If you asked a local which Oregon city has a vibrant, thriving art culture, chances are high that Portland and Eugene would smash to the top of the list. Do not be fooled–a wealth of our state’s creative souls live right between them in the capital city of Salem. With established non-profits like the Salem Art Association serving the valley since 1919 and wonders such as Deepwood, the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge, Mission Mill, and the Elsinore (plus, don’t forget about all the stimulating goodies produced each year by students at Willamette University) it is hard to find a part of downtown Salem that has not been impacted by art and heritage! 

An excellent place to begin or enrich your cultural journey can be found down on Liberty Street at the Metropolitan Building: search for a small glass door on the ground floor that leads to Salem On the Edge Fine Art Gallery. While it may be all too easy to walk on by, best believe that this small space is capable of keeping you and your family entertained for an hour or more. Even better yet, bothersome entry fees are nowhere to be found, kind faces wait to welcome you with a hot beverage and neat tidbits about the featured artists, and there are interactive art pieces that young fingers are encouraged to play with!

As a mother of two rambunctious girls, it was harrowing to think of bringing them into a gallery full of fine art when I have a hard enough time getting them not to touch (and drop) everything at the grocery store. Still, I reminded myself that parents must make tough choices to risk potential disaster to expose their children to quieter and more reserved spaces such as libraries and museums. I was floored by the warm welcome my littles received when we walked through the gallery door of On the Edge! Before I knew what was happening, they each had a cup of cocoa with marshmallows, and an attendant had taken them over to a fanciful art installation of a bluebird catching a miniature man in a net. The new gallery owners contracted with local artist Ron Conrad to craft three different floor sculptures intended for movement, interaction, and enjoyment–one of the many ingenious ideas Eric Frey and Anna Davis have implemented at On the Edge since they took over the space this past October. They have made excellent use of the compact 1,700 square feet, and my girls were enraptured by the vast array of art pieces they chose to feature. From graffiti to landscapes and impressionism to ultra-detailed realism, there is art for everyone to enjoy here!

Exhibits at Salem On the Edge Gallery rotate each month to display fresh, current work from their featured artists as well as invited guests. Unlike some galleries, which merely showcase pieces, all art unveiled here is available for purchase and begins pricing at $150. December’s show is a smidge different: the 100 x 100 Group Show highlights 100 works by PNW artists, which the gallery website details are all marked “at a thoughtful price of $100, creating an opportunity for collectors new and old to collect one of a kind work by local artists.” This month’s show begins on Friday the 6th with an opening reception for the public from 5-8pm. The final day to catch these pieces on display will be the 22nd. The gallery is open weekly from 11am to 4:30pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 11am to 6pm on Friday and Saturday, and 12 to 4pm on Sunday. New owners Anna and Eric are easy to find and ready to chat behind the desk onsite, plus frequent updates are made to their website and Instagram page.

Oregon’s capital city has much to offer us all, even the young minds. We would do well to remember that not all of it needs to stress the wallet or limit opportunities for meaningful conversation with our friends and family. From personal experience, I can guarantee that a visit to Salem On the Edge Fine Art Gallery is worth the time and effort. Next time you take your kids to play at Riverfront Park, make the itty-bitty walk eastward towards the Book Bin to find the glass front entryway to a renewed, valuable asset in Salem’s thriving art scene and strike up a debate about which is your favorite new creation from a local, creative mind!