Explore art & culture in Salem this May through these exhibits (and events).
HALLIE FORD MUSEUM OF ART
Featuring works by Pacific Northwest and Native American artists and a diverse collection of traditional European, American and Asian art, and antique artifacts. Hallie Ford Museum, 700 State St, is open 12 to 5 p.m. Tues — Sat. Cost to explore is free for children, students 18+ and educators (with school id); $8 adults, $5 seniors, and free for everyone on Tuesdays. For more information, visit willamette.edu/arts/hfma, or call 503-370-6855.
Through May 17
ALL OVER THIS PLACE! — Each spring, the Hallie Ford Museum of Art features the work of senior studio art majors at Willamette University. Characterized by a wide variety of styles and approaches, the exhibition includes work in a range of media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and installation art.
Holden Head: A Day Goes By — Each spring, the Hallie Ford Museum of Art pairs its annual senior studio art majors’ exhibition with a small solo exhibition of recent work by one of the permanent, adjunct, or visiting faculty members in the art department. The purpose of the exhibition is to demonstrate the continuing connections and relationships among student and faculty research. This year’s faculty member is Holden Head (American, born 1990), a visiting assistant professor in sculpture.
Through June 21, 2025
Nancy Floyd: For the Love of Trees features recent work by this award-winning Bend, Oregon photographer and author. In 2022, Floyd was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to embark on a multi-year project exploring the unique bond that Oregonians have with the forest and trees, 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. In the process, she has interviewed key stakeholders in the timber and forestry business; followed workers into the forest as they cut or studied trees; visited mills and shadowed those who work there; and accompanied workers at tree farms as they planted and nurtured trees. The exhibition will feature a range of work from the past two years.
LEVEL 2 GALLERY
Level 2 Gallery at the Salem Convention Center is curated by the Oregon Artists Series Foundation. Located on the second floor of the center, it features changing exhibits of work by established and emerging artists of the region. The Gallery is accessible Monday through Friday during regular business hours, during special events or by appointment by calling 503-589-1700. Info: oregonartistsseries.com
Level 2 Gallery
Through June 13, 2025
New Energy: New Work by M. Shoki Tanabe and Adam Zeek — Shoki Tanabe and Adam Zeek were born on different continents, Shoki in Tokyo and Adam in Oregon, but both grew up in Salem, and graduated from South Salem High School in 2002. Now the lifelong friends are collaborating on their first joint exhibition featuring paintings in acrylic, graphite, and oil pastel on canvas or wood by Shoki and carved wood panels by Adam.
“My work has always turned its gaze inward, compelled more by the shadowy elements that coalesce to create and define my identity (or perceived identity), than by my interpretation and filtration of external events slipping through the often-sticky membrane of ego. It can be challenging to step confidently through a landscape obscured by itself. . . . In the last few years I have . . . turned my gaze refreshingly outward. I’ve been shown a new lens, and it reveals illumination in the simplest ideas, the smallest forms. There is a new layer being pronounced in my topography, and it is informed by new patterns I’m noticing in familiar things.” —Shoki Tanabe.
“Crafting with wood has been my passion throughout my adult life, but it was only three years ago that I dove into the art of wood carving. I had the privilege of learning the basics under the guidance of master carver Monica Setziol, and since then, I’ve drawn inspiration from nature and learned experience. For me, carving is more than a craft; it’s a space for reflection—a meditative practice that helps me clear my mind and explore new perspectives.” — Adam Zeek.
ART HALL @ SALEM PUBLIC LIBRARY
A year-round gallery space under the guidance of the Salem Public Art Commission.
Through June 13, 2025
New Energy: New Work by M. Shoki Tanabe and Adam Zeek — A companion to the exhibition at Level 2 Gallery at the Salem Convention Center.
SALEM ON THE EDGE
From fine art by established and up-and-coming artists to graffiti artists, Salem on the Edge features work by PNW artists in a wide variety of media for purchase. Stop in and visit at 156 Liberty St. NE. Info: salemontheedge.com
May
May is a celebration of color, nature, and playful energy—perfect for springtime. See Curious Untamed Blooms by Dayna Collins, a vibrant floral series in oil and cold wax, and a delightful collection of birds and mixed media work by Lisa Laser.
Opening Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 2
SALEM ART ASSOCIATION
The Salem Art Association (SAA) aims to actively engage the community in the appreciation of the arts through contemporary art exhibits and events, and arts education for youth and adults. Bush Barn Art Center & Annex, 600 Mission St. SE | 503-581‑2228, salemart.org
May 2 through June 29
Persistent Voices | Six Artists Perspectives, co-curated by artist Susan Napack and Kathleen Dinges Rice, is a powerful exhibition of six artists who center their art practice on the complexity of being human, especially the social, political and personal experiences and ramifications of living as a female in our time. Working with humor, compassion and grace in a variety of media, the artists mine their own stories and explore those of others touching on aspects of history, motherhood, body autonomy, women’s societal roles, and mythologies.
Artists Panel: 11 a.m. Saturday May 3. RSVP here.
A Selection | Jennifer Gimzewski — "My painting is about shape and color and how paint is applied to a substrate. Using imaginary landscapes, I create my canvases in a way that is suggestive of a place and time but in reality is about the placing of colours next to and on top of one another in a way that speaks to me. I never have a finished painting in mind, but rather allow the work to develop as I paint, discovering what is pleasing to me and eliminating what isn’t."
Colorful Chronicles | Art of Eric Wuest — Eric Wuest is an experienced artist based in Salem, with a career spanning over four decades. Born in British Columbia, he moved to the Willamette Valley as a teen, where he immersed himself in the local arts scene and began to develop his skills.
Eric’s artistic repertoire includes drawing, painting, figure studies, and printmaking. He is known for his unique approach to creating images that reveal different perspectives when viewed from varying distances. His work often encourages viewers to look beyond the surface and discover new dimensions.
Artist-In-Residence | Eric Tautkus will be working on some newer techniques using experimental approaches during his residency in the SAA Studio. He will be developing fresh flowers and vibrant organic patterns dedicated to Spring. Go by during SAA’s open hours and see how his work is progressing.
Veiled & Revealed | Andrea Lopez Chen explores the tension between concealment and discovery, the seen and the unseen. This series of portrait paintings on paper presents faces partially obscured by masks, hinting at identities both hidden and exposed. The act of masking raises questions—what do we choose to reveal, and what remains beneath the surface?
Opening Reception: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday. May 2
STEFANI ART GALLERY
Showcasing modern, contemporary, and abstract art from local and internationally recognized artists. We offer original artworks, fine art photographs, and limited-edition prints for collectors at every level. Art should be accessible to all, and we’re here to help you find the perfect pieces for your space. Stefani Art Gallery, 305 Court St NE | stefaniartgallery.com
Through May 23, 2025
Crossing Boundaries: Tierra y Esperanza (Land and Hope) — A compelling documentary-style photographic series by internationally recognized Salem photographer Richard Stefani (1933-2022), Crossing Boundaries: Tierra y Esperanza (Land and Hope) immerses viewers in the lives of Mexican farmworkers in Woodburn, Oregon, over 24 hours during the summer of 1965.
Experience a transformative glimpse into 1965 through evocative black-and-white photographs that chronicle the grit, hope, and resilience of Mexican farm workers in Woodburn, Oregon. Crossing Boundaries: Tierra y Esperanza (Land and Hope) captures a single day of relentless labor and quiet defiance, illuminating a dual journey across physical and cultural frontiers. Blending English and Spanish, the exhibition title underscores the workers’ profound ties to the land they cultivate and the enduring optimism that fuels their struggle.
Originally displayed to fierce community backlash, these images laid bare the racial and economic injustices that many preferred to ignore. Today, they stand as a resonant testament to the spirit of migrant workers who balanced hardship with aspiration, forging ahead despite exploitation, discrimination, and the demands of an unfamiliar world. Step into this powerful documentation of migration, survival, and unity—and reflect on the shared human pursuit of justice and a better tomorrow.
ARTISTS IN ACTION (AiA) GALLERY
An artist co-operative featuring 22 artists that share a space with Elsinore Framing at 444 Ferry St SE | AiAArtGallery.org
May
See a special feature of the work of co-op members DeeHendrix, mixed media painting, and Jean Lea, acrylic and watercolor.
Dee Hendrix
Bee Seen by Dee Hendrix
Dee Hendrix: “As a native Oregonian, I am inspired by the flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest. My formal education in biology and art, plus years spent in the field of commercial art, is reflected in my paintings. For me, art is an intersection of realistic detail blended with organic and often abstract form. As a multi-media artist, I enjoy spending time in my studio and outside painting with watercolor, soft pastel, alcohol ink or colored pencil. Through experimentation and interpretation, I paint animal and floral portraits, landscapes and abstract works. Each painting is a creative journey combining layers of color mixed with the play of light and shadow. My hope is that others find as much pleasure in viewing my art as I have found in creating it.”
Jean Lea
Pickup Full of Peonies by Jean Lea
Jean Lea: “I have been a lifelong resident of Oregon. Presently, I reside on the edge of a wetland reserve that my husband and I own and manage. I pursued higher education at Oregon College of Education (now Western Oregon University), majoring in art. My artistic work is significantly influenced by the diverse environment surrounding me. The proximity to the ocean, wetlands, farmlands, and mountains often serves as the inspiration and foundation for my creations. I primarily utilize acrylic, watercolor, and gouache mediums to produce abstract and semi-abstract interpretations of nature and human subjects. Additionally, I engage in printmaking, creating monotypes, etchings, and relief prints."
Opening Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. May 2
GALLERY 444
At Gallery 444, located within Elsinore Framing at 444 Ferry St. SE. Info: 503-581-4642, elsinoregallery.com
April
Annual Photography Invitational Show
Opening Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 2
BUSH HOUSE MUSEUM
Through June 29, 2025
Favorite Things II | Jason Hill — Favorite Things is a portrait and short film series depicting regional artists with items that are precious to them. Developed by Portland filmmaker and photographer Jason Hill, this work documents a collaboration wherein artists were instructed to share and speak about a favorite item in a studio setting. The results are an experiment with light and color to create magical portraits and filmed testimonials.
From Artist Jesus Escobar
Jesus Escobar
Artwork by Jesus Escobar
Local artist Jesus Escobar (artwork seen at top of page) presents a dual exhibition this May, debuting new digital collages and acrylic paintings at Best Goose (inside Fort Forty Food Hall) featuring Salem landmarks and abstract gridworks. The show supports the YES for Salem levy campaign—50% of limited edition print sales will benefit the cause. A companion exhibit, “Distortions: part b,” runs May 1–31 at Salem Public Library, 585 Liberty St SE. Both shows highlight Jesus's unique view of community and the world around him. There will be a reception during the First Friday Art Walk where you can meet Jesus, 5 to 8 p.m. May 2, at Best Goose.
Cultural Exhibits
WILLAMETTE HERITAGE CENTER
14 historic structures house permanent and changing exhibits, a research library and archive, a textile learning center, and rentable event spaces over a five-acre campus, which also has retail shops, art galleries, artist studios, and offices. 1313 Mill St SE | 503-585-7012, willametteheritage.org
Through May 24, 2025
Let’s Play is a look at sports in the Mid-Willamette Valley through the lens of historical artifacts and photos.
WORLD BEAT GALLERY
The World Beat Gallery gives local cultural communities a space to share their heritage: the stories told and items exhibited come directly from members of our community. 390 Liberty St SE | 503-581-2004, salemmulticultural.org
May 8 - July 31
Turtle Island: Dances & Regalia features a collection of stories, costumes, and artifacts from the original inhabitants of this area, the people of Turtle Island. It is a companion exhibit that compliments the World Beat Festival 2025 theme, which is also Turtle Island.