The town of Salida, Colorado is proud to have Tina Gramann as an outstanding member of our fine arts community. The impact that she has had on the community is dynamic and will have a lasting impact on everyone, especially the youth of the community.
Gramann moved to Salida with her family at the end of 2013 for a job opportunity that her partner, Brian, was interviewing for. Prior to moving to Salida, Gramann lived in Austin, Texas where she choreographed fight scenes for professional regional ZACH Theatre and Austin Shakespeare Company for 10 years.
“The scale of theater productions was obviously much different here (in Salida), so I kind of put theater on the shelf so to speak and decided to pursue visual art,” stated Gramann.
The first weekend that Gramann arrived in Salida, she was unsure about how living in a small town would compare to the artistic grandeur of Austin, Texas, but upon arrival she met multiple artists, including painter William Boddy, reverse glass painter Jess Vogel, and theater director Jan Justis. Gramann was very intrigued by the newly certified Creative District, and Jess Vogal also extended a job for her to work in her gallery.
“We could tell that Salida was a place where everyone is encouraged to roll up their sleeves, get involved, and make a difference. And that fit right in with what we were looking for, so we took a leap of faith, and I had never lived outside of Texas since then,” she said.
Gramann found that the people in Salida were very supportive and encouraging, especially while she was still adjusting to Salida. Oftentimes, she would be amazed by the community aspect of living in Salida and found it inspiring to be able to talk with the many local artists about art making and murals.
“There are a lot of Salidians that let me try out my murals or chalk art at their event, property, or business. I have probably painted a mural or two at every school. And I really got a lot of practice the year the Gentlemen of the Road festival came to Salida!” she said.
Gramann went on to say that as word spread about her painting and chalk art, a lot of businesses and friends hired her to paint their windows, make menu boards, or paint a mural. She pointed out that all these local businesses had a hand in helping her develop her artistic skills, but more importantly, she says that they helped her develop her confidence.
“I learned that it is worth it to pursue something you are passionate about and to share it with others and don’t be afraid to ask,” Gramann said.
It is just this “go-get ‘em” attitude that pushed Gramann to start the Salida Creativity Lab in 2016. This organization offers art and drama classes and camps as well as cultural events like Asia Fest and Día de los Muertos.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to build community using the arts, and to discover along the way to always: start with the people, find their creative strengths, and build upon them for the benefit of the community. And what better place than Salida?” she said.
Gramann describes how fantastic it is to be able to create and collaborate with others in town, an opportunity that she didn’t have living in Austin. Gramann grew up in a small town in Texas, no bigger than the size of Salida. Her parents immigrated from the Philippines to the United States and her sister, brother, and her are all first generation born American.
Gramann says that she remembers learning about her Filipino culture as she grew up, but the small town where she lived also allowed her to learn about many other cultures. She noted that she got to interact with Czech, German, Mexican, and African American people who were her neighbors and classmates. But, like Salida, she stated that there was a very small Asian population. They had to drive to the city to interact with people with similar backgrounds.
“So somewhere along the way, it became important to me to start sharing my culture with the community, especially the children. To provide knowledge and culture they might not otherwise experience,” said Gramann.
Part of what Gramann currently does includes multiple hands-on workshop events such as dragon or lantern making and an alebrije making workshop. Her journey to explore putting on parades and events stemmed from the first dragon parade at Longfellow Elementary in 2016. Eight Years later, events like these are still being carried out. Asia Fest brought the Lion and Dragon Team from Denver, and Día de los Muertos provided Perla Tropical Mariachi y Trio and Cora Fuerza Musical. As well as hosting multiple events and workshops, the summer camps, programs, classes, and productions the Graham has put on for the community seems to be endless
“I think that it is important to provide diverse cultural experiences in rural communities […] And that is my favorite part, sharing art and culture with the community! ” said Gramann.
Most recently, Gramann has begun working for the Salida Creative District. She provides outreach and engagement for artists and the community as well as coordinating events such as First Fridays, artist meetups, and programs for the community such as camps and classes. In the future, Gramann will be participating in the 2024 ArtWalk and is developing new events.
Anyone who has seen any of Gramann‘s murals, paintings, or attended a workshop knows how much happiness her art can bring and the inspiration that Gramann brings to Salida. If you haven’t had the opportunity to view Tina’s art– it can be found all over Natural Grocers, alleyways in Salida, the F St Barricades, and in our own schools. Gramann has decided her most favorite piece she’s created here is one found in our alleys.
“If I am picking my own piece […] I would have to say a mural in one of the alleys. One, because of the content- monarchs, milkweed, and marigolds (I am from Austin which is on the migration path and the month of October is a sight to see!), plus there is a section of traditional Filipino tattoo marks on it; and it is spray painted, one of my favorite mediums. But my most favorite part is seeing people hanging out in front of it. It’s a little spot to take a minute for yourself like being in nature, and for that, I am grateful!”
Gramann has been practicing art for about 20 years, but even that is not equivalent to the impact her and her art has had on the community. Salida can’t wait to see what she keeps on creating.
