About Broderick Gallery

George Broderick followed a nontraditional path to his current painter and gallery owner roles. He was born in Spring Hill, a mining camp in Montana, and was raised in mining camps and other rural areas of western Montana. Though he did not pursue art in his youth, instead choosing the sciences and attending Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pa., he was always drawn to the arts.

Following a successful career in the computer industry, Broderick decided to follow his passion and began his study of art in Honolulu, Hawaii. He continued his studies with the artist Michael Cookinham in San Francisco, California, and at the Academy of Art College, San Francisco.

Broderick characterizes his oil paintings as “hyperbolic reality” as the overstated figures and colors. The figures’ symbolism and color forms define their environment, giving considerable complexity to the figure’s character. “The distortion reflects how the individuals think other people see them,” says Broderick. He works in oil, frequently on large canvasses, using bold, intense, and high-energy colors.

Broderick’s love of art led him to found the Broderick Gallery in Portland, Oregon, in 1997. Since its inception, with only two artists, the gallery has grown to include more than 30 highly-regarded local, regional, national and international artists.

Broderick developed an interest in Cuba and its artists when he traveled to Cuba in February of 2003, touring the provinces of Sancti Espiritus, Matanza, Santa Clara, and Ciudad de Havana. After visiting artists’ homes, studios, and museums, he was amazed by the excellent work created by Cuban artists. 

In appreciation of the warm welcome he received, Broderick later sent many art supplies to help the Cuban artists. Broderick also created a show of four Cuban artists at the Broderick Gallery in September 2003. The show was received with great enthusiasm by the Portland public, prompting another show in 2004.

Broderick’s trip to Cuba continues to have a profound influence on his painting style, which can be seen in paintings such as “¿Salsa o Ballet?,” Cuban Rooftops” and “Sleeping Beauty Awakens.” He feels incredibly honored to have been invited to show his work in Havana at the prestigious Guayasamin Gallery in June 2005.