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ARTIST STATEMENT

My work explores identity, belonging, and rejection—their inherent power and the rippling effects they have on families, communities, and the world. As a Filipina-American, I merge personal experience with indigenous Philippine materials to examine how patriarchy, misogyny, consumerism, and colonialism carve deeply into both the human spirit and the land itself.

 

Through meticulous hand-sewing and labor-intensive processes, I create space for reflection on the destructive nature of these power structures—how they erode authenticity and sever our connection to our roots and the Earth. My practice is a means of reaching back to my indigenous ancestors, reviving and strengthening that lost bond.
 

Capiz shells and quilting hold deep significance in my work. Capiz, or windowpane oysters, appear delicate and translucent, yet they possess an unexpected resilience—much like people, whose true nature is only revealed upon closer inspection. Quilting, deeply rooted in American traditions, particularly within white and African-American communities, has little presence in Filipino or Filipino-American culture. By incorporating capiz shells into my quilts, I create a new visual and cultural language—one that speaks to the experience of being neither fully of one land nor the other, forging a path that bridges histories and redefines tradition.

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ARTIST BIO

Rowena Federico Finn is a Filipina-American multidisciplinary artist whose work is deeply informed by her roles as an art educator and community activist. Blending meticulous craftsmanship with extensive research, she employs a diverse range of materials—including indigenous shells and fabrics—to create distinctive Filipina-Futurist works that bridge her Filipino heritage and American upbringing.

 

Through the traditionally "womanly arts" of sewing and craft, Finn’s intricate sculptural pieces invite close examination, drawing viewers in with their delicate appearance before revealing unexpected strength, sharpness, and complexity. Her work explores themes of identity, authenticity, community, and belonging, offering a nuanced dialogue on tradition and transformation through a Filipina-American lens.

 

Rowena lives in Virginia Beach, VA, with her husband and three inspiring children.

image of an Asian woman with long black hair wearing a white button down shirt and blue jeans

photo courtesy of DCPG Photograpy

SOLO & INVITATIONAL EXHIBITIONS

2025     Pieced/Pierced Solo Exhibition, Stone Tower Gallery, Glen Echo Park, MD

2025     Books and Art: Celebrating 100 Years at the Charles H. Taylor, Charles H. Taylor Center, Hampton, VA

2024     7000 Pieces of Me Solo Exhibition, Perspective Gallery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

2023     Foreign Bodies Solo Exhibition, Offsite Gallery, Norfolk, VA

2023     Atrium Artists in Residence, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, Virginia Beach, VA

JURIED EXHIBITIONS (Selection)

2024    Radius 250 Biennial, Artspace, Richmond, VA

2024    Made in VA Biennial, Museum of Contemporary Arts, Virginia Beach, VA

2023     Still, Art Fluent Gallery, Boston, MA, Online Exhibition

2023     Creative Expressions, Sandler Center, Virginia Beach, VA
2022     Artists Who Teach, Charles H. Taylor, Hampton VA

2022     Splash 23: The Best of Watercolor, Artists Magazine

2022     Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists Spring Members Show, Virginia Beach, VA

2021     Best of the East Coast, Gallery 311, Raleigh, NC

2021     Questions, Martha’s Vineyard Drawing Prize 2021, Online Exhibition, Juror Prize
2021     Virginia Artists, Charles Taylor Center, Hampton, VA

2021     Practice What You Teach, Virginia Art Education Association Conference, Virginia Beach, VA

2021     Awash in Color, Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists Fall Members Show, Norfolk, VA

2021     Virginia Watercolor Society Members Show, Art & Cultural Center, Portsmouth, VA

2020     Garden of Life, The Artists Gallery, Virginia Beach, VA

2020     Artists Who Teach, Charles Taylor Center, Hampton, VA

2019     Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists Fall Members Show, Norfolk, VA

2019     Virginia Artists, Charles Taylor Center, Hampton, VA

2018     Virginia Artists, Charles Taylor Center, Hampton, VA

sculpture made of capiz shells and oversized wooden spoon and fork

GRANTS, RESIDENCIES, & SCHOLARSHIPS

2024     Money for Women/Barbara Deming Memorial Fund, New York, NY

2024     Creative Residency, Hambidge Center for Creative Arts & Sciences, Rabun Gap, GA

2024     Atrium Artists in Residence, Virginia Museum of Contemporary Arts, Virginia Beach, VA

2023     Artist Emergency Grant, Foundation for Contemporary Arts, New York, NY

2023     Artist Professional Development Grant, The Artists Gallery, Virginia Beach, VA

2022     NAEA Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) Scholarship, National Art Education Association

2020     Southern Atelier Portrait Drawing Workshop Scholarship

ARTWORK AWARDS

2022     "Sisters" - Artists Who Teach Exhibition, Second Place

2022     "On the Brink of Becoming Acquainted" - Splash 23: The Best of Watercolor, Finalist

2022     "Sisters" - Spring Colors Exhibition, Best in Show

2022     "Sisters" - Spring Colors Exhibition, Members' Choice

2021     "Lifeline" - Questions Exhibition, Martha's Vineyard Drawing Prize, Juror Prize

2021     "On the Brink of Becoming Acquainted" - CBW Fall Members Show, Second Place

2021     "On the Brink of Becoming Acquainted" - VWS Members Show, Honorable Mention

2020     "On the Brink of Becoming Acquainted" - Garden of Life Exhibition, Best in Show

2019     "Apple Blossoms" - CBW Fall Members Show, Honorable Mention

2017     "The Graceful Envelope" Honorable Mention

2008     "Pattern Pieces" - Free Spirit Exhibition, Award of Merit

2006     "Poppin' Poppies" - Best of Virginia Artists Publication, Honorable Mention

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