Chris D'ArcySalem’s Public Art Collection is one of our community’s greatest treasures, often hidden in plain sight. This new column invites you to slow down and rediscover the sculptures, murals, and installations that help shape our city’s culture. Each installment highlights a single work: where it came from, who created it, and why it matters. Think of it as a walking companion, a gentle nudge to look closer, and a reminder that art belongs to all of us. Let’s get to know the city we call home, one piece at a time.
Birds
Look up toward the sky on your next visit to the Salem Public Library, where the elegant sculpture, Birds by artist Tom Hardy, takes flight. Suspended from the library’s now-exposed waffle slab ceiling, this artwork reflects the artist’s love of nature and mastery of metal. Tom’s Birds can’t be identified by species; they convey the essence of winged shapes in flight. He blends the spirit of birds with the rhythm of waves, creating what he noted as an “attitude of calm intensity.”
Born in Redmond, Oregon, Thomas (Tom) Austin Hardy (1921-2016) was nationally known for his metal sculptures and calligraphic drawings of animals, including birds, bison, and horses. Hardy’s love of nature and his worldwide travels enriched his sculptures and art. He was a prolific artist, showing his first exhibition at the Portland Museum of Art at the age of 16.
Tom earned a BS in Art from the University of Oregon in 1942. During World War II, he served in the Air Force in Hawaii and Guam. In 1952, he earned an MFA in Sculpture and Lithography from the University of Oregon.
Tom came to national prominence in the 1950s, emerging as one of the first sculptors to create abstract wildlife in direct-welded metal. He also held teaching positions at U of O, UC Berkeley, and Reed College, among others.
Tom received many commissions throughout his career. In Salem, he collaborated on the design of the Senator Mark O. and Antoinette Hatfield fountain, Eagles and Aerie (nicknamed “Chicken Fountain”) at Willamette University.
Fun fact:
Birds was a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Frank A. Hrubetz, purchased from the 1972 Mayor’s Invitational Art Show at the time the Civic Center was built.
Frank Hrubetz Jr. was a pioneer in the amusement park rides industry. He helped develop and manufacture rides first for Eyerly Aircraft and then for his own company, all right here in Salem.
Started in 1939, Frank Hrubetz & Co., Inc. was an American manufacturer of amusement park flat rides. The company was located near the Salem airport. It sold rides to theme parks throughout the world. Models included the Meteor, Paratrooper, Round Up, and Tip Top. By the early 1970s, Hrubetz was selling 60 rides per year, making it the second-largest manufacturer of amusement rides in the United States. They closed their manufacturing doors in 1992.
Tom Hardy’s papers are archived in the Mark O. Hatfield Library | Willamette University Archives and Special Collections
This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 26 (Winter 2025/26)
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Carlee Wright
