What’s showing at Salem galleries, museums in March
This month, art galleries in Salem will welcome spring with bright colors, celebrate women with larger than life portraits and showcase student paintings and sculptures.
Between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday evening, March 7, the Salem Art Walk will bring artists and musicians to local businesses downtown.
Salem Art Association
600 Mission St. S.E.
Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 12 – 4 p.m.
Admission: Free
ART BY STUDENTS – Young Artists’ Showcase
Through April 27
The 16th Young Artists’ Showcase will share paintings, drawings and sculptures by hundreds of K-12 students in Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties.
“The energy and creativity of these students are electric, and it’s an honor to spotlight them alongside the works of our local art educators. Your support and encouragement mean the world to these budding artists!” a Facebook post from the art association said.
ART BY TEACHERS – 2nd Annual Art Teachers Showcase
Through April 27
A tribute to art by educators is showing at the Salem Art Association this month. Local K-12 art teachers have submitted 2D and 3D works, including oil and acrylic paintings, in conjunction with the Young Artists’ Showcase.
CELEBRATING SALEM – The Cherry City of the World
Through April 27
Spring is near, and a new exhibition from the Salem Art Association is celebrating its arrival with the vibrant colors of the season. Local artists have submitted painted work “capturing the beauty of Salem as it blooms into ‘The Cherry City of the World,’” according to an art association description.
THE WORLD OF BOOKS – De Natura Libris
Through March 30
Mexico City photographer Álvaro Alejandro López portrays the physical and abstract interactions people have with books in his series “De Natura Libris,” on display at the Salem Art Association this month. He asked writers to share texts, which served as starting inspiration for each picture.
“By reading and using books, people create ties. As each journey through a book is personal, so is the interpretation of these photographs,” a exhibit description said.
EXPERIMENTAL WORK – Artist in residence
Through March 31
March’s artist in residence is Heidi Preuss Grew, the chair of Chemeketa Community College’s art program. She’s known for her figurative sculptures and drawings, and will be completing a project of mixed media and experimental work during this month’s residency.
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 will host an opening reception during First Friday on March 7, from 5-8 p.m. featuring refreshments, door prizes and live music by ukulele duo My Mother’s Daughter.
TINY ART – The Art in Miniature show
March 7 – March 29
A large showing of small art will be at the gallery this month. Artists submitted original work under 12” by 12” which will be for sale to take home.
This month’s featured artist from Artists in Action is Michelle Myers, a watercolor painter.
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
Salem on the Edge will have a First Friday reception from 5-8 p.m. on March 7.
WATER, WOMEN AND THE ENVIRONMENT – Sheroes
Through March 31
April Waters has painted eight large-scale portraits of women, including Kenyan environmental activist Wangari Maathai, Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva and investigative reporter Amy Goodman. The portraits are about six feet tall, and will be on display at Salem on the Edge this month.
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 THINGS GREEN – Annual color show
March 6 – April 1
The Keizer Art Association’s annual color show is featuring green this year, in a showcase open to artists of all ages. Mediums include 2D, 3D, photography and digital art.
There will be a reception on Saturday, March 8, from 2-4 p.m.
World Beat Gallery
390 Liberty St. S.E.
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday by appointment.
Admission: Free
MERMAIDS, DRAGONS AND MORE – Mythical and legendary creatures from around the world
Through April 5
The World Beat Gallery has collected cultural artifacts featuring mythical creatures from the community, and felt creations from Waldo Middle School students. There will also be a free dragon coloring activity.
ACTIVITIES – Fairy doors, musical petting zoo
The World Beat Gallery will have an activity to make “fairy doors” from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, March 26.
The NW School of Music is bringing a free “Musical Petting Zoo” to the gallery from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, March 27.
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.
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.
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.
