Melanie Weston at Salem on the Edge gallery on Thursday, August 20. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
Melanie Weston believes art can transport your brain to another place, especially during a time when grief weighs heavy on many people’s minds.
“Every once in a while, you need to take a deep breath, and, for me, that’s art. Art is my deep breath,” she said.
Visitors to Salem’s downtown can experience a similar respite after Weston opened an art gallery last month.
She previously worked at Willamette University’s Hallie Ford Museum of Art as a receptionist and in the basement with collections. After Willamette University announced employees would be laid off or furloughed in May, Weston signed a lease for the gallery space, located at 156 Liberty St N.E., on May 30.
Before Covid, Weston felt like Salem was on the verge of something with more energy and visitors to the downtown. So, she decided to call her gallery Salem on the Edge.
Inside the space, there are works from 16 different artists, most from Salem, including Weston’s own work.
Earlier this year, Weston sent an art proposal to the Salem Art Association for a series she did on grief following the death of her husband of 29 years. But the art center closed because of Covid, and now her watercolor cloud paintings line one of the walls of her gallery.
She said people have come into the gallery and started crying because the artwork had an impact on them.
“Grief is universal,” Weston said. “I felt like people were feeling a lot of grief during Covid. Losing people, losing their jobs… It really flipped people’s lives upside down and everything they knew was just flown out the window and so there was grief for that.”
She said she wanted to have work in the gallery that was thoughtful, bright and interesting.
Weston said she chose art at different price points so that first-time art buyers could feel like they could buy something. Currently, the lowest priced item is $65.
“It’s different than buying something at World Market or Home Goods, not only because it’s original, it’s something that touched you,” Weston said.
Salem on the Edge is open 11 a.m.to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, 11a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Masks are required and social distancing is requested.
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Have a story tip? Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected] or @daisysaphara.
