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. The galleries are closed on Sunday and Monday. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for seniors (55+). Children and students (0-17) and students (18+ with ID) are admitted for free, and Tuesday is a free day. 

Through March 21, 2026

D.E. May: Postcards from Islandsalem is a forty-plus-year retrospective exhibition of this Salem mixed-media artist, who passed away in 2019 from pancreatic cancer, just as he was emerging onto the national art scene. Organized by independent curator Linda Tesner, the exhibition will feature a range of objects created over the past four decades, including collages, drawings, paintings, sculptures, templates, testbeds, and mail art.

Born and raised in Salem, Dan spent his entire life here, referring to it as “Islandsalem.” The exhibition will feature objects on loan from May’s archive, private collectors throughout the United States, and the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, which has a large body of the artist’s work. In addition to the objects on display, the exhibition will be accompanied by text panels, chat panels, photomurals, labels, and a full-color, 208-page book, The Art of D. E. May, by Linda Tesner, that explores Dan’s creative process and innovative mind. 

Free Related Events

• Gallery talk/walk-through tour led by curator Linda Tesner, 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb 10 at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art.
• Panel discussion with Dan’s friends moderated by curator Linda Tesner, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 26 in the Paulus Lecture Hall. 

Through June 20, 2026

Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts Biennial highlights a selection of contemporary prints created over the past two years at the renowned printmaking atelier on the Umatilla Reservation. Founded in 1992 by artist James Lavadour, Crow’s Shadow has grown into one of the nation’s premier print studios, fostering artistic opportunity and cultural exchange for Native and non-Native artists alike. 

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

Through February 22, 2026

Yuji Hiratsuka | Personal Mythology: Color Intaglio highlights the internationally acclaimed printmaker’s vibrant, narrative-driven work, reflecting a career that spans decades of teaching at Oregon State University and exhibitions across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. His prints appear in major collections worldwide, including the British Museum, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.

Sam Marroquin | Inhabit: Reflections of Us examines the human condition through layered, truth-seeking paintings that probe identity, environment, consumerism, and the ways information influences our understanding. Sam’s work has been exhibited nationally and is held in several public collections, reflecting her ongoing commitment to documenting marginalized narratives and overlooked stories.

Hilda Rueda | Purity — “My human figures are not simply a representation of an individual. They are soul portraits of the deep emotions, feelings and passions that every human being goes through in his/her existence. I intend through strong colors and textures, bold brush stroke and composition communicate to the viewer the emotional clues the model portraits in his/her manner and demeanor, many times bringing to mind a particular subject or theme of the past.”

Roz Will | Infused Aluminum Prints — “…My favorite images are those created by a selective process, whether that be in the initial exposure or in post-processing, in which the forms of the natural world are captured to form an “original” image which is in itself pleasing. I especially enjoy it when the viewer has difficulty determining the original subject. Which is to say, most, or at least many, of these images are “abstractions”, from the real world.”

SAA Represented Artists — Come explore a diverse range of works and find something that speaks to you. 

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 variety of media for purchase. Shows change each month. 156 Liberty St NE | salemontheedge.com

February, 2026
Erotica: A Show to Arouse — The Erotica show returns, inviting viewers into a space where desire, identity, and creative expression meet. Far from a single definition of eroticism, this exhibition brings together art that explores intimacy in all its forms: romantic, playful and vulnerable, bold and queer, tender and explicit. Through diverse perspectives and mediums, these artists remind us that intimacy is an essential part of the human experience, full of nuance, humor, vulnerability, and power. 

Opening Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Feb 6 (adults only)

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. 305 Court St NE | stefaniartgallery.com

February 5 through 28, 2026

Christina Stefani Oil Paintings: “The World in My Eyes (Love and Beauty)” — This intimate collection of paintings, born from a recent transformative journey, explores heaven, earth, love, and beauty through lyrical abstraction and pure atmosphere.

Opening Reception: 5 to 8 p.m. Feb 6

Cultural Exhibits

OREGON STATE CAPITOL

View curated exhibits, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 900 Court St NE. https://oregoncapitol.com/

Through February 5, 2026

Swedish Cabins: Legacy of Henry Steiner and Fogelbo — For many Americans, the log cabin symbolizes the frontier, but it also reflects the story of Swedish immigration and craftsmanship in the United States. In the Pacific Northwest, that story endures through the work of Henry Steiner, who, with his family, built nearly a hundred cabins and structures between the 1920s and 1950s. One of these cabins, Fogelbo, now sits on the Nordic Northwest campus as a National Historic Site. It stands as a vivid example of Steiner’s skill and the lasting influence of Swedish log-building traditions.

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 February 13, 2026

Mid-Willamette Valley Winemaking Heritage — Wine making in this region predates statehood. Learn how the valley’s rich, abundant fruit harvests have led to more than a century of fermenting. Despite setbacks from local and national prohibition legislation, the tradition continues. Exhibit was produced through a partnership with the Oregon Wine History Archive at Linfield University and Salem’s own Honeywood Winery.

February 13 to August 1, 2026

Echoes of ‘76: An Exhibit — In 2026, the United States marks its 250th birthday with the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence. What did the events of 1776 mean to the people living in the Mid-Willamette Valley? This multi-part, multidisciplinary exhibit will explore how echoes from 1776 continue to be heard in our community.

Explore how we can understand more about who was living in the Mid-Willamette Valley in 1776 through the languages spoken in this area at the time and the place names we continue to use today. Although the revolutionary events of 1776 didn’t happen here, explore the way they have been observed in this community the past 200 years. Make your voice heard and participate in the Wish Wall – sharing your hopes for how words written in the Declaration of Independence in 1776 might ring forward into the future.

WORLD BEAT GALLERY

The World Beat Gallery gives local cultural communities a space to share their heritage. 390 Liberty St SE | 503-581-2004, salemmulticultural.org

Through March 31, 2026

Joy & Sovereignty: Black Food & Agriculture explores Black foodways and farming in the U.S., highlighting a family’s journey from forced labor on land in North Carolina to continued stewardship generations later. Learn about descendant Juli Ray Joy, now farming locally in Keizer at Black Joy Farms, and the ongoing story of resilience, sovereignty, and connection to the land. This exhibit celebrates history, community, and the future of Black agriculture.

Author: Carlee Wright

Carlee Wright is a community instigator with a grand love for Salem and notably fashionable shoes (Hello, John Fluevog!) who turns waste into wearable art in her "spare" time.