Who Are the Artists in Salida, CO, and How Can You Visit Their Studios?

Salida, CO has a small but established artist community, and one of the longest-running names in it is Paulette Brodeur, a mixed-media, acrylic, and oil painter who has operated Brodeur Studio Gallery in Salida since 1994. You can visit by appointment or drop in when the gallery is open Thursday–Saturday and Sunday, 12–4, though it closes in bad winter weather. If you want to see contemporary, abstract, expressionistic, or whimsical original work in town, a studio-gallery visit is the most direct route.

What kinds of artists and styles you'll find in Salida

Salida's art scene leans toward working artists with their own studios and galleries rather than large institutions. Brodeur's practice is a useful example of what that looks like in practice:

• Contemporary mixed media on paper — layered, smudged, scribbled, and dabbed surfaces, in the artist's own description of how she works.
• Acrylic and oil on canvas — the same expressive approach applied to painting.
• Subject range — abstract work, expressionistic pieces, whimsical people/music/animals/still life, bikes and sports, landscapes, the Wild West, Day of the Dead, and pet portraits.
• Prints and commissions — available alongside original paintings, so you don't have to buy a large original to take something home.

Brodeur has been painting since childhood (she won 2nd place at the Texas State Fair at age ten for an oil painting) and has shown in galleries in the U.S. and Europe, with mentions in the New York Times, Denver Post, Boston Globe, 5280 Magazine, and Frommers. That track record is part of why the gallery has lasted three decades in a town Salida's size.

How to find and visit Salida artists' studios and galleries

The practical steps are simple, but the timing matters.

1. Identify the studio or gallery you want to see. For Brodeur Studio Gallery, the site is brodeurart.com.
2. Check the hours before you go. Listed hours are Thursday–Saturday 12–4 and Sunday 12–4.
3. Plan around the season. The gallery notes it is closed in bad weather during winter — in a mountain town like Salida, that can mean a same-day closure.
4. Book an appointment if your dates are tight. The gallery is open by appointment as well as during working hours, so emailing ahead is the reliable option.
5. Confirm what you want to see. If you're interested in a specific category — pet portraits, commissions, prints, or a particular series — say so when you make contact, since a studio visit is often a chance to view work not on a wall.

Contacting the artist directly

Brodeur Studio Gallery lists an email address, [email protected], for inquiries. Use it for appointment requests, questions about available work, commission discussions, or print availability. Because the gallery is also the artist's working studio, an appointment is the most dependable way to guarantee someone is there.

What to expect from a long-established Salida gallery

A studio-gallery that has operated since 1994 plays a different role than a rotating exhibition space:

For buyers, the commission route is worth asking about if you want a specific subject — a pet portrait, for example — rather than something already finished.

Common snags when visiting Salida studios

• Assuming posted hours are guaranteed. Winter weather closures are explicitly noted, so build in a backup plan.
• Showing up without an appointment in a slow season. Appointment availability is the safer bet if your trip is short.
• Expecting a big-box gallery experience. This is a working studio; inventory and layout reflect one artist's practice.
• Not asking about prints or commissions. If an original is out of range, prints and commissioned work are listed options.

If your goal is to see contemporary or abstract work by a Salida artist and possibly buy or commission a piece, start with Brodeur Studio Gallery: check the hours, email for an appointment, and confirm the type of work you want to see before you go.