December’s art exhibitions include over 100 small paintings and pieces from local artists, a celebration of the color red, and vibrant textiles.
Salem on the Edge
156 Liberty St. N.E.
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 12 – 4 p.m.; closed last Sunday of the month
Admission: Free
TINY ART – Small works show
Through Dec. 24
Over 100 small pieces from dozens of artists will be on display throughout the month.
“Lots of artwork hung salon style so you may take them right off the wall and home with you, as a gift for someone you love or maybe a gift for yourself,” said owner Melanie Weston in an email.
The gallery will also be open on Christmas Eve from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for last-minute gifts.
Elsinore Fine Art Gallery
444 Ferry St. S.E.
Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission: Free
COLOR AS THEME – Something Red
Through Dec. 30
Over 115 works of art under the theme “Something Red” will be displayed as part of the downtown gallery’s annual exhibition celebrating the primary color. The works include paintings, photography, digital art and ceramics.
Mid-Valley Quilt Guild
Keizer Community Center – 930 Chemawa Road N.E., Keizer
Hours: Monday- Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Admission: Free
LOCAL QUILTERS – The Quilts at Keizer
Through Jan. 30
The Mid-Valley Quilt Guild, which meets monthly in Salem, will have nearly 30 quilts on display in Keizer this month. The quilts are a range of styles and sizes, including modern, traditional, wall hangings and bedspreads. There will be some quilts for sale.
The display also includes comfort and fidget quilts that are popular for children and memory care patients, which will be distributed to community organizations, said member Michelle Litke.
World Beat Gallery
390 Liberty St. S.E.
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturdays by appointment.
Admission: Free
A GLIMPSE INTO JAPANESE CULTURE: Windows to Japan
Through Dec. 8
An exhibit at the World Beat Gallery will give visitors a chance to learn about Japanese music, celebrations and ceremonies.
There will be craft activities and demonstrations throughout the month to accompany the exhibit. For more information or to sign up, contact the gallery at [email protected] or call 503-581-2004
Willamette Heritage Center
1313 Mill St. S.E.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Admission: $10 adult, $8 seniors over 65, $6 students and children age 6-17. Passes available for checkout at the Salem Public Library.
OREGON WEAVERS: Filaments
Through Jan. 31
A traveling exhibit celebrating filaments, the threads that come together in weaving and fiber arts, is on display at the Willamette Heritage Center this month. The exhibit promises a “visual feast” for art enthusiasts and fans of textiles.
“Whether for domestic use or as artistic expressions, the exhibit highlights the fusion of function and form through the choice of fibers,” said a press release from the center.
The exhibit is sponsored by the Weaving Guilds of Oregon, called WeGO, and has been in six venues in Oregon this year from Bend to the coast.
Salem Public Library
585 Liberty St. S.E.
Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday 12-6 p.m.
Admission: Free
OREGON BLACK PIONEERS: Racing to Change
Through Feb. 1
The library is featuring an exhibit about Oregon’s Civil Rights Movement, focusing on the fight for equal rights and racial justice during the 1960s and 1970s.
The exhibit was developed by Oregon Black Pioneers, a Salem-based historical society that researches, preserves and educates about Black history in Oregon. They’ve published an online version of the exhibit at the library here.
Salem Art Association
600 Mission St. S.E.
Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 12 – 5 p.m.
Admission: Free
PLANTATION WORKERS IN HAWAI’I: Golden Fruit
Through Dec. 24
Kanani Miyamoto’s large-scale prints use Japanese and Hawaiian imagery to explore the history of plantation workers in Hawai’i. Miyamoto earned a MFA in Print Media at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and works as an artist, curator and educator. She lives in Portland, but is originally from Honolulu, according to the Salem Art Association.
“Important to her work as an artist is sharing and celebrating her unique mixed background in our contemporary art world in hopes to represent her community and the beauty of intersectional identities,” her artist’s biography said.
ART IN COMMON: PASSAGES
Through Dec. 24
When putting the “passages” exhibit together, curator Kathleen Dinges Rice wanted to put together two artists who have known each other for a long time, but hadn’t worked together, according to her curatorial statement.
Sara Swanberg’s handmade rivers of wood and clay are displayed alongside Doug Dacar’s sculptures. Rice said their work relates strongly but informally.
“There seem to be common themes, common sensibilities, and common conversations that are happening, although never with each other,” she said.
Hallie Ford Museum of Art – Willamette University
700 State St.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 12 – 5 p.m.
Admission: $8 general, $5 for seniors. Free admission for children up to age 17, educators and students with ID and museum members. Free admission on Tuesdays. Passes available for checkout at the Salem Public Library.
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS – Highlights from the Permanent Collection
Through Dec. 16
The Hallie Ford Museum of Art first opened in October 1998, and will celebrate 25 years by showcasing nearly 100 works from its permanent collection, including some on display for the first time.
The art on display comes from the Pacific Northwest and around the world, and spans from ancient to contemporary. The exhibit will also explore the history of the collection and the people who made it happen over the years.
There will be a series of lectures, films, gallery talks and activities in conjunction with the exhibition, the schedule is available online.
Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.
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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
