We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rosa Fortys. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rosa below.
Rosa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally since I was 12, when I started to draw more intently and play around with the idea of owning my own platform, like Studio Ghibli, where I could bring all of the stories in my head to life. The covers of my binders had mock logos of what I wanted my company to look like. But as I got older, challenges associated with being an undocumented immigrant made me shift my focus to what was right in front of me. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to chase my dreams. In college, I realized that I loved painting more than illustrating, but then life began happening too fast and my progress got derailed. I became married and had my first child by 21 and had to leave school as a result. I moved to Texas because of my husband’s job and I continued to paint in my free time. Sometime in 2012, a close friend told me to check the art scene in El Paso to see if I could envision a place for myself. I took the chance and when I saw all of the people selling their art, it re-awakened the dream of becoming a “real artist.” When I found out that I was pregnant in 2014, I reflected on the person I wanted to be for my kids. I wanted to be inspirational and work hard on my dreams so that they would know they never had to give up on theirs. I signed up for the fall semester at EPCC to finish my degree. One year into my degree, I went to see someone’s show at a bigger venue. The experience was pivotal. Their 6-foot paintings showed me new possibilities and learning about what went into the showcase reassured me that I could do this, too. So in 2017, after showcasing at a few local shows and a museum, selling a few prints and my first painting, and finally graduating, I decided to move back to NYC, where I was determined to continue my artistic path professionally. My thoughts were, “If I can make it in New York, I can make it anywhere.”
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I’m an artist born in Mexico City and raised in NYC. I lived in Texas for eight years and moved back to NYC in 2017 to pursue my artistic career professionally. I’m a mother of three children and I have a Fine Arts degree from EPCC. My painting focuses on women because I love them. As a woman who has had to build resiliency through the years, I want my art to inspire the women around me to not give up, to recognize our internal strength and the outstanding value we have in society. As a mother raising girls, I want to make sure they are surrounded with support and imagery so that they are continually inspired to work hard on their dreams. One of my most recent proud moments was definitely when my daughter told one of her teachers that she wanted to be an artist and that her mother is an artist as well. I’m an Artist that paints women to inspire women and support them.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is definitely seeing how many people resonate with my paintings. I always drew women, and painted them, but I didn’t know that I’d be able to build an audience. When I decided to paint women as my subject and my focus, my business blossomed and I knew I was making an impact.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Let’s take it back to August 2021. I had just had my first solo show and sold a lot of pieces. I felt very accomplished and thought that it was the ideal time to get a dedicated studio space! I was looking forward to the new year and I had the idea that my fortunes could only go up. But the next year had different ideas. I was going through depression and wasn’t creating like I was back in past years. I wasn’t showcasing as much. Not only that, but things at home started to get difficult. My children were struggling. My only thought was “well, for the sake of my children, I’ll stop creating and focus on them.” I suddenly became engulfed with school testing, doctors appointments, and school meetings, things that started to take months of my time. My health wasn’t doing great either. I was in a precancerous state with HPV, scared and unsure of what would happen. By May, I realized I would have to give up my studio because I couldn’t afford it. So now I spent half the year not creating and not making any income. I truly felt like I had failed myself. By October, I felt like I had reached the bottom and my marriage was also on the line. That was the moment when I was like “well, I tried my best and now I’m putting myself first. I’m tired, and I don’t like this.”I converted part of my dining room into a studio space and began creating again, pouring my emotions into the work. I received some very sound advice from friends in the art scene, especially women who had gone through similar things as me. By November, I knew that if I made a plan for the new year and kept pushing and had more discipline with my time I could do a lot of great things. In December, I found out I was no longer in a precancerous state, and I actually didn’t even have HPV anymore. My kids were also doing a lot better in school. That was the point where my focus on my work increased and the new year started successfully. I’ve already sold several prints and even an original piece in February. I’m also now getting featured in magazines and online articles and I hope to keep the momentum going.
Contact Info:
- Website: Rosaguadalupe.art
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosaguadalupe_art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosafortysart
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosafortysart
- Other: tik tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rosaguadalupeart?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Image Credits
Bleu Pablo