rowena federico finn
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.

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.

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

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