Take a good look at these moving works, because rebuilding efforts will render them all ephemeral soon.

Thursday’s news that PG&E blew off maintenance on the power lines whose failure likely caused the November's Camp Fire has brought another round of exasperation with the utility company (and has PG&E wildly spinning out public relations damage control). But one uplifting story is emerging from the Camp Fire aftermath, as the New York Times profiles an artist who is painting murals on the ruins of burnt-out structures in Paradise, CA.

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The biggest thing that sticks out to me driving throughout Paradise is the endless images of burnt out vehicles and leftover chimneys still standing. One of the hard realities are the small business owners that lost their business during the fire. As we meet them we find out that a lot of them have to move away and start their business all over again. Here’s a small auto shop that completely burnt down. I thought this van was a beautiful canvas to paint. Big shot out to my wife Missy Grammer who is taking care of our family back home and believing in me enough to tell me to get back up to Paradise! I want to give a big shout out to @hugheykevin and his law firm @hugheyphillipsllp . Thank you guys so much for been a huge support throughout this project. We couldn’t do it without you! It’s great having the talented @terence_duffy! . . . . . . . #shanegrammer #shanegrammerarts #paradisestrong #hugheyphillips #terenceduffy #buttestrong #streetartglobe #montana94 #montanacolors94 #streetartportraits #streetartgallery #urbanportraits #urbanportrait #sprayplanet

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That artist is Shane Grammer, whose most prominent work is amusement park installations at Disneyland and Universal Studios. Grammer is a native of Chico, some 15 miles from Paradise, and many of his childhood friends lost their homes the Camp Fires.

This was my long time friends house, Amber. We grew up together in Chico. They didn’t have much left to paint but I liked the burnt up and twisted shed. I thought it had some great texture. Most of the homes around her home burnt down and are gone. I thought this was such a powerful image and their home is off the grid. Driving up to it is so powerful. Big shot out to my wife Missy Grammer who is taking care of our family back home and believing in me enough to tell me to get back up to Paradise! I want to give a big shout out to @hugheykevin and his law firm Hughey Phillips LLP . Thank you guys so much for been a huge support throughout this project. We couldn’t do it without you! It’s great having the talented Terence Duffy Photographs! . . . . . . #shanegrammer #shanegrammerarts #paradisestrong #hugheyphillips #terenceduffy #buttestrong #streetartglobe #montana94 #montanacolors94 #streetartportraits #streetartgallery #urbanportraits #urbanportrait #sprayplanet

Posted by Shane Grammer Arts on Wednesday, February 27, 2019

“The fire didn’t really hit home for me until friends I grew up with started posting on Facebook,” Grammer tells the New York Times. “It’s not devastation where in six months, everything’s going to be normal.”

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I was born and raised in Chico California not too far from Paradise. It was so devastating to have so many childhood friends completely lose their homes. As I saw photos from the wreckage and aftermath of the fire it’s one of those things I knew I had to paint. One of my friends Shane and Jennifer Edwards we’re sharing photos of their house completely destroyed but the only thing standing was the fireplace. As devastating as it was I really wanted to paint it and paint something that brought hope in the middle of complete destruction. @montanashopla I absolutely love the Montana 94 Transparent colors. I’ll be back for some more very soon. . . . . . . . . #shanegrammer #shanegrammerarts #paradisecalifornia #prayforparadisecalifornia #paradisecaliforniafire #streetartportraits #portraitartwork #montanaspraypaint #streetartportrait #spraypaintart #portraitartwork #artworkportrait #beautyfromashes #campfireparadise

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All 12 pieces he’s done so far have been with the permission of the homes' owners. The first of these was the above-seen mural of a woman’s face painted on a chimney. That mural was torn down last week, as rebuilding efforts will render most of these works into temporary pieces.

Yes, that’s Jesus on this mural, painted on the remains of Hope Christian Church on Pentz Road in Paradise. Church employee Jeana Darby tells the Times that the “charred baptismal is as encouraging as the wooden cross still standing after the wall burned to the ground.”

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Day 5 Paradise Camp Fire Mural Project: I think today I was moving pretty slow. I didn’t do any social media post. Definitely processing the whole week. So good to see friends from high school. Friends from my church growing up through high school and junior high. It felt like a reunion of friends and family. Meeting so many great people from the paradise community. This last Mural is a memorial as well as a home lost but we keep moving on. Moving forward loving our families. Story behind the art: This Mural is a memorial to Helen Pace. Helen was 84 yrs old. She was a widow. She is survived by four children, eight grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. Her life was taken in the Camp fire. She was a dear, sweet, and kind lady. God rest her soul, in Jesus. Our goal is to make a difference and bring hope to the Paradise Camp Fire victims. I’m glad I’m going be busy creating artwork because it’s going to keep me focused. We will be here through January 14-18 and I’m going to paint as much as I can! Thank you @hugheykevin and @hugheyphillipsllp for your partnership and support. We are thrilled we have @terence_duffy to photograph all week as I paint. . . . . . . . #shanegrammer #shanegrammerarts #terenceduffy #hugheykevin #hugheyphillips #hugheyphillipsllp #montana94 #montanacolors94 #paradisestrong #ptown #streetartportraits #spraypaintart #paradisecampfiremurals #montanashopla #buttestrong #buttecountystrong

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Others are homages to the people who perished in the fire, like 84-year-old Helen Pace seen in the photo above.

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT: I Just wanted to let everybody know that behind the scenes we are working hard with dear...

Posted by Shane Grammer Arts on Thursday, February 21, 2019

Some permanent good may come of these temporary murals: Grammer says in a Facebook post that an upcoming art show and coffee table book will feature these works, and that “proceeds will be going to Paradise Fire victims.”  


Related: Weather Puts a Damper on Camp Fire Debris Removal [KRC TV]