Rolando Garza was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1959. He achieved early recognition as a watercolorist while still in his teens. Largely self-taught, Garza studied with painter Carl Rice Embry at the San Antonio Art Institute. He grew up in San Antonio’s East Side in a family deeply rooted in the arts and music, and began exhibiting work at a young age, including a four-person exhibition with his brothers in a downtown San Antonio gallery they co-founded as teenagers in 1979. Garza comes from a lineage of artists and musicians, including his aunt Rosita Fernández, the celebrated Tejano singer and actress, and his uncle Raul Gutierrez, an accomplished San Antonio artist who encouraged his pursuit of fine art. In addition to his artistic career, Garza served as a San Antonio firefighter before retiring. He is known for his realistic landscape paintings, particularly in watercolor, though his recent work has moved toward a looser, more abstract approach. Garza lives on the outskirts of San Antonio with his wife, where he recently built a dedicated studio and continues to focus on his art practice. Artist Statement I have always loved painting realistically, especially landscapes, but over time my work has naturally begun to loosen and move toward a more abstract, contemporary expression. I’m still deeply connected to nature and place, but I allow the paint and the process more freedom now. That shift has been both intentional and intuitive—an evolution rather than a departure. My artistic roots run deep. I grew up on San Antonio’s East Side in a family where art and music were part of everyday life. While other kids were outside playing ball, my brothers and I were often in the garage, working in the studio our father built for us when he saw how drawn we were to making art. We were encouraged early, taken to museums on family trips to Mexico, and surrounded by relatives who lived creative lives. That foundation shaped not only my skills, but my way of seeing. Much of my work reflects a reverence for landscapes that feel timeless and undisturbed—quiet places that invite stillness. Whether painting rows of trees at sunset, adobe structures, stucco walls, or carved windows punctuated by pots of color, I’m drawn to moments of calm and solitude. My watercolor technique often relies on dry brush and careful layering, allowing detail and atmosphere to emerge slowly and deliberately. I also work in acrylic, especially with my newer abstract work. Today, I continue to blend a time-honored approach with my own evolving interpretation of the world around me. Painting remains a way to slow down, to observe closely, and to share a sense of peace—both with myself and with those who spend time with the work. —Rolando Garza