brodeurart.com

Contemporary art is work made roughly from the late 20th century to the present, and its defining trait is not a single style but an attitude: it favors ideas, experimentation, and current concerns over a fixed set of rules. If you are trying to understand a contemporary piece, start with what the artist is doing with materials and subject matter rather than asking only "what is it supposed to look like?" This guide explains the term, how it relates to abstract and expressionistic work, and how to look at it with more confidence.

What "contemporary" actually means

"Contemporary" is a moving label. It generally covers art made from the 1960s–1970s onward through today, though many people use it more loosely for anything made by living or recently active artists. The key point is that contemporary art is defined by when and why it was made, not by one visual style.

That means a contemporary show can include:

• Abstract paintings with no recognizable subject
• Expressionistic figures with visible, energetic brushwork
• Mixed media on paper, combining paint, drawing, and other materials
• Whimsical or narrative imagery
• Prints, commissions, and one-of-a-kind originals

A single artist can move across all of these. For example, the Salida, Colorado artist Paulette Brodeur, established in 1994, works in mixed media on paper as well as acrylic and oil on canvas, and her site organizes work into categories like Abstract, Expressionistic, Whimsical, Landscapes, The Wild West, Day of the Dead, and Pet Portraits. That range is typical of contemporary practice: the through-line is the artist's perspective, not a uniform look.

Contemporary vs. abstract vs. expressionistic

These terms overlap, which is why beginners often confuse them. Think of them as answering different questions:

A painting can be all four at once. An abstract canvas made today with expressive brushwork and combined materials is contemporary, abstract, expressionistic, and mixed media. So "contemporary art" is not a synonym for "abstract art" — abstract art is one thing contemporary artists often make, not the definition of the field.

How to look at a contemporary piece

You do not need art history training to get more out of a work. Work through these in order:

1. Subject and theme. What is it about — a place, a person, a mood, an idea? Brodeur's categories (landscapes, kayakers, pet portraits, Day of the Dead) show how a theme can be specific and still be handled in a contemporary way.
2. Materials. Oil, acrylic, or mixed media on paper each behave differently. In her own words, she loves "the way the paint is pushed and spread, layered and smudged, scribbled and dabbed" — that physical process is part of the meaning.
3. Color and composition. Where does your eye go first? What is balanced or deliberately off-balance?
4. The artist's background. Context helps. Brodeur began her career at ten, when she won 2nd place at the Texas State Fair for an oil painting, and has since shown in galleries in the U.S. and Europe and been featured in publications including the New York Times, Denver Post, Boston Globe, 5280 Magazine, and Frommers.

Ask "what is the artist doing, and why?" instead of only "what does it look like?"

How contemporary art reaches you: originals, prints, commissions

If you want to move from looking to owning, the main paths differ in a few practical ways:

• Original paintings — one-of-a-kind works; you are buying the specific piece.
• Prints — reproductions or editioned works; usually a more accessible way to live with an image.
• Commissions — you work with the artist to create something new, such as a pet portrait.

Brodeur Studio Gallery has operated since 1994, and her contemporary paintings continue to be purchased by collectors. The site lists Prints and Commissions alongside the gallery categories, so those routes exist — but the source material does not state prices, so confirm cost and availability directly rather than assuming.

Visiting in person

Seeing contemporary work in person reveals texture and scale that photos flatten. Brodeur Studio Gallery is open by appointment or when the artist is working, Thursday–Saturday 12–4 and Sunday 12–4, and closed in bad weather during winter. Contact: [email protected]. Because hours depend on working sessions and weather, an appointment is the safer plan if you are traveling to Salida, CO specifically to visit.

The takeaway: contemporary art is best understood as recent work driven by ideas and experimentation across many styles and materials. Learn to read the materials, theme, and artist's intent, and you can engage with almost any piece — abstract, expressionistic, or otherwise.

Brodeur Gallery is the working studio and gallery of artist Paulette Brodeur, who has owned and operated it in Salida, Colorado since 1994. It shows her own contemporary paintings — oils and mixed media on paper — rather than a rotating roster of outside artists. You can visit by appointment or drop in when she's working, and you can inquire about buying or commissioning work by email at [email protected].

What the gallery is

Paulette Brodeur established the Brodeur Studio Gallery in 1994 and is described as one of the original artists and galleries in Salida, CO. She began her art career at age ten, when her oil painting The Circus took 2nd place at the Texas State Fair, and has since created thousands of paintings shown in galleries across the U.S. and Europe. Her work has appeared in publications including the New York Times, the Denver Post, the Boston Globe, 5280 Magazine, and Frommers.

The gallery is a single-artist space: what you see is Brodeur's own output, in a style she describes as eclectic and expressive, with paint "pushed and spread, layered and smudged, scribbled and dabbed."

What's on view

The body of work is organized into themed sections, which gives you a quick way to judge whether a visit matches your taste:

Media are oils and mixed media on paper, plus acrylic and oil on canvas. There is also a book, Alice Green and the Amazing Paintbrush, and a YouTube video linked from the site.

Hours and how to visit

• Open by appointment, or when the artist is working
• Thursday–Saturday: 12–4
• Sunday: 12–4
• Winter: closed in bad weather

Because access depends on the artist being present, the practical move is to email [email protected] before you go and confirm a time. That also lets you ask whether a specific category — pet portraits, for example, or a particular landscape — is currently on hand.

Buying art or commissioning a piece

The site lists Commissions and Prints as separate categories, so both original and print options exist. Pricing, shipping, and payment methods are not published on the page, so those details have to come from the gallery directly. Email is the contact route given.

If you want a commission, expect to discuss subject, size, and medium (oil versus mixed media on paper) up front, since the gallery's work spans several distinct themes and formats.

Before you plan a trip

• Confirm the gallery is open that day — bad weather closes it in winter.
• Ask whether the type of work you're interested in is currently hanging.
• If you're traveling specifically to buy, raise that in your first email so the artist can tell you what's available.
• Note that this is a studio gallery, not a multi-artist exhibition space; if you want to see other Salida artists, you'll need to plan separate stops.

Salida, CO 的画廊参观可以从 Brodeur Studio Gallery 开始——这是当地自 1994 年就存在的原创画廊之一，由艺术家 Paulette Brodeur 拥有并运营。它适合想看当代油画、纸上混合媒介、抽象与表现主义作品，并可能购买原作、版画或委托创作的访客。参观前需要先确认开放时间：周四至周六 12:00–4:00、周日 12:00–4:00，也可预约；冬季恶劣天气会关闭。

Brodeur Studio Gallery 是什么

Paulette Brodeur 自 1994 年起经营 BRODEUR STUDIO GALLERY，是 Salida, CO 最早的艺术家与画廊之一。她的创作以油画和纸上混合媒介为主，风格涵盖当代、抽象、表现主义与 whimsical（奇趣）题材。

画廊网站列出的作品类别包括：

• Abstract Gallery（抽象）
• Expressionistic Gallery（表现主义）
• Fun Gallery、SMALL WONDERS、WHIMSICAL（人物、音乐、动物、静物）
• BIKES、SPORTS
• Landscapes（风景）
• The Wild West（西部题材）
• Day of the Dead（亡灵节）
• Pet Portraits（宠物肖像）
• Prints（版画）
• Commissions（委托创作）

Brodeur 十岁时就凭油画《The Circus》在 Texas State Fair 获得第二名，此后创作了数千幅作品，并在美国和欧洲的多家画廊展出。她的作品曾出现在 New York Times、Denver Post、Boston Globe、5280 Magazine 和 Frommers 等出版物中。

如何安排一次参观

1. 确认开放时间

网站还注明“Open by Appointment or when working”，也就是说，即使不在上述时段，也可以通过预约安排参观。

2. 提前预约

如果行程只能安排在周四至周日 12:00–4:00 之外，建议提前发邮件预约。网站公布的联系邮箱是 [email protected]。预约时可以说明想看的作品类型（例如抽象、宠物肖像或委托创作），以便对方提前准备。

3. 到访时看什么

• 原作：油画与纸上混合媒介，涵盖抽象、表现主义、风景、西部与亡灵节等题材。
• 版画（Prints）：如果预算或墙面空间有限，版画是比原作更容易入手的选项。
• 委托创作（Commissions）：宠物肖像等委托作品可通过画廊沟通，具体流程、周期与价格需直接向画廊确认。

4. 购买注意事项

网站没有公布价格、付款方式或是否提供线上购买。因此，购买原作、版画或委托创作前，应直接通过邮件或到访时向画廊询问以下信息：

• 具体作品是否仍在售
• 价格与付款方式
• 是否支持运输，以及运费如何计算
• 委托创作的周期、修改次数与定金安排

把 Brodeur 放进 Salida 画廊之旅

Salida 的画廊与工作室分布相对集中，适合步行或短途驾车串联。规划时可以这样做：

1. 先锁定 Brodeur Studio Gallery 的开放日（周四至周日 12:00–4:00），把它作为行程锚点。
2. 用预约填补非开放时段：如果旅行日恰好是周一至周三，提前发邮件预约。
3. 按兴趣筛选其他画廊：Salida 还有其他艺术家工作室与画廊，可先查各自的开放时间，再按题材（当代、西部、风景等）决定优先级。
4. 预留弹性：冬季天气可能临时关闭，出发前最好再确认一次。

常见卡点

• 以为每天开放：Brodeur Studio Gallery 只在周四至周日 12:00–4:00 开放，其余时间需预约。
• 冬季直接前往：网站明确说明冬季恶劣天气关闭，出发前应确认。
• 想在线购买但找不到入口：网站未提供价格或购买链接，需通过邮箱联系。
• 把“可预约”理解为随时可进：预约需要提前沟通并得到确认，不是随到随开。

如果目标是看当代与表现主义原作、了解当地老牌画廊，Brodeur Studio Gallery 值得优先安排；如果行程只在周一至周三，先发邮件预约再决定是否前往。

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.

Abstract art is work that departs from depicting recognizable subjects and instead uses color, line, shape, and composition as its primary language. It is not a single style but a broad approach: some abstract paintings still hint at a figure or landscape, while others contain no reference to the visible world at all. If you are trying to understand what you are looking at, the most useful first step is to sort the work into one of three categories—representational, abstract, or non-objective—and then read it through its formal elements rather than searching for a hidden subject.

The three categories, and why the distinction matters

Most confusion about abstract art comes from treating "abstract" and "non-objective" as synonyms. They are not.

A painting of a harbor with the boats reduced to flat rectangles is abstract. A painting of nothing but interlocking red and blue fields is non-objective. Both are commonly called "abstract art," and both are, but the distinction tells you what kind of attention the work rewards. In the first case, you can ask how the artist transformed the harbor. In the second, there is no harbor to recover—so the question becomes how the elements relate to each other.

How abstract art developed

Abstraction did not appear all at once. It emerged gradually as artists pushed simplification further.

• Early 20th century: Wassily Kandinsky is often cited as a pioneer of purely non-objective painting, arguing that color and form could carry emotional and spiritual weight on their own. Around the same period, Cubism broke objects into facets, and artists such as Piet Mondrian reduced landscape to grids of line and primary color.
• Mid-20th century: Abstract Expressionism shifted the emphasis to gesture, scale, and process. The term covers very different practices—from sweeping, energetic brushwork to vast fields of a single color.
• Later developments: Minimalism, hard-edge painting, and Op Art each isolated a different element—reduction, crisp geometry, or optical effect—and built a body of work around it.

The through-line is a progressive stripping away of the need to depict. Each movement asked what remains when representation is removed, and answered differently.

How to actually look at an abstract painting

The practical method is to stop looking for a subject and start looking at decisions. Work through these in order:

1. Color. What is the dominant hue, and what is doing the contrasting? Is the palette warm, cool, high-contrast, or close in value? Color is usually the fastest route into an abstract work.
2. Line and edge. Are edges hard and precise, or soft and blurred? Are there drawn lines, or only boundaries where colors meet? Hard edges tend to read as deliberate and structural; soft edges as atmospheric or gestural.
3. Composition and balance. Where is the visual weight? Is the canvas symmetrical, or weighted to one side? Is there a focal point, or is attention spread evenly across the surface?
4. Scale and surface. How large is the work relative to you, and how was the paint applied—thinly, thickly, in flat areas, in visible strokes? Surface texture often carries the sense of the artist's hand.
5. Your response. Notice what the work makes you feel or think before you decide what it "means." That reaction is legitimate information, not a failure to understand.

A useful exercise: describe the painting out loud in purely formal terms—"a large warm field with a single dark diagonal"—without naming any object. This forces attention onto the elements the artist actually controlled.

Common misconceptions

• "It's just random." Most abstract work involves deliberate decisions about color relationships, proportion, and placement. Randomness is occasionally the point, but it is rarely the method.
• "There's nothing to understand." There may be no narrative to decode, but there is still structure to read. Understanding an abstract painting means understanding its composition, not uncovering a hidden message.
• "My child could do that." Simplicity of appearance is not simplicity of execution. Reducing a composition to a few elements while keeping it balanced is difficult, and the result is judged on those terms.
• "It has to mean something specific." Much abstract art is built to hold multiple readings. If a work supports your interpretation through its own elements, that reading is defensible.

Viewing abstract art in person or online

In a gallery, give a work more time than feels natural—several minutes rather than several seconds—and move closer and further away. Distance changes how color fields and edges read. Check the label for medium and date; knowing whether you are looking at oil, acrylic, or mixed media, and whether the work is early or late in an artist's career, changes what you notice.

Online, the main limitation is scale and surface. Screen color is approximate, and texture is largely lost. Use the largest image available, and treat online viewing as a way to decide what you want to see in person rather than as a substitute for it.

For a concrete example of how this applies, consider a Finger Lakes–based abstract painter such as J. M. Snyder, whose work is described as abstract paintings filled with color and inspiration. Applying the method above to a body of work like that means asking how the color choices carry the emotional weight, and how the compositions hold together—the same questions you would bring to any abstract painting, regardless of who made it.

What to take away

Abstract art is defined by its departure from depicting recognizable subjects, not by a single look. Sort a work into representational, abstract, or non-objective; then read it through color, line, composition, scale, and surface. That approach works whether you are standing in front of a large canvas or looking at a screen, and it turns "I don't get it" into a set of specific, answerable questions.