On Exhibit this September

HALLIE FORD MUSEUM OF ART

Featuring works by Pacific Northwest and Native American artists, 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 free of charge, and Tuesday is a free day. 

Through November 21, 2026
What Do We Hold? A Community Conversation — In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, What Do We Hold? A Community Conversation was created in collaboration with The Conversation Project and the Office of Civic Engagement at Willamette University. The project brought together students, faculty, and Salem community members from a range of backgrounds to explore themes in the Declaration of Independence and how to talk about our histories, present challenges, and hopes for the future.

Through November 21, 2026
Drawn from the Collection presents a selection of drawings from the museum’s collection of Northwest art. The works on view here offer a wide range of approaches to drawing. Whether resulting in a tightly rendered figurative work or an expressive, process-oriented abstraction, drawing lets the artist make a direct, immediate statement.

Through March 13, 2027
Handmade Revolution: Craft in the Pacific Northwest is the first exhibition to feature the museum’s significant holdings of both historic and contemporary craft. The exhibition features over 60 artworks created in ceramics, textiles, glass, wood, and metal made by artists such as Rudy Autio, Frank Boyden, Dale Chihuly, Betty Feves, Heidi Pruess Grew, Linda Hutchins, Clay Lohman, George Rodriguez, Sara Siestreem, Ken Shores, Peter Voulkos, Patti Warashina, Marie Watt, Nancy Worden, and many more.

RELATED EVENT: Salem Art Walk, 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept 4

Also on exhibit:

Through December 4, 2026
Shoki Tanabe: The World According to Nouns — An eclectic show of new and older works, including several cardboard compositions that dominated Shoki’s creative output in 2026. “Everything is in flux. People, circumstances, events, language. When you think about it, even the most physically stolid structures on earth are moving; decaying over time, and dancing and spiraling at an atomic level. That’s everything, and all of us. That place where the mountains meet the sea? That’s all of us. Sheer walls, blinding heights. Churning water. The best forms of expression speak to it, too – all things in vibration, tenuous and liminal, directed by positive or negative charge and defined by light and shadow.”

See Shoki’s work at The Roger W. Rogers Gallery in the Mary Stuart Rogers Music Center at Willamette University. 

RELATED EVENT: Artist Talk: 12 p.m. Tuesday, September 22 in the gallery. All are welcome.

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

September 2-23, 2026
Artist-in-Residence Meg Rowe transforms vintage embroidered textiles into works that pair historic quotes from women writers and activists with hand-stitched words and phrases in red thread. Her process uses traditional “feminine arts” to explore resistance, perseverance, and the preservation of voices that might otherwise be erased. During community stitching sessions, fiber artists, craftivists and embroiderers are invited to help create a material record of 350 words and phrases the federal administration has deemed “unacceptable.” Learn more about participating in a Community Stitch Session here.

September 4-27, 2026
Modern Still Life — The traditional still life throughout art history has always had a compilation of bowls of fruit and vases of flowers. In the 21st century, we now have iPads, Diet Coke, Pokémon cards, and Labubus… why not paint them? The Modern Still Life show is an exploration of the still life in a fun and new way, pushing the boundaries of what we expect in today’s contemporary still life. Curated by Melissa O’Shea

Botanical Treasures of Silver Falls | Aislinn Adams celebrates the native plants of the Pacific Northwest through detailed drawings and paintings inspired by the natural world. In 2015, Aislinn was commissioned to illustrate 30 native plants found at Silver Falls State Park, with prints from the ongoing project now permanently displayed at Silver Falls South Lodge. Working in pen and ink, watercolor and colored pencil, she hopes her art encourages viewers to notice, learn about and ultimately help protect native plants. Irish illustrator, designer and horticulturist Aislinn Adams has lived in Salem, Oregon, since 2000. In Oregon, she has found the perfect environment to combine her love of the natural world, gardening with native plants and her art and design. 

September 4 – October 25, 2026
Indigenous Northwest Biennial — This exhibit showcases notable Indigenous artists from the region who are creating traditional and contemporary artwork. This exhibition demonstrates the immense depth of talent emanating from local Native communities, which are often overlooked. Indigenous Northwest celebrates the contributions of Native artists who carry ancestral knowledge and traditions forward while challenging viewers to expand their perceptions of what Indigenous art can be through various mediums and materials. The Pacific Northwest has a deep pool of Indigenous creatives who are living and working in the region. Indigenous Northwest is an opportunity to share some of the amazing art coming out of the local Native community. Artists range from traditional weavers and beadworkers to painters, performers, photographers, and assemblage.

And There was Evening, and There was Morning | Taylor Manoles — As we journey through life alongside these waters, we are held in the balance of stillness and flow. This series explores fleeting moments of serenity, inviting viewers to pause within the living rhythm of the landscape.

RELATED EVENTS: 

• Opening Reception — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, September 4; welcome and artist introductions at 6:00 p.m.
• Artist Talk with Amber K Ball —  Learn more about Amber’s creative practice, the work she has included in the Indigenous Northwest Biennial exhibition, and the ideas that shape her artistic approach. 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, September 12
• Artist Talk with Aislinn Adams — Botanical Treasures of Silver Falls, 6 to 7 p.m. September 18
• Curator Talk with Steph Littlebird — Join Indigenous Northwest Biennial curator Steph Littlebird and deepen your knowledge of contemporary Native art as she takes you on a personal tour through this inaugural exhibition. 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, September 27
• Artist Talk with Leland Butler & Leonard Harmon — 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 17

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

September 4 through 27, 2026
Artist Proof: Anna Davis and Katie Gilmour features analog film and instant film photography, alternative photographic processes, and scanned collages, as well as month-long gallery programming celebrating zine culture, poetry, physical sound media, printmaking, street art, and the art of live radio. What do we lose when everything becomes digitized? What is the trade-off, and can we reclaim some agency and joy in collecting, preserving, and creating analog art and media? The work in this show is imperfect: the traces of the artist and the medium are indelible-the dust on the film, the limitations of the scanner, the unevenly inked edges: both beautiful and impossible to reproduce digitally. What do we discover when we do things in a slower, harder, and less perfect way? Artist Proof  is an argument in favor of trading convenience for connection, and prompts us to be selective when we allow technology into our lives. 

Guest Artist: Uyen-thi (T) Nguyen‘s paintings move between light-filled landscapes, exquisitely rendered figure studies, and a shared love of cats. Her work feels both relatable and unexpected: it creates an instant connection to a place, a person, or a feeling, yet we see things in a whole new way through the artist’s eyes. 

RELATED EVENT: Opening Reception — 5 to 8 p.m. September 4

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

September
Artist Christina Stefani will debut three new oil paintings: In You I Live, In You I Breathe, and In You I Have My Being. “For the past few months, I’ve been painting this triptych during open gallery hours, slowly building layers of blue, grey, lavender, and pink across sweeping cloudscapes and ocean. Many of you have stopped to watch the paintings develop as you’ve come through the gallery. On September 4, they’ll be framed and shown together for the first time as a completed triptych.”

Saturday, September 26
Before the Water Rose — House of Stefani will present Before the Water Rose: Celilo Falls, 1956, an exhibition of Richard Stefani’s remarkable color photographs of Celilo Falls, made only months before the falls were submerged. This will be the first time the photographs have been presented publicly as a unified body of work.

RELATED EVENT: Reception & Art Walk — 5 to 8 p.m. September 4

Gallery 444

Framing shop and art gallery featuring a variety of art, including work by members of Artists in Action. 444 Ferry St SE | elsinoregallery.com

September 4-25, 2026
In Vino Veritas: Annual Wine & Vineyard Art Show — Local artists celebrate wine country through original artwork in the third annual Wine & Vineyard Art Show. 

RELATED EVENTS: Opening Reception — 5 to 8 p.m. September 4

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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.