Mexican artist Gladys Roldan-de-Moras challenges female artists to push themselves, find their voice, and make time for life.
“I’m always surprised when my work is awarded some kind of recognition.” Despite having more awards and acknowledgements than she can count on her fingers, Western artist Gladys Roldan-de-Moras is still surprised when she hears her name called in a room full of accomplished artists. After moving from her home of Monterrey, Mexico, to San Antonio to pursue her love of painting, Roldan-de-Moras quickly established herself as a trailblazer in Western art for her striking and historically accurate depictions of charreria — the equestrian national sport of Mexico.
Bringing charreria and the charro culture to Western art has not always been an easy feat. Roldan-de-Moras’ journey has had several twists and turns, requiring strength and perseverance. After being pushed to pursue medicine by the traditional values of her father, she found herself studying reconstructive plastic surgery while dreaming of a life as a full-time painter. After a traumatic experience left her disenchanted with the medical world, it was her husband who gave her the courage and support to pursue painting.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for his love and support all these years,” Roldan-de-Moras told C&I while appearing as a guest on the Women of the West podcast. During the podcast, she offered some nuggets of wisdom she has accrued on her rise to the top of the art world, sharing her experiences in the hope of providing young artists with the motivation to take that next step toward pursuing their dreams. “If I was able to do it, anybody can do it,” she said with a smile.
Listen to our full conversation with Gladys Roldan-de-Moras below.
On Inspiration
“In order to find your voice, paint what you love.” Roldan-de-Moras opened up about feeling lost in the art world prior to discovering her love for and familial connection to charreria. “When I walked into that lienzo charro, I realized I had found what I loved to do.” She now finds inspiration in the art museums holding the works of the Western masters. “I will look at these beautiful paintings and say, ‘This person once was a student and had a dream and they made it here. So, who is to say that my paintings won’t be here?’ That’s inspiration to me.”
Spirit of San Antonio, 2023. 24 x 34 inches, oil on Belgian linen.
On Perseverance
When it comes to hardships, Roldan-de-Moras has had her share and is willing to offer encouragement about persevering through them. “I used to carry my library in my van, and when I was in line waiting for the kids, I had my books with me. And then, when everybody was asleep, I would go to my studio and study some more,” she told C&I. But her key to success has always been focusing on becoming the best she could be. “I just compete against myself. People have said that I’ve broken glass ceilings, but I did not work this hard thinking about doing that. I just worked hard to be the best artist I could be,” she said. “You have to persevere, work hard, and things will happen.”
Untitled (Traje de Luces), 2022. 30 x 40 inches, oil on linen.
On Criticism
“We artists put our heart on our sleeve, and we can take it really personally when one of our works doesn’t make it to a show,” Roldan-de-Moras said. “But you can’t take it personally. It’s only the opinion of one person. It doesn’t mean your work is not worthy of a big award.” To her way of thinking, being bold in the face of criticism is only possible if you believe in yourself. “You have to believe in yourself, because if you don’t believe in yourself, then nobody else will.”
Siempre, 2023. 48 x 36 inches, oil on linen.
On Making Time For Life
“Sometimes, it’s hard to enjoy your life,” Roldan-de-Moras said. “You’re at a family gathering and you’re always thinking, I should be in my studio. And then you have to stop and think, I want to have a life. I want to enjoy my children and my grandchildren. That is always hard — trying to enjoy the moment and not feel guilty for not being in the studio.” But she takes pride in knowing that her work has had a profound impact on her family. “My grandchildren will never say they had a grandmother that baked cookies, but they will remember that they had a grandmother whose paintings hung in beautiful collections.”
Chinas Poblanas, 2023. 48 x 36 inches, oil on linen.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of the artist/private collections
