Our Stories Through Art

“Painting the town with stories told and untold”

What is OSTA?

Our Stories Through Art (OSTA) is a cultural placemaking initiative that transforms our community stories into public art. Through murals, installations, storytelling events, and an interactive Art Tour, the OSTA Project will honor Talent's diverse histories while revitalizing our local economy and creating spaces where heritage, creativity, and community meet.

OSTA Project Goals

Celebrate Diversity

Amplify underrepresented voices and honor the histories of all Talent residents

Create Public Art

Install murals, sculptures, and interactive installations throughout downtown

Build Community

Foster unity and healing through collaborative storytelling and artistic expression

Boost Local Economy

Attract visitors and support local businesses through cultural tourism

Preserve Stories

Document and archive community histories, especially from historically under-represented & excluded groups

Create Accessible Experiences

Develop a bilingual, ADA-accessible Art Tour for all community members and visitors to enjoy

Our Stories Through Art Tells Talent’s Story

Our Stories Through Art (OSTA) is led by the Talent Business Alliance (TBA) as part of a broader economic revitalization plan that includes a Destination Development Strategy. Since 2023, TBA has convened a coalition of nonprofits to create an accessible Interpretive Art Tour that tells Talent's stories through art and draws residents and visitors to downtown.

The coalition includes Coalición Fortaleza (Latine and Indigenous community advocacy), the Talent Public Art Committee (public art planning and execution), the Talent Historical Society (archives and oral histories), and Talent Maker City (community building through creativity and STEAM learning). OSTA's projects are supported by grants from the Oregon Community Foundation, Ford Family Foundation, OSU Recreation Recovery Grant, and the Roundhouse Foundation.

The Talent Strong Community Murals project, implemented by Talent Maker City, builds on a 2021 Talent Urban Renewal Agency initiative that produced thirty-two murals by Almeda Fire survivors and community members. The murals are now being re-sealed and preserved with City of Talent support, while metal sculpture artist Rick Evans, teaching a welding series through Talent Maker City, leads fabrication work scheduled for 2026.

Ecological Narratives: Biodiversity and Belonging features mural panels by local artist KYRIANNA on the exterior of the Talent Historical Museum along Market Street. "My intention with this mural is to honor, educate and inspire." Contracting and design are underway, with an unveiling coming up on Friday, May 22, 2026.

OSTA is also developing culturally authentic artwork about life in the Talent area prior to colonization, in collaboration with educator and local leader Brook Colley. "We are working with Brook to develop a narrative that will inform the artwork's design, ensuring that the project respectfully reflects Indigenous histories and experiences," said Debra Moon of the Talent Historical Society. OSTA is engaging with local Native American artists to help bring this vision to life.

Storytelling is at OSTA's core. In collaboration with the Talent Historical Society and Erica Ledesma of De La Raíz, OSTA gathers personal narratives, oral histories, and audio stories from community members, turning individual memories into shared cultural treasures that celebrate Talent's past, present, and future.

Through these efforts, OSTA is transforming Talent's public spaces into a living cultural tapestry and ensuring that recovery becomes an enduring, inclusive renaissance for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.

May 22 Mural Unveiling

Ecological Narratives: Biodiversity and Belonging by Local Artist, KYRIANNA

The OSTA Project is working on a public art project that celebrates the connection between community, culture, and nature. Centered around the theme “Ecological Narratives: Biodiversity and Belonging,” selected mural works by local artist KYRIANNA, will be installed and displayed on the outside walls at the Talent Historical Museum, offering reflection on the relationships between local people (past and present), wildlife, and the land we call home.

Join us on Friday, May 22, 2026 from at 6:00 pm outside the Talent Historical Society (105 N Market St) for a the Mural Unveiling, followed by a community art activity and time to meet the artist.

KYRIANNA is an internationally known watercolor and mixed media artist who creates work centered around the theme of chronic pain and illness. Born and raised in Talent, Oregon - her practice began young as she developed a debilitating chronic pain condition at the age of twelve. Her focus is on the subject of disability, while incorporating themes of feminism, intersectionality, psychology and nature. Learn more about the artist on her website: www.kyrianna.art.

“Talent Strong” Gateway Murals Restoration & Public Art Project

“Talent Strong” Community Murals Project will restore and permanently display the Gateway Murals that were previously located on the fence along Highway 99 at the Talent Gateway site while it served as transitional housing for fire survivors.

Talent Maker City has worked to reseal the Gateway Murals and they will now be safely stored by the City of Talent until they can be installed in their forever home! The final art installation will include interactive community workshops where residents and artists will co-create sculptural metal frames to showcase the murals downtown in a new permanent location (coming soon). This initiative invites the community to participate in a creative process that will honor Talent’s past, and help shape its future.

Our Stories through Art Project Partners

OSTA is a collaborative project to use art as a tool for storytelling, education, community connection, and creative placemaking.