SALEM EVENTS

What’s showing at Salem galleries, museums in February

This month, young artists will take the spotlight in several Salem galleries, a limited-time exhibit will share Japanese floral arrangements and Indigenous artists will tell stories and teach beadwork.

Between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday evening, Feb. 7, the downtown Art Walk will bring artists and musicians to local businesses downtown. See the Facebook event for more information.

Salem Art Association

600 Mission St. S.E.

Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 12 – 4 p.m.

Admission: Free

CALLING YOUNG ARTISTS – Young Artists’ Showcase

Salem Art Association is seeking submissions from K-12 artists in the area to display during the 16th annual Young Artists’ Showcase in March.

Art can be dropped off between noon and 4 p.m. on February 15, 16, 22 and 23. For the entry form and information, see the Salem Art Association website.

The second annual Art Teachers Showcase will accept submissions from K-12 art teachers on Feb. 22 and 23 from noon to 4 p.m. There will be a reception to meet the teachers on Friday, Feb. 28, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. 

STORYTELLING, ART WORKSHOP – Indigenous Art Co-Teachers-in-Residence

On Wednesday, Feb. 19, Nakeezaka Suloostu Jack will lead a storytelling event at the Salem Art Association. He is an enrolled Shoshone Bannock Tribal member from the Fort Indian Reservation of Idaho, and will be sharing stories told by his late great grandmother Camille Navo-George. The free event starts at 6 p.m. RSVP online.

On Saturday, Feb. 22, Nakoosa Moreland will lead a dentalium earring workshop. It will start at 11 a.m. Moreland is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and a master beadwork artist. The earring kits will be premade, and beginners are welcome. Materials are $40, RSVP online.

JAPANESE FLOWER ART – Whispers of Spring

Feb. 20-22

A showcase of ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement, will come to the Salem Art Association this month. The pieces come from students at the Oregon Chapter of the Ohara School based in Portland.

“Through the precise placement of each element, the artist creates a visual story that reflects nature’s elegance and the changing rhythm of life, inspiring inner peace and awareness,” an exhibit statement said.

There will be an opening reception Thursday, Feb. 20, at 2 p.m. to meet the artists.

OREGON BLACK PIONEERS – ReEnvisioned

Through Feb. 23

Jeremy Okai Davis’ portraits of early Black pioneers have returned to the Salem Art Association. There will be a conversation with Davis, curator Tammy Jo Wilson and Oregon Black Pioneers Emeritus Gwen Carr on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 1 p.m. RSVP for the free discussion online.

In 2022, the art association commissioned Davis to paint the series which highlights the contributions of early Black pioneers in Oregon. Portraits of Letitia Carson (1815-1888) and Thomas C. King (1847-1904) will be on display this month.

Letitia Carson first arrived in Oregon in 1845, either enslaved or formerly enslaved. Thomas C. King spent much of his early life enslaved and moved to west Salem in the 1890s, before starting a homestead in Tillamook County.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE – Tatiana Dmitrichuk

Through Feb. 28

Oil painter Tatiana Dmitrichuk will be the artist in residence at the Salem Artist Association this month, where she will create new work in their studio space. Dmitrichuk specializes in portraits, plein air and figurative work, according to her artists’ statement.

“I believe that beauty exists everywhere, and art is simply the medium through which we can capture and appreciate it,” she said.

CONFRONTING FATE – An Angel Will Appear

Through Feb. 23

Portland-based artist EGOR, Eilish Gormley, will share her piece “An Angel Will Appear,” which combines film, music and painting to explore mythology. 

“Our protagonist, in a deja vuvian moment, realizes that she is about to be visited by an angel. She is overjoyed. Her excitement fades as reality unfolds. This may not be an announcement she desires. She must act fiercely in order to take the reins of her fate,” a description reads.

“An Angel Will Appear” will be in the Focus Gallery until Feb. 23, 2024. (Courtesy/ Salem Art Association)

PORTRAITS AND SHORT FILMS – Favorite Things II

Through June 29

A portrait and short film series by Portland artist Jason Hill, “Favorite Things II,” asked artists to talk about their favorite item while in a studio. 

“The results are an experiment with light and color to create magical portraits and filmed testimonials,” said an artist statement. 

Elsinore Framing & Fine Art Gallery/Artists in Action

444 Ferry St. S.E.

Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Admission: Free

The gallery is looking for local artists to share their work in upcoming exhibits, including the miniature show and photography show. Learn more and apply here

2-D AND 3-D  – CTEC Student Exhibit

Feb. 7 – Feb. 28

Students in the video game and design program at Salem’s Career Technical Education Center will showcase their work this month. It’s the second annual show, and will include both 2-D and 3-D work.

The gallery will also have new work in the Artists in Action gallery, following February’s theme of “Pacific Northwest.”

“Taxi Stand” by John McFadden, a new artist featured in the Artists in Action gallery at Elsinore Framing & Fine Art in February. (Courtesy/ Elsinore Framing)

Level 2 Gallery – Salem Convention Center

200 Commercial St. S.E.

Hours: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., or for appointment call 503-589-1700

Admission: Free

FATHERHOOD – New Energy

Through June 13

The Level 2 Gallery will feature work by Salem artists Shoki Tanabe and Adam Zeek. “New Energy” is the first collaborative exhibition by two lifelong friends. Tanabe works in acrylic, graphite and oil pastel on canvas or wood and Zeek carves wood panels. 

The work is shaped by their experiences raising daughters, the artists said in a joint statement. 

“Navigating new terrain and gazing upon new landscapes demands a new perspective through aging eyes. In moments of exhaustion, we tap into a new energy, harnessing our lived experiences as kids again,” they said.

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.

Admission: Free

ANNUAL SHOW – Erotica

Feb. 5 – March 2

“Erotica: An Exhibition to Arouse” returns to Salem on the Edge this month. The popular annual show asked local artists to submit works in any medium and any interpretation of the theme. 

Keizer Art Association

Keizer Cultural Center, 980 Chemawa Rd., Keizer

Hours: Tuesday 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Wednesday-Friday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Admission: Free

ALL ABOUT ANIMALS – Fins, Feathers and Fur

Through Feb. 5

This month, artists of all ages are showcasing work featuring a wide range of animals. There will be a special youth art category for children ages 4 to 14. Work on display includes photography, paintings, sculptures and more.

FIRST TUESDAY – Stacey Witenberger

On Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m., artist Stacey Wittenberger will talk about the process behind his custom mixed-media rings and laminated wood boxes. There will be refreshments, an artists show and tell and door prizes. Anyone is welcome to bring art they’ve recently completed or are working on to talk about.

The Keizer Art Association is hosting several art classes in February, including watercolor, colored pencil and oil painting. See prices and a schedule in their newsletter.

STUDENT ART – McNary High School Art Show

Feb. 6 – March 4

Work from McNary High school students will be on display this month. There will be a public reception with awards for the artwork on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m.

Salem Public Library

585 Liberty St. S.E.

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Admission: Free

SALEM READS – “Why Didn’t You Tell Me?”

Through March 1

In collaboration with the Salem Art Association, an art exhibit of mixed media, sculpture and painted works inspired by themes of identity and family are already on display at the main branch of the Salem Public Library. The exhibit is part of this year’s Salem Reads schedule, the community-wide book club on the memoir “Why Didn’t You Tell Me? By Carmen Rita Wong.

On Friday, Feb. 14, at 9 a.m., KMUZ 100.7 will broadcast a discussion with the featured artists about their work.

World Beat Gallery

390 Liberty St. S.E.

Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment. 

Admission: Free

CAMBODIAN CULTURE – Angkorian Might

Through Feb. 6

An immersive exhibit highlighting Cambodian culture is on display at the World Beat Gallery until Thursday, Feb. 6. 

Willamette Heritage Center

1313 Mill St. S.E.

Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Admission: $10 adults, $8 seniors over 65, $6 students and children ages 6-17. Passes available for checkout at the Salem Public Library. Free admission for Oregon Trail/SNAP/EBT card holders.

HISTORY OF SPORTS – Let’s Play!

Through May 24

Later this month, an exhibition will share “forgotten sports memorabilia from the Mid-Willamette Valley’s past,” including vintage uniforms and a scoreboard of local team heroes, according to a museum statement.

“Sports foster teamwork, but they can also create a sense of community and belonging. This Heritage Invitational exhibition explores how Mid-Willamette Valley communities have come together through competition,” the statement said.

The exhibit includes artifacts from over a dozen museums and organizations throughout the region, including the Oregon State Hospital, Willamette University and the city of Salem Parks and Recreation Department.

The Willamette Heritage Center is also opening up its Caboose 507 for a preview of new permanent exhibits focusing on the history of the railroad in Salem. The museum is in the final stages of building an accessible ramp before opening the exhibit, according to their website.

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 for all on Tuesdays. Passes available for checkout at the Salem Public Library.

OREGON FORESTS – Nancy Floyd: For the Love of Trees

Through June 21

An exhibition opening at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art this month features recent work by Bend-based photographer and author Nancy Floyd.

The exhibit, “For the Love of Trees,” is a multi-year project exploring the bond between Oregonians and the forest, “including those who study trees, those who protect trees, those who make a living off trees, and those who see trees as part of their daily life,” according to a description.

Floyd was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2022 for the work, which brought her alongside forestry workers, into mills and on tree-planting trips. 

SCULPTURES AND INSTALLATIONS – Brenda Mallory: The North Star Changes

Through March 22

Work by Portland mixed-media artist Brenda Mallory will be on display at the museum later this month. The show, titled “The North Star Changes,” features 36 works on loan from collections throughout the region.

Mallory is a member of the Cherokee Nation, and is known for her sculptures and large-scale installations, according to a museum statement.

“Mallory describes her art process as bricolage—the construction or creation of an object from a diverse range of available materials. One of her processes is to dip flannel in beeswax and shape the cloth into undulating, biomorphic forms, many of which suggest living organisms,” the statement said.

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.