Thomas Blackshear II, Gladys Roldán-de-Moras, and more leaders in Western art shine at the Briscoe’s 2025 Night of Artists exhibition and sale.
On March 28 and 29, the Briscoe Western Art Museum’s 2025 Night of Artists invited art enthusiasts to San Antonio to witness over 270 works of art by 85 artists. The exhibition and sale generated more than $2 million in art sales, with $2.92 million through sponsorships, ticket sales, and art purchases. But beyond the numbers, the esteemed art event brought some of the West’s most notable artists together with the industry’s most promising upcoming artists.
Among the many returning artists was Bonnie Marris, whose painting, The Best Stick Ever, led the sale as the top auction item at $103,500 hammer price with buyer’s premium included (much higher than the anticipated $27,000 sale price). “I’ve been to many of the very top shows and galleries in my career and this year’s Briscoe was what every artist wishes a show or a gallery would be like,” Marris told C&I. “When I walked through the doors, each painting looked as though it was special. The Night of Artists is aptly named for it honored all of our wishes.”
Bonnie Marris, The Best Stick Ever, Oil on canvas. 36 x 48 inches.
Mark Maggiori, acclaimed French American painter and friend of the Briscoe, was also impressed with what he experienced at this year’s Night of Artists. “I think it’s a great show. Very solid. I’m very impressed by a lot of the paintings,” he told C&I. Maggiori was especially impressed with Thomas Blackshear II, a new Night of Artists participant. Blackshear II was awarded the William B. Travis Award for Patrons’ Choice for his oil painting titled The Blue Bird.
Thomas Blackshear II found his way into the Western art scene after working as an illustrator. “One of the things I had to start thinking about as I was getting into the Western art market was how I was going to stand out amongst all these great artists,” Blackshear II told C&I. “When you’re doing this subject matter, you only have some much to use in the painting: Native Americans, cowboys, horses, cows, mountains, desert.”
Blackshear II combatted these conventions by choosing to tell his stories from a different perspective. “My approach is trying to think outside of the box. Usually you see people up against a scene,” he said. “I said, ‘Why don’t I try to do something that tries to show who the cowboy is?’ That’s why I do images that are close up instead of far away. I want you to look in the eyes of the person and try to imagine who he is and what he is thinking.”
Like many of his paintings, Blackshear II’s award-winning piece, The Blue Bird, was derived from a photograph. “I happened to see a photograph that was cut off at the chest of a man looking down, and I liked the lighting on him and his bone structure,” he said. “And I said, ‘You know, I think I’ll turn him into a Native American. And maybe he could be looking at a bird on a branch.’ And then I said, ‘Okay, what kind of bird? Let’s go with the mythology of the blue bird that brings prosperity and happiness.’ And that’s how this painting was put together.”
Thomas Blackshear II, The Blue Bird, Oil on linen, 35 x 22 inches.
Another artist that turned heads at this year’s event was returning artist Gladys Roldán-de-Moras, whose oil painting ¡Que chula es Puebla! was featured in the auction. Roldán-de-Moras has become well-known for her depictions of the Mexican tradition of charreria. “I find inspiration mostly in portraying my Hispanic culture,” she told C&I. “And living in this wonderful city of San Antonio, which is primarily a Hispanic city, I see all around me things that I would love to capture that represent my heritage.”
On par with her tradition of educating viewers on Hispanic traditions through her work, ¡Que chula es Puebla! tells the story behind the iconic China Poblana traditional Mexican dress. Roldán-de-Moras shared the legend of Catarina de San Juan, an Indian princess named Mirra who was kidnapped by pirates and taken to New Spain in the 17th century. There, she was sold to a Mexican family and used as a housekeeper. Known for the beautiful sequined dresses she wore despite her low status, Mirra became popular among within Mexican society. After gaining her liberty from her masters, Mirra began to practice herbalism, quickly becoming an established healer known and loved for her strong sense of spirituality. “We owe the dress to her,” Roldán-de-Moras told C&I. “What a lot of people don’t know is this history.”
Roldán-de-Moras’ ¡Que chula es Puebla! is special for another reason. Pointing to a figure of a young girl in the background of the painting, Roldán-de-Moras told C&I, “I did something I’ve never done before, and I painted myself right there as a young girl.” Her self-insert leans up against a pillar gazing at the escaramuzas dancing in a courtyard in stunning China Poblana dresses. “I always wanted to be a dancer,” she said. “So I said, ‘I’m going to paint that little girl looking at them.’ And that’s a first for me.”
Gladys Roldán-de-Moras, ¡Que chula es Puebla!, Oil on linen. 24 x 26 inches.
While the Night of Artists has come to an end, the exhibition and sale will continue through May 11, 2025. All remaining works are available in fixed price sale and can be purchased in-person or online. The full exhibition is still open to the public at the price of museum admission. Awards and honors were announced during the weekend as well. Check out this year’s winners below.
2025 Night Of Artists Award Winners
Sam Houston Award for Painting
Martin Grelle for “Trackers at Blacktail Ponds,” Oil on linen, 36 x 36 in.
James Bowie Award for Sculpture
Ed Natiya for “Silent Hunter,” Bronze, 18 x 17 in.
David Crockett Award for Artists’ Choice
William Haskell for “Heavens in Motion,” Acrylic on panel, 24 x 30 in.
William B. Travis Award for Patrons’ Choice
Thomas Blackshear II for “The Blue Bird,” Oil on linen, 35 x 22 in.
“Cowboy Bob” Museum Purchase Award
Dustin Payne for “What Man Can Conceive,” Bronze wall relief, 37 x 20 x 10 in.
Alamo Award for Best Body of Work
T. Allen Lawson
Head to briscoemuseum.org to learn more about the exhibition and sale.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Briscoe Western Art Museum
