60 Gladys Roldan-de-Moras — Love is the Path to Success

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 0:00

I'm gonna give you a piece of advice that I've taken very to heart. And it is that I've done I have only competed against myself, try not to get too involved in what you know, so and so is because it can be intimidating. And the proof is to me, I have only been here in my studio, you know, teaching when I'm able which I enjoy mentoring, studying, working, trying to trying to, you know, get a little bit better at this that that, you know, all of a sudden, you know, I, I receive these recognitions that people say I get very emotional is that I do because I'm not expecting them. I am just honored to be in these great shows with so many amazing artists. Welcome

Laura Arango Baier: 0:53

to BoldBrush show, where we believe that fortune favors the bold brush. My name is Laura Arango Baier, and I'm your host. For those of you who are new to the podcast. We are a podcast that covers art marketing techniques, and all sorts of business tips specifically to help artists learn to better sell their work. We interview artists at all stages of their careers as well as others who are in careers tied to the art world in order to hear their advice and insights. On today's episode, we sat down with Gladys Vandana modise, a Mexican artist based in San Antonio who specializes in capturing the alluring and colorful beauty of the national Mexican sport of charreria. We discuss her induction into the national cowgirl Hall of Fame, as well as her recent award, the 2023 Frederick Remington painting award for painting Chinas Poblanas, we also discuss her recommendations for artists who are seeking to put themselves out there, the benefits of focusing on yourself and your work instead of what others are doing. And her deep love for her home culture, and how painting what you love can truly lead you to unexpected success. Welcome, Gladys, to the BoldBrush show. How are you today?

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:59

I'm doing great. Thank you, Laura. Thank you for this invitation. Of

Laura Arango Baier: 2:03

course. Yeah, I'm so excited to have you on. Because I actually found your work when I was investigating the Prix de West, which is something we're going to be talking about in a bit. But before we dive in, do you mind telling us a bit about you and who you are and what you do?

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 2:22

Yes, well, my name is Gladys Roldan-de-Moras. You know, it's a mouthful, so however you pronounce it. And I've been painting for almost 40 years. I was born and raised in Monterrey in a place called Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico in a place called San Pedro Garza Garcia. And I have been living in this beautiful country for almost 40 years. And we live in San Antonio for the past maybe 35. And this is home and I have a studio that I recently built, it is not where I live, it's about five minute drive from my house. And I find it very convenient. And I'm very thankful to be able to work in this space. But I've been teaching often on in San Antonio for over 30 years. Now, because I am so busy with my own work, I basically mentor other artists when I'm available. And that part I miss a lot. I love to be around other artists because as you know, louder because you're an artist too, that it can become a very lonely profession. Right. So I missed that. But this is where i i live in and work almost every day from 730 to around 630 In the evening. Well, 630 in the afternoon, and then if I have a lot of work, I'll stay later. But that's basically what I do.

Laura Arango Baier: 3:59

Yeah, yeah. And I bet it doesn't even feel like work sometimes. No, it's actually enjoyable.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 4:05

It you know, it is the only thing that is hard for me, as I noticed for a lot of artists is the deadlines, the deadlines because somehow a lot of us managed to be late on deadlines. But you know, I was just telling somebody yesterday that every everywhere I go when I I do take a vacation, I always take my shot bus and it travels with me all over the place and and my mom was telling me the other day Don't worry, don't bring your push up as we went out to the coast and don't break and I said you know mom is not only my professional and my job is my passion so I cannot travel without a Prashad backs because it's not only what I do, it's what I love. So yeah, it's, you know, it's I'm very blessed to be doing something that I love. So Yeah.

Laura Arango Baier: 5:00

And also, you know, you make so many wonderful paintings representing your culture, which is so colorful and so full of history and it's so rich like costumes, the the actual equestrian activities, because you paint a lot of, you know, the the female Charras, right of Mexico, which I have no idea. Yes, escaramuzas. And I was I was like, wow, their outfits are absolutely gorgeous. What inspired you to dive into your culture and represent it?

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 5:37

Well, as you know, you know, and probably a lot of people know it. First, you know, it takes years to really, to really learn the craft. And actually, I don't even think that I have learned that because the more I paint, the more I realize that I have so much more to learn, but, but it took me years and taking workshops with a lot of wonderful artists that I admire, but I always was looking for my voice like, I didn't want to be a clone of somebody else. I wanted to find my own voice and a wonderful artists, artists and, and teacher. He, I was asking him that one day and he said, well paint what you love, and you will find your voice. And one day I was studying a great artists that I admire, that I have studied for many years, which is Joaquin Sorolla, y Bastida, you know, the great Spanish artist and, and I wanted to, I've always been attracted to horses, you know, and and I thought, Gosh, I wish I could go to Spain southf of Spain Andalucia and, and paint some of those, you know, women on the horse, los Sevillanos, you know, whatever. And, but I couldn't. And then I thought, oh, wait a minute, my grandfather's sport that he loved, which is la Charreria, that's mine, but my maternal grandfather, and then I thought, oh, wait a minute, there is a lienzo Charro, a Mexican rodeo, here in San Antonio. And I thought, wait a minute, I'm gonna go look for those. And so I was very blessed, because there's a lot of travels here in San Antonio. So and there's actually what is considered the oldest lienzo Charro in the United States is here in San Antonio. So So I headed out there and I went to the event and I was just just in heaven, I was just in awe to see these men and women and you know, these true athletes that ride with such fearlessness and such training. And I just loved it. And so I started painting the subject matter. And I submitted to several galleries that used to represent me bow, I think it was in Santa Fe or something. And seemed like people enjoyed it, I didn't really know what I was actually, people say I did or was doing or whatever. But as to finding my voice, and then I submitted a painting to the American impressionist society, which then I was very fortunate to have won, Best of Show. And that immediately with that, it immediately pushed me into Western art. And without knowing a lot, I didn't know I was doing this, I was just painting what I loved, and I loved it, you know, I'm going to show it and I thought, wait a minute. That childhood idea is very much part of Western contemporary Western art, because a lot of people don't know that. Mexican Charros have been in the States for many, many years. Actually, I believe the first association was created in 1923 in the states of travels, so it's 100 years, at least, and much more than that. So I said, Wait a minute, you know, I'm painting something that I understand that I love that I think I can I can open a new dialog in Western art about it and and then I started painting Charreria and then I just fell in love with the girls. You know, I always wanted to ride more horses. I did ride some but not as much as I wanted. And it's funny because I was just thinking yesterday, my mom brought me my baby book. And my grandmother, she had written that I begged and begged that I wanted a horse that I wanted a horse and I thought that was funny because the I was attracted since I was a baby to this. So I started painting the girls and the girls in the Charreria were always very important part, but they were more in. In a backplane, they were not as important as that as, as the Charros. And so, without even knowing it, I started putting them to the, to a more important part. And that's what they say. And but mostly it open a dialogue and in contemporary Western art to know, for people to know, this is very much part of Western art. Now, it has been hard, it was hard to open, you know, to open that door, and you know, but it's been very rewarding. And I feel very lucky to have done it and like I am, or still do it. Like I said, I painting things that would open dialog as to wait a minute, are these just girls are riding horses? What are they is this integral? Well, this is the national sport of Mexico, which a lot of people know, I have mentioned that my grandfather very much was involved in making it was very involved in trying to make it in the national sport of Mexico, which was achieved in 1931. So there is that connection that my grand-- with me with with my heritage. So I found that in Western art, not only the artists that the collectors are highly educated, they know exactly when you paint a Native American scene, they know what tribe, what outfit, you know, or if they're painting Western, what hat with what attack or whatever. They know it very well, well, I didn't know it. And but I knew Mexican Charreria, and I know I can understand it. And in my goal has been to represent it with a lot of respect and dignity as as as I should, you know. So I try and do that and try and educate people. And listen, there is a reason for these outfits. There's a reason why they go up out to the neck. There's a reason why you don't put sequins there, sorry. Because there's rules and regulations. So I am trying to do my little part of keeping this tradition preserving my heritage alive in Western art. And I guess people say, Well, she found a niche. No, I think the niche found me because I painted what I loved. And that is what I tell my presence student find something that you really love. And you will find your voice. So

Laura Arango Baier: 12:46

beautifully said. Yes, thank you, of course. And I was actually doing a little bit of research too, because I am not very aware about you know, Charreria. Yeah. And I mean, because I didn't grow up obviously, in a culture that had that. You know, because I actually grew up part in Colombia part in Miami. So I was very, like, far removed from Mexican culture, which I love Mexican culture. I think it's so colorful and so wonderful and has so many incredible painters. And I was researching and I was so intrigued by the the escaramuzas. Because they the outfits were apparently inspired by the clothing that the women wore in the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s. So I was like, wow, this is it's over a century.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 13:40

Yes. And let me tell you Laura. I did not know that. I have. I recently heard it from a curator of a museum. And she brought this up so I, I called some historians in Mexico because I wanted to know, and I am researching that because the escaramuza is a is basically a is it's very new in the charreria. So being--being officially accepted. Remember the year I'll have to figure out though I can remember exactly when that year was but it wasn't that far away that I think was the 1950 some three or 15 that it was finally accepted. And it started with a gentleman in a one of the lienzos in Mexico City that that wanted to put together a group of girls, and it had also boys, I believe one or two boys. But I don't know if he left that, you know, he was inspired by by the Adelita from revolution. I don't know. So this is kind of new to me. It's something that I am researching and wanting to read more about. It makes sense. So I You know, it's, it's very exciting for me, and I love to get into my books and read and you know, that kind of thing. But I believe there's a lot to be learned in my side about that.

Laura Arango Baier: 15:15

No, yeah, yeah. And you're also, you know, you're basically the one who's also making this information more, I guess, more easy to spread, because you're painting them, and you're representing them in these beautiful, capturing sort of ways. Like I was looking through all of your paintings on your website. And I was like, wow. And I can definitely see the influence of Sorolla. And the, you know, the wet into wet and the the expressiveness and the freshness of the color, which is so perfect for Charreria, too, because it is such a movement of so much. I mean, it is such a sport with so much movement, that it definitely requires that vibrant freshness. But

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 15:57

you know, I've been very lucky to pay so many of the teams, these are teams of girls in the, you know, that live in work and compete here in, in South Central Texas. But a lot of people don't know that. They, la Charreria, with the escaramuza, the female part of the national sport, or Mexico is represented in over a dozen states of the United States. You know, California, Georgia, Colorado, I mean, there's so many and a lot of people don't know about this, they think I'm painting Mexico. And usually, the majority of the paintings I've done, like I'm looking at what's behind me here, all of this is San Antonio, is the beautiful Queen of the missions church here in San Antonio, called San Jose. And I put them this is a team from here, this is here in close to well, it's in a little place called Atascosa. Here's the mission again. And so I am, I am lucky to live in a city in a city which has such a richness of the Hispanic population, community that, you know, as history has been written, you know, the, the borders have been moved. And you know, the same friars that built the missions way in South Mexico are the same ones that build the ones here. So I'm very fortunate to live in the city where I can represent my heritage. And and, you know, I don't have to I travel a lot to my to Mexico, of course, but I don't have to go there, you know, I can just participate in the so many leaders who that are in San Antonio and, and find about a final, you know, whatever they're doing and attend the when it's open to the public isn't is not always open to the public. So very lucky in that sense. And I'm very proud to represent our beautiful city of San Antonio. So yeah,

Laura Arango Baier: 18:01

yeah. And by the way, your paintings of San Jose are gorgeous, gorgeous. They're like eye candy. I recommend everyone to go check them out. And since it's also a video podcast, I'll also be putting some images of them so people can see them. Because, of course, because there's something about, you know, painting the facade of the of the cathedral, that's just just the sun hitting all the beautiful sculptural work. Oh, it fills me with joy. I love it.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 18:34

You Thank you. Well, when if you ever come to San Antonio, come and, do the tour of the missions. It's, it's a beautiful, it's a beautiful city and with a lot of historical sites. So

Laura Arango Baier: 18:45

yeah, definitely, I'll add it to my list, because I had no idea it was in San Antonio. So. So it's good to know. Yeah. And then also, you know, one of the things that I like to ask is, when did you realize, okay, I'm going to become a full time artist, like, usually I know, for some people, it's childhood, but your path has been a little bit back and forth. So do you mind telling us a bit about that? Yeah.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 19:12

Well, all my life, I was just thinking about that the other day, and my youngest memories as a child are art related. So there was something there I had the fortune of having an uncle who was an artist, Italian. Still, he is still with us. So he is an artist, I should say. Then I had for instance, my mom, I remember going down when we were living. I lived here in the States when I was young, because my dad was pursuing his graduate work at UT. And before going back to Monterrey, and she had a friend who in the basement of her house, she painted remember that big eyes, those big eyes, you know, there was a reason Okay, she did a lot of that. And I remember another great Colombian artist, Fanny Sanin, who is a one of the foremost abstract artists in the abstract world. She lives in New York, but she was very close to my, my father, they were very good friends. And I remember her. So I have so many memories, I always wanted to be an artist. And I always had this sense of doing something with my hands creating. So if I wasn't doing a drawing, or you know, I was doing something with clay or something with just something something manual. So I wanted to do art, but my dad was from Colombia, as you know, you are too, he was from Cali, and he was him and my mom, he came with a full scholarship from the Government of Colombia to study in El Tec de Monterrey. That's where he met my my mom, as well. I was born in Monterrey. But he was very, very conservative, old fashioned, and but he loved art. He loved impressionist art of all. And, and, you know, I would tell my dad, I like to study art. And he would say, what is furthest from the truth? No, you've got some intellect, you're not doing that you're gonna be a starving artist out there. So he would not encourage it. And I am from a traditional family, so I couldn't do it. So I guess trying to find my creative side, I decided the other only thing I wanted to do was plastic surgery. So I went into medical school, but at five years, I went in very young, because I was able to do high school in a short amount of time. And so I went in very young and five years, I really feel I had a burnout, I had a lot of responsibilities, not only of being in medical school, so my husband was getting his PhD here in uh, also in Austin, and let's get married, okay, let's get married, say like that, you know what I'm done. I don't want to do this anymore. But even in during medical school, I had a scholarship and part of having a scholarship, you had to work for, you know, for whatever the instructor said, and I remember creating wax, sculptures of embryology of the fetus as it-- you know, the baby as it forms. So, you know, I was always there, I always wanted to go to plastic surgeons, you know, surgeries and that kind of thing. But I left it and when I got married, and we had our oldest son Rafa my husband was teaching at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, and I got pregnant and, and, you know, we ended up in the hospital for some time with my oldest son, and I got to see medical school from, I mean, the medicine from, from the other side from the suffering, I just couldn't take it anymore. My husband said, you know, what, why don't you do what you've always wanted to do, and I will support you. And so that's been almost 40 years. So I've been doing it full time, studying, taking workshops, and, you know, the, what I feel, you know, I tell I tell a lot of my students, of course, you have to love to teach, but there's always somebody willing to learn something that you know, so if you start teaching, and I've been quoted saying this a lot, but I truly firmly believe it that when one teaches, two learn, you know, you and I learned more than I taught. And so I started teaching, beginning oil painting, and as I taught and, I had to reinforce and really make try and make clear my thoughts. I was learning even more myself, and when you're dedicated to really helping your friends, and you study and I would go to workshops, and, and, and here I am. And the more I paint, the more I realize I have so much more to learn. So it's an, you know, the never ending path, but it's a beautiful one is not an easy one, but it's a beautiful one. So I wouldn't change the thing.

Laura Arango Baier: 24:26

Yes, yes. And it's very, I think what's wonderful to know about painting, you know, as an as an act as a creative act, and also teaching is that it really is, you know, this fountain that never ends, you know, it's something that, like you said, it's a lifetime of learning and I mean, even Michelangelo, when he was I think he was in his 80s he said, I'm still learning. So it's it's a forever thing. I don't think painting is something that you can fully and this is gonna sound a little pessimistic but you can't fully learn it in one lifetime. But We're gonna try anyway. No, I

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 25:03

totally get what you're saying. And I totally believe that I think that it's a lifelong journey. And I guess if I were to say, Oh, I've learned everything I know about art wouldn't be boring, you know. And then there comes something that's really, you know, very important. Like, when you approach a blank canvas, like I'm a float, I'm going to start working on a mural size painting is 10 feet by 10 feet, and there's, they're right here next to me. Because I had to split them into two, I'm not sure if I'm gonna put them horizontal or vertical. But anyway, sad. And I'm like, oh, boy, here we go. It's always intimidating. But you know, you have to just put one foot in front of the other, and hopefully, that everything will turn out at least a little bit. You imagined,

Laura Arango Baier: 25:56

hopefully, oh, my gosh, yeah, I think that's a, that's the, I think that's so common for us to have an image in our head. And then it turns out a little bit different from what we imagined. But it still ends up quite beautiful. And I like what you said about, you know, just putting one foot in front of the other, because I recently heard a very good analogy, where, you know, if you're driving say from where you live all the way to, I don't know, New York City, all you need is the next 100 feet, right? You don't need to see beyond that. You don't have to see every single road right in front of you. You just have to know, okay, I just have to go this way. And I will eventually reach New York. And, you know, but that's how it

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 26:40

is. It's like, I heard somebody say little by little is how one travels far. exactly that, you know, I, I, you know, I'm an example of that. And I also have a lot of people that will, especially women, I mentor, when I'm able to not not only young people, you know, all ages, but also men and women, but women always tell me, Well, I have a family and I have children, how did you do it and say, Listen, if I was able to do it, anybody can do it. It does, it's very important that you do have a supportive family. If you you know, if you have another half or whatever, you know, you have to have a very supportive partner that understands, and I have been very fortunate that my, my husband, my children, my children were born with me having a studio all their lives. But but it's important to have that support, not only economically when you need it, you know, but you know, what's the word spiritually? I guess? No, you know, what I'm trying to say? Somebody that believes in, in truly in you, and that was really there to tell that little, little bit more, a little bit more in. But yeah, yeah, I

Laura Arango Baier: 28:04

agree, that makes a huge difference. Because when you feel like, the world is against you, it's very hard to be able to do anything. So it's good to have someone to, you know, hold your hand and be like, we've got this, you can do this.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 28:18

Yeah, and I do want to say that it's not about economically, you know, helping you because I, you know, I did, what I did is, you know, some people are fortunate to have, you know, the funds to be able to go pay, you know, buy all your materials, but we all know, they're expensive when you're in oil paid, I think all the materials, but but there is the opportunity, I took a teaching, so I can get some funds. So I can go on workshops, so I could buy my materials and be able to continue this, you know, because I am fully aware that, you know, sometimes it's not as easy to you know, go by all your, your, your materials, well, it might be easy for some people, but not for everybody. So I'm always thoughtful about that, too.

Laura Arango Baier: 29:11

Yeah, yeah. And of course, you know, we all do what we can with what we have, so that's a good place to start to. And then to go back to your amazing paintings, you are going to be inducted into the cowgirl national Cowgirl Museum Hall of Fame. Can you tell us about that?

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 29:35

Boy, I am just so excited and beyond honored beyond blessed. I can't even believe I'm just sad to be to be among these amazing trailblazers. women that have some have gone before us because some of them I think there's about 240 in the world and some have already passed away Yeah, I just can't wrap my head around that I have been here my, you know, like I said, he would I love trying to, you know, make these girls known keeping my tradition alive without realizing that people were paying attention, you know, that's something that I always tell a lot of students or friends when we visit or say, well, it's just overwhelming, I keep looking at, you know, so and so is doing this, and she's doing that, and they have this and he's doing that. And I said, Listen, I'm gonna give you a piece of advice that I've taken very to heart. And it is that I've done I have only competed against myself, I, I study a lot of the old masters that are no longer hear, but try not to get too involved in what you know, so and so is because it can be intimidating. And the proof is to me, I have only been here in my studio, you know, teaching when I'm able, which I enjoy mentoring, studying, working, trying to trying to, you know, get a little bit better at this at that. And all of a sudden, you know, I, I receive these recognitions that people say, I get very emotional is that I do because I'm not expecting them. I am just honored to be in these great shows with so many amazing artists. And you know, to have somebody, you know, say, Hey, you're doing something nice. We like it. It's just amazing. So the national cowgirl of Hall of Fame. If you ask me, how did I How did they? How did I get in the radar? I don't know. I want to find out. I want to thank whoever was involved in into that. But what I'm trying to say is that hard work, you know, and just everyday work and work and pays off. And finding your voice. It just pays off. I I am beyond thrilled. I'm excited. Not only because it is the first time a Mexican born person, woman is inducted into the Hall of Fame, which I did not know it. This reporter gave me that information. And I was like, wow, you know, say, well, you're you're breaking. You know, you're you're trailblazing and I'm like, as I'm speaking this to you, I am kinda like in awe, you know, because I just set out to paint the beauty that I see that I enjoy that I wanted to give. And you know, and let me something that I recently heard that was worrisome to me was that, you know, there I believe there's, I hope I'm not wrong. There's like 110 million people in Mexico. Charter area is the official sport of Mexico. When when somebody dresses as a chattel, or is Cara Musa, I would like to add it is raciness, Mexico. So it's something very done with very respected, symbolic and representing the culture. But Chamilia if there's 110 million people, I just heard it, and I want to verify this. There's only 30,000 channels in the world. And I'm like, wow, I so that's it, I need to even preserve more this, this heritage, because I help it starts growing. I know that it's been growing tremendously in in the States. And what is admirable that I have seen about the charity, the difference between the children here in Mexico and the charity in the United States is that this is my my very personal opinion what I have witnessed but you know, might not be everybody's but a lot of the teams in Mexico, a lot of them have the biggest endorsers of companies because you know, they have the best of the best. I don't want to say everybody, but a lot of them. And a lot of the families that practice practice Terraria here, they what I've seen what I've witnessed, they do it for the love of the sport. So they'll call me they have, you know, cookouts to get the funds to get the new tech for the horses for we need new dresses we need. So it's it just tells you how much they love this sport that they are you know, they work so hard and then they come Pete, at the NAMM national level, they go through their different competitions and then the best of the United States, goes to Mexico and competes with the best Charles, in Mexico. You know, and sometimes like when the girls are competing, and I've heard they, they even have to borrow horses and I'm like, wow, you know, and they, so I'm just trying to call attention to the amount of dedication and love they have to the sport, which is very, very admirable. To me. Yeah, you know, so I'm learning this, if this is a fact, I want to find out by asking one of my story and friends, I feel a more of a responsibility of letting know really, really knowing who knows, in 200 300 years, I hope there's even more but you know, at least know that what I painted was historically correct, because that is one thing louder that I do. Like I said, like Western artists pay very much attention to what the outfits are or whatever they're painting that they go with the with the time they're painting or the event. Well, I do that with a challenge. Yeah, you don't just paint a man with what you think is a chattel had and column and charter there is rules and regulations that come every couple of years out of the for the rasuna HCA the charter the that tells you the outfit of the Charl there are several types of outfits there is the grand gala the gala, the five others different outfits, and they have to be worn this way. And these are the colors they can wear and this cannot be showing and the bowl has to be this size. And if you are at an event, there can be there cannot be anybody in jeans is in the rodeo. So I pay very careful attention and the women to the dresses have to be certain up to the neck, the outfit, they have to wear a bowl with all their hair to the at the bottom of the either the skull back here and and there can be no sequence in a Scara Musa dress and there can be no shiny. So all of those rules, fine paying attention because I want them to be historically correct. And I basically I want and I hope that the chatters see my paintings, you know, feel that I did a good job about representing them. So yeah. So then finding out that there was a group of such an important group of women in the museum paying attention to what I was doing is just I have no words. I know what they mean, I've been reading who are in this? Well, I should say there are several artists that are in this in the Hall of Fame that I know that I'm that I have always admired. And so I am beyond honored to be accepted into being inducted into the Hall of Fame. So

Laura Arango Baier: 38:18

of course, and congratulations, also.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 38:22

Thank you Of course.

Laura Arango Baier: 38:23

Yeah, um, and I think it's kind of it's very interesting how you describe the charros and escaramuzas in the United States to be you know, they're doing it for the love of the sport, which is, it's interesting because you're painting for the love of painting. So it's almost like a double layer of this, you know, attraction towards something that it's so important to both the riders and the sports people and to you as well. So it's, it's very interesting to see that. So I love that. And then also speaking of Western art, you are painting Chinas Poblanas. It got the Frederick Remington award at the Prix de West which is so exciting.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 39:11

I have a copy of it right here it's a giclee copy. Yes, can you I'm telling you I am just I can still remember that night. I could not believe it. I have I I'm just telling you, Laura. I'm not expecting that. I'm just you know, I was I was invited to the funeral West, the year last year. And I attended the gala there where they they officially introduced the artist. There was four of us. Yes, four of us. Three men and one woman and and I was fortunate to be invited and I was just Again, so many of my heroes are there and I'm like, Well, I can't believe I'm here. So I was at the gala was a beautiful event and I was just so so honored to be there and just getting nervous about what I was going to pay for the next year. And so I decided to do what I you know, again, what I'm doing and introducing my my culture and I thought about the chin up of learners I had, I had just recently been in Puebla, that's where the chin up of Lana comes from the outfit. And I have been employed bla and of course always with my Prashad box and my sketchbook and my camera. And I just happen to walk into this beautiful presentation of Chinas-- Chinas Poblanas dancing in a courtyard for la Secretaria de Turismo they were, and I just walked in, I said, Oh, my goodness, they weren't only dancing this they were dancing many, you know, different dances. And then I thought, again, I thought okay, a lot of people in, in the States know about the China Poblana, but they really don't know the history about the China Poblana. And when we use it and what it was, so I said, I'm going to paint the China Poblanas, and I added the Chinacos in the back, which are the men that were the precursors of the the charros, many people historians say that they were chinacos because because chinas were the women and they would dress in these outfits, which I have a mannequin here of the contemporary version, but and so they would call the men chinacos because chinas and chinacos that's where that was, and they had a very different outfits with what they consider a precursor of the Charro outfit. So again, trying to pick something that would be historically correct and that would open a dialogue that okay, well tell me about you know, about this. And then I painted also what I love to represent my beautiful city of San Antonio, I painted the Mission San Jose, in the back and I painted a girl from a team here, Jasmine, which Medina which I painted, I painted her since she was a baby. It's been really fun getting to know a lot of these artists a lot of these Scara Moses in their families. So I painted her in front of another symbol of San Antonio and the Mission San Jose, the queen of images. A lot of people don't realize that many before these girls go out into a presentation or to a competition. This is a very highly has to be done by highly skilled women athletes, these are true athletes, I invite anybody to go see what they do in your OB it's like ballet on horses, and they are sitting SiteSell which is very difficult, very very high, high speeds. As a mother if I was there I would be oh, you know, because you see things happen like you see it in rodeos that there are accidents then you worried but so I decided to represent also a painting of a moment where before these girls go into the rodeo or in the rodeo many times they'll say a prayer because they know that what they're about to accomplish might be very dangerous. So I wanted to capture the moment and they used to be used to be where teams would stop by the church going into the rodeo will Mission San Jose here in San Antonio is in the southern part of the city and it's very much also within walking distance from the oldest lien so of the US where they have a lot of events so I said okay, so this is what an Escarra Musa would do they would ride you know and stop of course outside where their horse and say a little prayer and then continue on to the to the event. So I captured I tried to capture that in thankfully they were very well received and to my shock I'll never forget it you know, I still remember what was happening that day. Oh Mike. I don't think I've ever been so nervous. I'll tell you why. Now. When I was I was sitting there and you know the as you have been probably when many art shows when there is an article like this will you're just happy to that people like them that they find a home so I was just happy that my pain is out found a home And I thought, oh, yeah, okay, I can kind of like, breathe a sigh of relief because you want to make the people that invited you want to make people happy and you want to you don't. So my two paintings I submitted to that found a home and I said, Okay, so here we go to the wonderful dinners, beautiful event, I'm going to enjoy the dinner, I can relax and, and watch all these people that are going to receive the award and just admire, you know, just being there. It's just been there, you know. And I was sitting next to a lovely couple, which I will not mean, but as a very, very wonderful couple. And she was saying to me, and I was we were starting to bring out the food and the the van we had started. And she says, Well, have you have you thought in case you get an award? You know, what would you say? And I looked at Are you kidding me? I mean, like, tell me when an award. I'm a rookie here, I'm just happy to be here. And as well, you know, and somebody would tell us, she would give a very constructive critique, you know? Never tell him me. Oh, you want an award at all? You know, I don't even know if she knew or maybe she did. I don't know. But she was hinted at it. And in well, have you looked at the awards? And I said, yeah, there's no way I'm a rookie here. I'm just happy and I'm wanting to enjoy my dinner. And then she was well, that was a little bit long, or, you know, a nice constructive critique or, and all of a sudden, like that, wait a minute. Is there something going on here that I might not know, you know, I started thinking, I grabbed the brochure. And I looked at the awards as No way. Okay, try to eat, but by then my stomach is kind of, you know, like that big knot, you know, I don't want to eat anymore. I'm like, and sure enough, then the announced this award, and I see my painting on the on the screen. And it was like in slow motion. And I'm like, Oh, my goodness. And I'm like, I again, I was not expecting and so I'm still remember all those people that were there. And I walk in very slowly turn the podium. And I remember, Susan, the chairman of the board of the preta, where she wrote her, she says to me, there's like a little place where you can see before you go on the stage, you have to walk up, but she says take off your nametag. And, and I said, I said I kept my head like this. I mean, I've never shaken anyone would like I said, I can't do it. Okay, I'll help you. She took it up. And and I got up there, they took photos. And then they asked me to talk and I just talked from the heart. You know, anybody that seen the whole, you know, because I believe it stays there on forever, because I've heard people tell me, I think before whatever I said, I spoke from the heart. I was just in awe of being amongst such amazing colleagues, or is that I've admired so much. And I yeah, I felt in my heart that I had to think somebody that in my time helped me a lot. And he's still helping so many wonderful artists, and he's a wonderful artist and giving. And I hope I didn't embarrass him, but I did. I just I did think their hearts and that and he is part of, of course the three doors and he has won this award and I thanked him and thank my family and, and the rest is a blur. I don't even know what else I said, you know, but it's probably one of the most important moments in my life to this date. For which I'm very grateful, and I hope to be able to submit more paintings that are doing what I'm doing, you know, but yeah, it's just a shock. I can I can tell you I was in tears. I'm always you're always in tears. I know. Because I'm not expecting it just natural. I mean, if they tell me I'm in awe. I'm just but yeah. Oh,

Laura Arango Baier: 49:28

that's so awesome. That's I mean, definitely unforgettable. And I think on your Instagram you have a clip of of your speech to which I was watching and I it was i loved it i It seemed it really did seem like you really didn't expect it so I can totally understand now.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 49:48

Oh, and to end to this day, you know, I I never know if this you know this lovely couple next to me, you know or not maybe she was trying to prepare me I don't No, no, no, she never said anything. And then it's just got so busy afterwards, you know, visiting with people and I'm in shock and no, but somebody somebody was telling me the other day, everything's happening so quickly for yourself. And I thought, Oh, yeah. And then my husband says, Wait a minute, not so quickly. You've been almost 40 years at it, you know? It's not that quickly. Seems that all of a sudden, but it's been a to this day, it's been a beautiful ride, and I wouldn't change anything about it. Anything. No.

Laura Arango Baier: 50:35

That's so beautiful. BoldBrush We inspire artists to inspire the world. Because creating art creates magic. And the world is currently in desperate need of magic. BoldBrush provides artists with free art marketing, creativity, and business ideas and information. This show is an example. We also offer written resources, articles, and a free monthly art contest open to all visual artists. We believe that fortune favors the bold brush. And if you believe that to sign up completely free at BoldBrush show.com. That's B O LD BRUSH show.com. The BoldBrush Show is sponsored by FASO. Now, more than ever, it's crucial to have a website when you're an artist, especially if you want to be a professional in your career. Thankfully, with our special link faso.com forward slash podcast, you can make that come true. And also get over 50% off your first year on your artists website. Yes, that's basically the price of 12 lattes in one year, which I think is a really great deal considering that you get sleek and beautiful website templates that are also mobile friendly e commerce print on demand in certain countries, as well as access to our marketing center that has our brand new art marketing calendar. And the art marketing calendar is something that you won't get with our competitor. The art marketing calendar gives you day by day, step by step guides on what you should be doing today, right now in order to get your artwork out there and seen by the right eyes so that you can make more sales this year. So if you want to change your life and actually meet your sales goal this year, then start now by going to our special link faso.com forward slash podcast. That's s a s o.com. Forward slash podcast. Well, congratulations again. Of course. And I also liked that, you know, you were you were very satisfied just with you know, having your paintings and homes and loving homes. Which of course, for any artists, it's like, oh, okay, my night is is made. It's I can only imagine, you know, that second sort of wave of oh, oh, there's there's more. Okay. Wow, that was a bit insane. Um, but what I what I'm also curious about because you also just said, you know, you've been working your whole life towards, you know, I guess towards perfecting your craft, and you know, towards showing the beauty of your culture. I wanted to know what it was like for you to transition, you know, from just painting at home, and, you know, painting for yourself and learning to selling your first painting. What was that like for you?

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 53:16

That's a really good question. I want to tell you. And I share this with a lot of people because it relates to many other professions, especially musicians, you know, but I started little by little, I started selling, when I was telling you, I was teaching, I was also selling paintings that I was doing that I don't even know what to know where they're at, you know, because sometimes you wish would disappear. I don't even know where that but at secondhand furniture stores, that's how I started my paintings would sell for 50 or$100 at all. And I remember traveling to Mexico once and we would go all the time to visit the family and my son David, who's a bra, you know, a man now with his own family, young children. He was like four or five years old and we were walking down the the main aisle when when the airports were all open, you know where there was no, no, you can go past you know, back then. Probably you were probably his age. But anyways, there was a local gallery that used to display paintings on the main on the main corridor, as you were going into the gate and my my son, both had me says Mom, mom, there's your painting. And I'm like, what? And I turned around and I look at my painting and I said, Why is my painting here? I sold it at the second hand furniture store for you know, whatever. and this one was like, I think $500 I had jumped, like, from there to, you know, what I remember was at least double or something. And I was about to leave. And I said, when I come back, I'm gonna call and see what this is about. And as soon as I got back, the owner, she says to me, she says, Well, we've been selling your paintings. Very often, I thought it was you that was bringing it in. I said, No, it's not me. But so I remember, because I was selling for $100, that I made a jump to 500 or something like that. But it was big for me way back, it was big. But I have been very careful to sell my paintings. And be a little by little raising my prices, raising my price never coming back down. Because I wanted, you know, you think about collectors, and you say, well, if they are willing to buy one of my paintings, and pay whatever amount, you know, you don't want to know that. Oh, well, you know, unfortunately, some artists will say, Well, if you buy it at my studio will cost you lesser than if you buy it so and so. Which is so wrong, you know, so wrong in so many levels. So I have been very, very careful through the years that as I moved from little galleries, to finally another gallery to another, that whatever you buy at the gallery for whatever it is, you're going to buy it in my studio for whatever the same amount I've never saw, I've been very careful, which has helped me, I guess, because galleries also get burned about people because now with social media, any person interested in your work, okay, you go Google you and then they can find you. What I do I usually do is I ask people, where did they think that happens to me? Somebody caught? Where did you hear from me, of course, you never know if they're gonna tell you the truth or not. They can say well, I went to this gallery, and I heard about you and I Googled you. But what I've done is when they mentioned a gallery, or another one, I always call the gallery and I tell them listen, I don't know if you know this person, but this person has contacted me. And if I do sell, you know, I, you know, I'll you will get your but anyway, so what I've done is I've been very, very, very careful. And when I started selling there was hard to let go some of the paintings that really was now I find it as an honor that anybody would consider, you know, to add their painting to their collection. But I have been very careful. I have been rejected many times, and that is fine. I just recently because I still have my old studio in my house before I built this studio. There's still a lot of stuff I haven't moved over and I came across it. I came across a letter from a gallery which I had submitted my work and, and the gallery wrote me a letter A very nice letter that said, you know, we just don't feel we are a fit for you now and that was you know, it was very hard because you know, you are an artist, we put our hearts in our sleeves. Thankfully, we're not like performers, at least you know, that we have to sing there live, at least we can pay then go take it over and then take rejection you know, in private or what, but it's a very, it's very sensitive, but I found this letter and I found a letter of that same gallery inviting me. Okay, now I was so happy that i i must say with yours. Different said you know, the gallery was right. It wasn't probably ready for that. Or maybe they didn't believe. I don't know, you know, but the thing is that it's hard to take rejection but I you know, I have taken right I have had shows where I did not sell one piece of a painting. So we have to learn that at least in my life is not all been wonderful, wonderful. Wonderful. You know, it's it's learning it's trying to be strong and to make not take it personally. That well. Okay, they didn't like my work. Well, it's not because not You're not good. Like another for an artist says to me when you have a show and a painting doesn't sell well. It's just that the right collector hasn't come across any struggle. It's true. It's happened to me, man, I found a home I send it somewhere I don't find a home. So. So it was very rewarding moving into selling my paintings I was able to afford, you know, buying my own. You know, because you know, this, this, this business takes a lot of investment. These paintings that are back here actually most of the Is RG Claire copies some of our originals, but there's few. And there's more toward there. And the only reason I have those here, they don't have the beautiful frames that I usually, I have very simple frames, but we know that frames are expensive and all of that. So it's, you have to put money to make more. But it's been very rewarding some time, it's been hard, it hasn't been easy. I still remember going. Somebody told me once, how did you get into the Santa Fe market, you know, which was a very hard market to get into it, it was many years ago. And back then, I remember doing this and I made CDs, there wasn't social media, or here's my website, it was just really just started, I made the CDs with music, and it had like a show of my paintings. And at the end, it would stop and say, looking for representation and, and my name and you know, my phone number. And then I put them in one of those old, you know, covers, and I literally went through all Canyon Road and dropped and dropped them off. And one gallery call me. And that put my foot on Canyon Road. And I will still remember, I will still remember that. But it was it's a hard. You know, it's not an easy road, but it is a rewarding, you know, road and these are the kinds of things i A lot of people come and ask me about and and I try to be as honest and help them and why not, you know, people have been so gracious to share with me the way they did it or be a technically or you know, some experience about this business of being an artist. And I I'm I'm very happy when I have time to be able to talk to them and give me give them my advice. And now I must say that I've been very fortunate that I have never submitted to a show I have always been invited for which I'm very grateful. I have been invited to so many other art shows which I wish I can say yes. And you know, you work so hard all your Oh, I would like to be in the show this would be amazing. And then it comes to a point where Yeah, you are invited. But can you do it? Can you really paint that many paintings and such, you know, and it has been very hard to to call people or write them and say I'm sorry, I can't do it as much as they want. You hope that you're not burning bridges. But it's the honest truth, just like galleries, I'm waiting for you to present something new. But I don't know if I'm getting slower as I'm getting older and age or what it is or make more complex paintings. But I don't paint that quick. I paint every day, long, long day that 1012 hours. Not at No, maybe up to 10 hours. When but but I don't think that quick. So it's hard to say no. But you have to otherwise you're sacrificing in my point, in my experience, you're sacrificing quality. And I just recently had to ask one of these major shows if I can sit out for this year because I have so many commissions that I have that have been requested from me. And I said yes. And I need to deliver these. So they were very nice. And they said yeah, I hope to see you don't just not show up anymore. I said no, I just really need one year. But it's But getting back to the get like the business thing, I always tell my students be very careful that if you are going to go up on your prices, that you'll be very careful that you do not come back because collector's world is very small galleries world is very small. And you have to be very professional about this so that people have credibility in your work, you know, and so I have been that way and and I couldn't be happier to where I'm at right now. And you know, so

Laura Arango Baier: 1:04:23

yeah, and you make an interesting point to where and I think I read this in a book. That's actually it talks about the marketing the business side of painting and how very few artists realize that you know, when when you're in the early days of your career, it's really really nice to be anonymous to an extent because you have so much freedom and time compared to later on when your work gets more and more popular. Suddenly, you know things like this happen where like how you mentioned that you have to pick like I can do this show but I can't do that. Show or have somebody Commission's and it turns out you know your your time is now monopolized in a very different way. So there are you know, pros and cons, of course that you know, it's interesting to transition that way.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:05:16

Yes. And if I might add to, in my case, I feel a great responsibility in continuing to work with those galleries that believed in you and probably nobody believed in you. You know, so I try as much as I can I you and I haven't been as, as good as I wish I was for the same reason I just all of a sudden got overwhelmed with work. But you know, galleries have some people complain, well, they're charging a lot or they're, you know, whatever, or museums but they do so much for you to you know, we can they they put your name out there they present you. So, I believe in always, you know, that's always in my, in my especially also also with collectors. I have collectors that being collected me when I was barely starting. And when they approached you and they say to you do this commission for me, and say no, you know, yeah. You know, that's, that's how I see it. And I have been very fortunate that I was able to build the studio and I'm here with some people No, all the nightmare I went through building the studio, which I don't want to go there, but just search who you hire to build a studio before you do or a house or whatever. But I'm grateful this place is that has beautiful light is large. And I know how hard it can be to have a I remember my breakfast and not be in my studio and pulling all your off surprise out to the kitchen, you know, when you want to work and then pulling them all back. You know, it's hard. So I, I never give up for granted any of this. And I also like somebody was telling me the other day, well, what are you gonna do with all those awards? You've, you've won through the years, and I said, Listen, you're only as good as your last painting. I don't take anything for granted. I'm very honored. And I have some out there because people want to come see them, or they can come see, you know, they wouldn't see them. But just if anything, these awards inspire you to work even harder. You know, I feel so the business side of it. Is, is it's something that you have to consider, you know, that I wish more people knew about it is it's also like advertised advertising to me has been very important in my work. Getting my name, no, you know that it was working. And I got that advice from a dear friend of mine, one amazing artists, Camille prismatic many years ago, she said, you know, advertising is a lot. And I started putting little ads, you know, little ads, I even put ads, I remember back then where I would paint a painting that I was very proud of. And I said, seeking representation. You know, the thing. And yeah, I did get that. But I eat slowly. I've been you know, it hasn't been again, it hasn't been quick. It's been a long road. But like I tell my students and friends, you know, when we when we talk about these things, and they said, Oh, well thank you for sharing, let's say, Well, why reinvent the wheel when there's somebody that can tell you their point of view. One thing is that when I when I visit with somebody, and I give them my point, or even if I'm critiquing a painting or anything I said, first of all, I said I will protect this painting, but I want to make sure that you know, this is only my point of view. And if I tell you listen, this is wrong, or you got to work on this or whatever. And you decide that to do it. That's perfectly fine. You're not hurting my feelings, and I'm getting upset or whatever. You know, it's only my point of view and I'm sharing with you again with the business part. I'm sharing with you what I've gone through what's worked for me, or maybe not work with me for me and you know, I don't consider I'm all that in the bag of chips like the kids. I'm just sharing what's working for me and if you want to, you know, know, I'll be happy to share. Yeah,

Laura Arango Baier: 1:09:46

no, and I love that and that's also why we have this podcast because, you know, it's the, I guess the business and marketing side of being an artist, you know, it is extremely important. It's as important as having really good work and I've Love hearing also the different paths that people have taken. Because I've interviewed artists who like you, tried and true gallery model, it works for them, sell prints on your website works perfectly. And then other people who sell through their website only no gallery at all. I mean, there's really no rule to how it works. It's just a matter of what are you comfortable with? Of course, for some people, it might be really difficult to work with a gallery, or maybe they live in a place that's not close to galleries that they would want to be with in person. So the online model works for them or, you know, or people who like you, they prefer the gallery model, because honestly, I agree. It's more comfortable. They handle all the advertising, they handle collectors, they handle the shipping, which honestly, I have shipped quite a few paintings and it can be such a hassle.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:10:56

Oh, yeah. Yeah, sometimes you wish, right with your paintings to somewhere that's going you know, it's, yeah, yeah. Yeah. It does help also to find a great gallery, that you you feel comfortable. And that is close to you that you can drive to. I'm very fortunate to have inside gallery one of the best galleries that you know, so very close to, but yes, it's, there's a lot to that a lot. A lot to that. And yeah, we can.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:11:31

Well, I've actually curious to know, like, what, what for you has been the most lucrative, you know, way that you've been able to sell your work Has it just been the gallery model has it also been maybe social media and like maybe ads because I mean, what worked maybe like in the 90s, and early 2000s, has completely revolutionized because of the internet and social media. What has been, you know, the thing that has worked the most for you, when it comes to selling your work?

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:12:01

I think it's been, the galleries have had a very important part in my, in my professional life, I for sure, I mean, for them to have been been invited me for the first time. I still remember who that wasn't, and I'm very, very grateful to that. But to me, all has worked. You know, I do a lot of ads. No, it is expensive. But I trust that it's gonna work out and thankfully, up till today, I it has worked. And now it's about keeping the deadlines because I will put contracts with the magazines for so many ads. And when you're working on commissions, and you don't have that much work around, you know, you can put your commission or internet so that's, that's a little bit hard. But I'll tell you something that's really interesting. Almost everybody that knows me know, knows that. Believe it or not, I am an introvert with an extrovert profession. I'm fine with small groups, but I'm not like a social butterfly, you know, so, but I am very open about who I am. And almost everybody knows, you know, that what you when you talk to me, you asked me, you know, I'll tell you, whatever. So I have my social media totally open. Now, I did pay I have paid a price for that through the years because I have a couple of fours you know, kind of horror stories through the years when I was younger, younger, younger about you know, picking up unwanted unsolicited attention, that kind of thing, which is a whole story by itself, you know, men and women or whatever. But having my social media and having a social media out there and a professional website. And here's a plug because I really believe in in Fine Art Studio online, the best, the very best, the easiest to manage the easiest to upload. And not only that, but what you get back from it, you know, all the all how they post about you in so many different platforms, and the network of people that follow them. So Bear I truly believe in and I tell all my students, all my friends that ask them Don't go just go through. I wish they would even branch out to different professions like y'all do. It's such a great, great job. But going back to social social media, I've had my my, my workout I first had a an account with my personal name, you know, and I had to close up some of my private family because for the same reason I have three children. I have grandchildren and you have all these people that follow you and then you I reach that 5000 limit, you know, people that can follow you. So then I opened the new one the art of and people really always request to join my, my private but, you know, they only know it's it's open you don't need to join but but you know, I try and Adas you know, can come down a little bit. But what I'm trying to say is the social media is so important. And I know there's a lot of people who will, I'm very private. And I understand that, but there's, I guess there's a way you can do that. And then well, they're gonna call my pain is yeah, they do that also, you know, unfortunately, some countries don't believe in copyrights. And you know, they'll, they'll copy, they'll do all kinds of stuff for your work. Yes, I know that. But if you only knew the amount of paintings or collectors that I will ask, by the way, how did you hear about my work? You know, or how did you come across? If, if I can ask that question, because many times and with a good reason, you know, a gallery or museum will sell a painting. Unless you go and ask for it. You know, it's, I guess, I find it. It's like a unwritten etiquette, you know, taking about, I don't ask who has that? Maybe I'm wrong? I don't know. But I don't unless somebody is offering up that information or the collateral, hey, I owe this painting. But if you only know how many people will tell me, Well, I've been so I've been following you on social media for so many years. And then you find out their name, let's say you, and you look for them. And it's not always the case, but many times, and you look for them, and you realize they might not officially follow you. They might not interact, or like all of these things that you know, that I've been surprised with. They've been following me. I have no, if I had my social media close, they probably would have not found me, you know. So I believe very much on my website, professionally presented newsletter, I don't I don't write that many newsletters. But it's very important to keep your your, your collectors, your admires your students or your whoever. Open. And it's wonderful, because worldwide, so I have followers from all over the world. And then I also do my my ads, I do ads in magazines, but I also do social media, as I do with BoldBrush ads I do with Instagram, I run a campaign. So I believe that it's important to get your work out there and having to learn platforms like I you know, I joined Twitter. Why because I, I had joined Instagram a long time ago, and I just kept it, you know, just back there. Like, I wouldn't really interact. And then Instagram became really like the platform to put a lot of, you know, the workout. So when this was not Twitter, I'm sorry, not Twitter. It's what's the this new one? Touch? No, not tick tock. I am signed up on tick tock, but I think I only have like a little real. No. It's the other one was it called? Threads, threads. So I jumped on threads just because I thought I lost a lot of time with the Instagram. So I need to get on onto threads. And I haven't really, totally figured it out. But I do keep posting things. Because I feel you need you need to have your name out there. You know, you need to know, especially for somebody like me, like I've been recently having some newspaper interviews locally and that kind of thing. And I've been here for over 35 years in this beautiful city. I'm not a social butterfly, you know, I work every day. I don't know if this happens. But it happens to me that this kind of art really is exhausting. I get home already because I'm getting older. I don't know, I get home and oh, let's go out and I'm like, No, I just want to rest and I've been painting all day. And some people will say to you, I bet they've told you this, but Oh, you must live in an amazing life. You know, with just painting you know? And if you only knew how hard what a hard job this is, and I can tell you an example I I have a wonderful artist, student that I mentor and he's a retired physician. He's an anesthesiologist and here in San Antonio, and, you know, working long days and he retired in Now he retired, he has a little ranch that he that is very close to his home. And he is always doing physical things, very creative man and building things and moving things. And he's also an you know, just all kinds of creative things. And he says to me, you know, that is I come here, when I used to teach, he says, I come here on Tuesdays, we paint here from nine to five, because that's what I had a group here from nine to five, I get home, well, wait a minute, I'm sorry. He says, I go and I work at the at the ranch and I do all this physical labor, I get home and my wife says, Let's go watch a movie, let's go do this. And I have all the energy in the world. But when I go back from being at your studio from nine to five, working on still life or whatever, I'm exhausted. And I said, Sir, here, I'm just so happy. You just said that, because you realize that it's not, you know, it's it's very exhausting the concentration, the drawing the, you know, that we're under, so I'm not a social butterfly. So a lot of people don't know that I live here in San Antonio, I think people know me more from outside of San Antonio than here because I don't go out that much. I am very much my studio and the strength time I have is that that my wonderful grandchildren that I now have are my my family, my husband, important my life. So having a social, great social media presence is very important. So

Laura Arango Baier: 1:21:37

absolutely. And I love that your students said that, it's exhausting, because it truly, truly is. It really takes it out of you. I mean, when I finished studying the two entities that I was at, I realized that I had been burned out for years. Because it's so heavy, I mean, being at, you know, in front of a painting for 12 hours a day, because that's, you know, at an atelier, you do that also, especially when you're learning. Yes, you, you really just have no energy for anything else. So I totally understand that. And it is very, very convenient. That, you know, before you know, you had to go out physically to meet people and to go to these galleries and to, you know, talk to them talk to potential collectors today, it's, it's very great that we just have the Internet to connect with these people, because if not, God, I would never show my face out there, I would, I would definitely be a starving artist.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:22:38

You know, I was thinking yesterday I was sitting with somebody and I was telling them the same you know about when I started and when I used to teach and this is what I would do and I can't believe I'm going to tell you what I used to do and I would not even think about doing it right now. But I used to teach at the company Academy from 830 to 1131 class then I would have a half an hour for lunch then I would teach from 12 to three then I would teach from three to six and then from 610 at 630 to 930 I would I would attend life drawing and I think about it I said I must have been so much younger but it was the same thing it was about teaching sharing what I knew and and in the process learning myself being able to get the funds to be able to afford and then to at the very end to go to life drawing you know and have the wonderful models so so I used to I say that and I know I don't know it's just like I remember my first show at an another gallery on in Santa Fe because the first gallery that I had ever joined he moved to Florida then I'm another gallery invited me and then that gallery went modern. So then I went into another gallery and I remember she she called me and she said I just heard that so and so gallery that you are into I've I know your work because I go visit the gallery and and that gallery decided to go into modern contemporary art and so I was no longer a fit there. They you know, they let us representational artists go and she said I would like to invite you to my to my gallery. I had scheduled a tool person show but if you can get me 12 paintings together in eight weeks or six weeks, something very sure. I would like for you to have the show. And I can't believe I said yes. And I did it.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:24:47

Oh my gosh.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:24:49

I can't believe I did that. I know I think about that. And I'm like, Wow, that must have been much quicker than but I did it. I remember that. Uh wonderful lady that invited me. And I do remember being a little bit disappointed because when I got to the opening of the show, what I consider were my strongest paintings. Gratefully, some of them have sold. And the buyers had taken the paintings with them. So for the opening, though, my bit but you know, what I thought was my stronger work was not there. But, but then again, I was happy to be in the gallery and yeah, I've got, you know, I've got a lot of stories. Second, you're like, I know, a lot of people relate to that. But wow, yeah, 12

Laura Arango Baier: 1:25:38

paintings and in weeks, and

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:25:42

I painted till midnight every night, and I had a barn for a structured backyard, and I painted, but I didn't grind.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:25:52

That's a major grind right there. Especially they were like, even if they were small paintings, that's

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:25:59

yeah, they were they were small. But I mean, smaller. I had a couple of them. But but now I, you know, if I do a big painting, that's because I do drawings, I do sketches I do color studies, I do different washes as to what the effect is going to be. You know. And again, the reason I got these copies here, I will tell you that I had a I had the wonderful group of board members of a major museum come into the schedule a visit here to the studio will be one of my most memorable visits I have ever had in the studio here. But I feel kind of awkward, because, of course, I said yes, I'd be delighted for you all to come to the studio. But I was worried because my paintings were all you know, most of them were gone. And, and so I call my, my photographer and I asked them to do cheekily copies of some of my paintings. So I can hang them in the simple frame. So I bought the simple frames. And so that has, you know, I would say, well, people come into the studio, and sometimes there's paintings and sometimes there's not that many. And they'll say, Well, what are you doing? What do I do showing photos? So but show them, you know, so? So I said, let's just do that and, and hang them. And that's the reason they are here. But you know, that's only the reason and then a common common Moravian my induction into the cowgirl national Hall of Fame. I did release some some Chi class. But boy, those are a lot of those are a lot of work. Ah, that's how I decided that. I put a stop to that I sit down. I don't think I want to continue doing this. It's a lot of work you and I'm a one woman was called. I do everything. I have nobody that helps me. You know, so I do my credit. My framing my social media, everything is only me. I don't have an assistant, I tried having the system. It did not work. I just can have somebody behind me. You know, I just can't do it.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:28:22

Yeah, so no, that's understandable. Oh, man. And it's a very good idea to have those copies though, in your studio. Because, you know, like, it's like how you mentioned, you know, if someone does come and you know, your studio is empty, it kind of feels a little bit funny. So it's a smart thing to have that because then you know, have a visitor and we're looking at this painting, I love it. It might draw their attention to maybe buying a print of it or even another page is good. It's like a physical portfolio.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:28:52

You know, it's funny, but that one right there. Can you see that one? I called it untitled. This I submitted Briscoe nine of artists show and very No, it won an award. And this one in particular, was one of the first one that I told my photographer to do a copy. So I had it hanging in the frame. And somebody came in, please, please please can I have it? Can I have it please? So I don't sell copies are only for please and so he I said okay, you can have it. And then I had my photographer do another one and then again, and then again is like four times and found a hole. And I said oh boy, okay, well, but I'm not I have run some limited edition prints. i And I'm not doing it anymore. It's just, it's really really time consuming.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:29:55

I can understand that. I mean, getting the prints to look good and it could be Uh, can be a hassle. I know, some people do really well, you know, selling limited edition prints. But it definitely does take a lot of work. And also, you know, there's the whole thing of like, oh, like you can have made at a specific place, and then they ship it out. But some people want you to sign the painting, like physically. So it's a lot of, there's a lot of little things to take care of when you're doing to place and

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:30:25

then and then I must say something, Laura, they must know, then then there's the people that that illegally copy your paintings, and some of them. Yeah, it's like, I have had so much of that. And I, sometimes, I had just gotten back from Europe, and I was, I guess I was still very tired. And, and here, again, Etsy, and Amazon, and they caught me in a bed, sometimes I'll throw a little bit of a rant on my social media, and you know, I was upset about it, but you can't really control them. I even had this guy, this the person in Asia do a tattoo, which is funny to tattoo a tattoo on Asian person, I don't know who but, and it turns out that the model for that precise painting, my daughter used to borrow a lot from me. And my daughter says, it's kind of weird to know that somebody's got a tattoo. You know, but you can't control that. I mean, I did get upset this last time, specifically, because it was on these major platforms like Etsy, and Amazon, you would think, right, and especially because I had already reported them. And they, they get away with it. So there's no way to make them stop. So what I'm going to try was going to try to say this, this business of the limited edition print is a way to reach a lot of other collectors that cannot afford your, your, you know, your original, and I understand that. And I thought it would be very easy. So I had this painting right here reproduced on our website that some of my friend artists use, and they just upload their images, and that company is an open, you know, addition, they'll print and they'll do that kind of thing. And I wasn't very enthused about the color that they matched over there. And so I thought, it's so much work, I really don't have the time. I rather just paint on painting by painting. So you know, I sold enough and I'm going to close the edition as to where it is. I said, I think I'm gonna, I said I'm gonna close it in November. Yeah, November. So that's it,

Laura Arango Baier: 1:32:45

you know? Yeah. You know, again, you know, everyone's path is different. And, and it's perfectly fine. It's, you know, you're definitely, you know, wanting to put all of your energy into other endeavors. Painting. Yeah. And that's perfectly fine. That's fine. Um, and I love that. And also, I have a very interesting question. That, you know, I've been asking some of my guests, and that is, do you have any hobbies that you do outside of painting? No,

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:33:14

my hobby is my love art. Then, yard work, you know, I love to have a nice looking yard. But no, I did that I knitted. I tended, I pro shed, I sold a lot of clothes. When I was younger, I'm going to tell you, I would like to pick up not as a hobby sculpting. But I don't know, if I have enough years in my life to become a really good, you know, a good one. But I've been tempted to sign up for a for a sculpting class, it really, you know, calls me but then I have all this work that I have to do, that I have committed to producing. Because that's one thing that I think a lot a lot of us artists, male and female, the same, you know, we feel is it's hard to take a vacation. Although again, I always take my push up. But if I'm taking my Porsche bikes, we we just recently did a river cruise in Europe, my husband and I and it was wonderful because I took my push out box and I tried these new water soluble oils that that I hadn't tried those in many, many years when they first came out. And I was really pleasantly surprised because I didn't have to go look for any mineral spirits or GaNS or anything. It was and it was wonderful to paint in my cabin and not have the smell of that. I really enjoyed doing that. But it's hard to take it for me and I know and I know I've like I said I've shared this with many artists to now feel guilty that you're not in the studio, that you're not working on this and that, I know that a lot of us share that. But then again, it shouldn't be that way. Because at the end, it is also our life, we have to you know, and being a woman being a grandmother, now, it has been hard. I have visited with several artists, friends that are granted, grandmother's some a little bit older than me or some my age and you know, you sometimes you might have dread drempt my case, I had a wonderful grandmother that I love dearly, but I can't be what she was, I am too busy. And I was telling a friend of mine, how do you deal with that, that you're not, you know, doing what others not retired, you're not, I don't think I'll ever retire. You know, you're not doing what the grandmothers usually do. And she said to me something very wisely. And she said, you know, Gladys, she said, I've come to terms with that a long time ago, that my children will not have a Grammy or a granny or a yet DITA or abwe, wherever that they that you see, you know, stereotypical baking cookies, and knitting sweaters or whatever. But they will have a grandmother that painted beautiful paintings, and sometimes they'll remember her for her paintings. So there, so that made me feel better. So now, if I don't cook, when I have visited, and I ordered out, that's okay, I'll still put a nice table setting because I love to do.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:36:40

Absolutely

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:36:45

brilliant. And by the way, I wouldn't say that I was a board member of the American women artists. And I want to invite everybody to look over that organization. It's an amazing organization, they're doing a great job of really promoting women's art, I was not aware. When I started, I was not aware I really wasn't I mean, I go to museums, but I did, I was not aware that many of these great museums, five to six or 7% of the artwork is done by a woman and this amazing organization is doing an amazing job of trying to get more women artists into these great collections. And I had to step down unfortunately, from their board, because it is one of those amazing board where they are very hard work workers and I had never encountered a board that that was such a committed like that. And that in rightfully deserves a lot of time and I just could not give it to them what they deserved. And I had to step down, and it was hard to do that, but I just couldn't not do it. And I also have other responsibilities that my friends that are close to me know about, but it was just too hard. So I want to invite everybody to check out the American women artists a great organization to be a member and and to participate in their shows. So I got to put a plug in for them. I don't know why I remembered to talk about that. But you know,

Laura Arango Baier: 1:38:31

excellent. Yeah. Especially, you know, for for female artists who are just starting out or who wants to maybe join, I guess a cause that means something to them. It's an excellent thing to promote. And then for my final question, do you have any upcoming shows or exhibitions or anything that you would like to promote?

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:38:54

For the next two years, I'm fully booked up with what I've committed as to museum shows. So I have had to request to sit out at the quest for the west of the idle Jordan Museum of American and Western art in Indianapolis. I was sad but just couldn't do it. I have to finish murals. I have to do several official portraits. I am doing official portraits of historians of charity in Mexico also. And then I am participating in the Prix de West again and I'm participating in the Briscoe night of artists. I had to decline the another well several other Western art shows but that's about all I can do. You know I I wish I could I wish I could say more. I have been offered. One woman shows here and in Mexico and I don't know if I'll ever have one in Mexico would love to have one in Mexico but I don't think I can get all that work and and transport to Mexico without, there's a whole deal with taxes and all of that. But anyways, maybe someday and maybe someday I would like to have another one woman show up. I've been offered several but to this day, I haven't scheduled anything. My, my, you know, I'm pretty booked up to 2025. Right. Wow.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:40:23

That's awesome, though.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:40:25

The end of 2025? Yes, I have. I have been. I have been commissioned by their Daughters of the American Revolution to pay the official portrait of their president yet general for Washington, DC. So I'll be doing that. And I have also been, have been notified that I'm receiving an award of the tech women and I don't want to hold this wrong, because I might have to. It's at Texas, women in the art award in in Austin, and in March also. So I'm very grateful for that. And I'm just working hard. Continue doing what I do. That's, you know, that's all Yeah. Wow.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:41:11

Oh, my gosh, you're busy woman.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:41:15

Yes. So again, you know, what just happened? All of a sudden, all of a sudden, 40 years later, all of a sudden,

Laura Arango Baier: 1:41:25

yeah.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:41:28

You know, sarcastically 40 years now, which is very grateful for everything. And it still feels like I just started to really just know when I when I say with somebody like you and I'm talking about all of this like, wow, said 20 years was that's 30 years, or almost 40 years. Oh, my goodness.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:41:50

Yeah, it's a time flies, I guess. Especially when you're having fun and painting.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:41:56

I'm flies Yes, it does into anybody's wondering what I have behind me, I want to show you. Yeah, I have a grand piano right next to behind me. And I just want to just let y'all know, my family is very musical. My, my son is a professional opera singer. And my husband also writes music and operate as a little sourcewell. Us and musicals. And, and when I built the studio, I thought it would, it had the only I built it because of the love and the support of them. So I wanted them to enjoy this, this place and everything's on rollers. You see, okay, you can see all the studios are kind of give it or turn it around. So you can see a little bit more. Yeah, they're all mine, you know, there's a bunch of stuff. And anyways, everything's on rollers. And that way. We put everything away in my library. And then they use this place for music. And I also learned learn these out the studio out to young composers or conductors. For instance, my, my, my children or my family that need a place to rehearse, especially during COVID where they couldn't get together they would come in. And, and so it's a multi use. Play place here, so yeah. Yes, yeah.

Laura Arango Baier: 1:43:26

Well, Gladys, I'd like for you to let us know where people can see more of your work.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:43:32

Well, it's on my website, then the model s.com. And then you can follow me on Instagram, at Rodin, the modus and also, I have two Facebook pages. One is my personal but it's open to the public is Gladys. My name is Rosanna Morris and the other one is the art of galleries from them the Morris. I do have a tick tock account I don't have anything but a real how that real got there. I don't know. But it got on there. But you know, I have a Twitter I have a LinkedIn but I don't understand LinkedIn either. So I've never been once in a while I'll pop in there. And then I have that new threads and I don't understand what I'm doing on there is I think that's more than enough because it is a job it is a time consuming. I will get up in the morning and I will post something because you have to be active. Anyways, we talked about that. But I thank you so much for this invitation louder. It's been a pleasure meeting you and knowing that we share a little bit of our of our friends yet Colombia Ghana, so it's very wonderful and thank you for thinking about me about my art and if anybody has a question you'll get email or text me and and I hope you enjoyed my visit my journey I tried to be as much truthful as I couldn't and hopefully You know, people enjoy it, you know? Yes,

Laura Arango Baier: 1:45:03

I think so I really enjoyed it. So thank you so much Gladys. And thank you for giving up some of your precious time to be here because I know you're busy.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:45:11

Thank you. Thank you and we will be in touch. Okay?

Laura Arango Baier: 1:45:16

Of course.

Gladys Roldan-de-Moras: 1:45:17

Okay.