Background
A lot has happened in our 25 years. Here is a bit of the Something Red history:
HISTORY OF SOMETHING RED ART EXHIBIT AND EVENT
In 2002, “Something Red”, led by Artists in Acton, began as a way to bring visual arts, artists and the community together into a month-long celebration of downtown Salem, and to focus on a theme related to the holiday time of year; hence the color Red. It was organized by Marilyn Krug, Kathy Fox and Diane Trevett.
Artists in Action arranged for artists to exhibit their artwork in a vacant Metropolitan storefront in downtown Salem. As the exhibit grew, other downtown businesses began to participate to display the artwork and sponsor the event. The event has become one of the highlights of the holiday season by contributing to the vitality, ambience, and a sense of community of downtown Salem.
SR has also been supported by various downtown businesses by providing a physical space to hold our reception and awards presentation. Long-time supporters are the Wild Pear Restaurant, Art Department, Roy John Designer Goldsmith, Dave Wilson Designer Goldsmith, Cascade Baking Co., Venti’s Café, Whitlocks Sewing Shop and the Elsinore Framing and Fine Art Gallery. Numerous downtown businesses displayed the artwork and participated in the First Wednesday Art Walk.
Once we outgrew the storefront at the Metropolitan building, we moved to the Reed Opera House Mall where Roger Yost and Rebecca Maitland offered a space in the basement open area, and then a glass-walled office space on the second floor, “Gallery 205”, to exhibit the work and hold our reception. Over the years we have utilized Roger Yost’s Capitol Center on State Street (the art deco tower), a large storefront space under the Liberty Parking garage on Ferry St. (across from the Convention Center) loaned to us by the City of Salem, and a large ballroom on the second floor of the Salem Arts Building on Liberty St.
A central location hosted the reception and awards ceremony. Music was often provided by Willamette University Music students and later on by harp-guitarist John Doan.
In 2016, Salem’s business community launched First Wednesday, a monthly promotional event aimed at encouraging Salem’s community to shop, explore and dine in Downtown Salem. Artists in Action recognized the opportunity that First Wednesday provides for its members’ art and has since coordinated with various Salem businesses and specifically Elsinore Framing & Fine Art Gallery to display each year’s entries. Since 2011, Elsinore Framing & Fine Art Gallery has graciously agreed to host Artists in Action’s annual Something Red juried exhibits in conjunction with Salem’s First Wednesday each December.
Something Red is unique in that all of the 2 & 3-D artwork features the color Red! The variety of media includes paintings in oils, acrylics, watercolors, mixed media, pastels, photography, digital imaging, ceramic, metal, wood, fiber and other fine art media.
Something Red is a juried exhibit that is open to its members as well as Artists throughout Oregon. Monetary and ribbon awards are given.