The latest Shane Grammer mural project titled “The Last Forgotten Flower”, spreading cultural awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, was all set to commence at Fifth and Ivy in Chico, California on Saturday, March 20th, when Grammer's newly formed Hope Through Art Foundation received news the day prior to the installation that the location was a no go. Although the owner of the wall was thrilled to beautify her businesses with the mastery of an artist who gained national fame for his burn-scar murals in Paradise, California, permission to use the lawn of an adjacent fraternity house as a staging area was denied. That's when Ali Meders-Knight, a local native American artist and Mechoopda Tribal member, sprang into action securing an alternative site.
The new site at 2nd and Cedar near downtown Chico was not only a better location visually, it's canvas was much bigger than the original site and allowed local mural artist Christian Garcia to contribute a wolf to the tapestry along with Indian Paint Brush flowers painted by Ali Meder's Knight, all done alongside Grammer's stunning portrait of a native American woman Let's listen now to all three of the artists sharing thoughts on their collaborative work with Ron Toppi on location for Imagining Community.
The event was attended by some sixty people, including Debra Lucero, Butte County Board of Supervisors for District #2. We include three additional interviews for extended coverage that wasn't aired on Chico News and Review on the Radio for KZFR 90.1FM on Thursday, March 25, 2021.
Click here for Imagining Community photography from the mural dedication.
