PDX Contemporary Art Presents: Out of Salem: D.E. May & Friends

WHO: D.E. May, Brad Ford, Bonnie Hull, Craig Klyver, Natalie Laswell, Bryan Null, Dan Schmidt, Terry Schneider, Monte Shelton, and John Van Dreal

WHAT: Out of Salem: D.E. May & Friends

WHEN: January 3 -  27, 2024

WHERE: PDX CONTEMPORARY ART  1881 NW Vaughn Street, Portland, OR 97209

HOURS: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, Tuesday – Saturday, and by appointment 

ADMISSION: Free

PDX CONTEMPORARY ART is  presenting Out of Salem: D.E May & Friends, an exhibition featuring work by D.E. May alongside many of his Salem friends— Brad Ford, Bonnie Hull, Craig Klyver, Natalie Laswell, Bryan Null, Dan Schmidt, Terry Schneider, Monte Shelton and John Van Dreal. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday, and by appointment.  Admission is free.

May spent his entire life in Salem, Oregon, traveling beyond just a few times. May referred to his hometown as “Island Salem" and he lived and worked in a small space in the heart of downtown that he named “Regionaires.” Several creeks, rivers and canals divide the city into sections so it could be considered a group of little urban islands. A number of May’s works include text and images of canals and  waterways, as well as layouts and mapping of the buildings and industries of the city. May drew inspiration from nearby: timber mills, logs, workmen’s tools, rolls of paper and the ever collegial corner bar.On the surface May’s existence seemed hermetic but he had a close group of interesting friends—writers, readers, stitchers, painters, restaurant and bar owners, poets, vintners, nurses, and designers. He also communicated with a number of people outside of Salem and the state by sending mail art. His daily trips to the library to look at books and magazines gave him a surprisingly worldly view and bank of knowledge. This exhibition presents a look at some of what comes out of Salem in connection to D.E. May— his beloved Island Salem.

May was known and admired not only in Salem but across the nation. His art work resides in some of the most important collections in the country.