for Grammer’s art and his newly designed 2021 Camp Fire mural calendar were the star of the show. Despite being open to the public at 11 a.m. on Sunday, as Grammer was finishing up a final painting for display, at 10:55 visitors began filing in. From 11 a.m.-noon Grammer had a steady line of people as he signed calendars and other prints.
At 11:08 a.m., Grammer and everyone in the center paused for a moment of “silence,” as a bell was rung at the center and horns from churches rung around Butte County.
The town of Paradise just had a bell ringing ceremony across the town at 11:08 a.m. in honor of the Camp Fire. 11/8/2018 #Campfire @ChicoER pic.twitter.com/ZQq6m0Xot1
— Justin Couchot (@JCouchot_Sports) November 8, 2020
Inspiration in his youth
Grammer’s mother Suzanne Grammer first saw her son’s inspiration for art began when he saw him draw the fictional character Jiminy Cricket from the film The Adventures of Pinocchio. Suzanne asked her son if he traced it, he said no, and drew a larger size version of the same character. That was in first grade, and his love of art has taken off from there she said.
“I’m very proud of him because that’s his heart,” Suzanne Grammer said. “He just loves to bring hope to people that are hurting. He’s always been that way.”
Grammer had several special visitors come by the Art Center for his special return, including his parents, his brother and a substitute teacher from Chico Junior High School from his youth days.
While Grammer’s family and teachers as well as the Art Center were all excited to see him back in Butte County, one of the most excited was 16-year old Westli Maloney. Maloney, a student at Inspire School of Arts and Sciences in Chico, first saw Grammer’s work through the murals throughout Paradise, and was a fan immediately.
Maloney followed Shane on Instagram and Sunday he got his first chance to meet a fellow artist he looks up to.
“I was pretty excited since I’ve been following him since the fire. I’ve been wanting to meet him since,” Maloney said. “I do art, not as good as him obviously. But I draw and use markers, some graffiti art.”
Maloney’s former teacher Barbara Burke attended the Art Center on Sunday seeing Grammer for the first time he was in 8th grade and said she is so thankful for the work he has done in his hometown.
“When he was a 7th and 8th grader and he used to draw all the time,” Burke said. “I’m so happy to see how successful he is. So lovely of him to do that in the first place.”
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November 09, 2020 at 11:00AM
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Shane Grammer featured on Camp Fire anniversary as Paradise Art Center reopens - Chico Enterprise-Record
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