Thriving through change to CREATE with art museum director Alison Byrne

On Friday, February 16th, several dozen members of the community, many of whom had been to all four of our Creative Mornings VB events at The Garage on Mediterranean Ave., sat with new friends to explore CM’s global theme for February, NATIVE. Rowena Federico Finn, a visual artist born and raised in Hampton Roads but inextricably and proudly linked to her Filipino heritage, inspired the packed audience with stories of her journey as a Navy kid in Norfolk, attending JMU and falling in love with the Shenandoah Valley, marrying a non-Filipino, and, importantly, traveling back to The Philippines many times as a child and then as an adult and mother, seeing the country of her parents through the eyes of her children. Full circle.

“Where are you from,” asked the nice elderly white lady on a trip to Tangier Island when Rowena was a kid. “I’m from Virginia, just like you,” Rowena thought, but for the first time understanding how she is seen by some, not as “American” but as “Filipino” or “Filipino-American.” Identity plays a huge role in Rowena’s art, which involves a wide range of media including watercolor, metal work, and fiber art. For Rowena, art is autobiographical, and she uses her art to illustrate what it’s like to be a Filipino-American today, show how being a whole person is more than simply being a mother, and promoting the rights of children and members of the community who are unseen or unheard.

It was hard to imagine Rowena’s art in a gallery with a 4” x 6” notecard explaining the inspiration, as the story behind each piece she brought to Creative Mornings was full of history, family, colonialism, natural beauty, childhood, death, strength, and resilience. She uses her art practice to foster broader conversations about identity, belonging, and the roles of family and community through the lens of a Filipino-American woman, a mother, and a member of multiple communities. When Rowena’s talk was over, she took a few questions and then invited the audience to come and touch the art she had displayed. Exploring the textures of her art brought the morning to a satisfying close, as we all left feeling as though we had truly heard and understood the inspirations for her beautiful works.  

Rowena has won awards and exhibited works in regional, statewide, and national juried shows. She has taught classes for the Governor’s School for the Arts and TCC in Norfolk, and has taught workshops for the Barrier Island Center, the D’Art Center, the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, the Virginia Beach Art Center, and the Chrysler Museum of Art. Her work is currently featured in a group exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art where she’ll be an artist in residence and teach a master class this summer. A passionate and outspoken activist for the rights and needs of underrepresented communities, Rowena served on the Virginia Asian Advisory Board (as Vice Chair and Chair of the Education Committee), The Virginia Art Education Association’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Committee, and the Virginia Beach City Public School’s Equity Council. She currently serves on the WHRO Community Advisory Board. She has also participated in several panel discussions that highlight the importance of sharing the histories and experiences of minority communities throughout Virginia. 

Join us every 3rd Friday in 2024 as we explore, along with 236 other cities in 69 countries around the world, 12 new themes in a face-to-face community format. Past themes have included Rhythm, Endurance, Simplicity, Pride, and Treasure. March’s theme is PERSPECTIVE, and our speaker will be drone photographer Jimmy Olivero.

CM also has virtual field trips and a database of previous talks to enjoy and explore at home.

Find all the photos from our February event here: CreativeMorningsVB: NATIVE Feb 2024 | Flickr

What is NATIVE? with Rowena Federico Finn

Feb 16, 2024 • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM EST • The Garage VB

About the speaker

Rowena Federico Finn is a visual artist born and raised in Hampton Roads. Her expertise involves a wide range of media including watercolor, metal work, and fiber art. She has won awards and exhibited works in regional, statewide, and national juried shows. She has taught classes for the Governor’s School for the Arts and TCC in Norfolk, and has taught workshops for the Barrier Island Center, the D’Art Center, the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, the Virginia Beach Art Center, and the Chrysler Museum of Art. Her work is currently featured in a group exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art where she’ll be an artist in residence and teach a master class this summer. A passionate and outspoken activist for the rights and needs of underrepresented communities, Rowena served on the Virginia Asian Advisory Board (as Vice Chair and Chair of the Education Committee), The Virginia Art Education Association’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Committee, and the Virginia Beach City Public School’s Equity Council. She currently serves on the WHRO Community Advisory Board. She has also participated in several panel discussions that highlight the importance of sharing the histories and experiences of minority communities throughout Virginia. Her artwork, teaching, and volunteer work are deeply connected, and she uses her art practice to foster broader conversations about identity, belonging, and the roles of family and community through the lens of a Filipino-American woman, a mother, and a member of multiple communities.

Tickets: https://creativemornings.com/…/what-is-native-with…

#creativecapital#creativemornings#goodvibes#diversity#communitybuilding#networking

Jan 19, 2024, thirty members of the community, seeking connection, conversation, and delicious coffee, braved a rainy morning to visit the ViBe‘s 3rd Creative Mornings VB event at The Garage on Mediterranean Ave. CM’s global theme for December was RISE, and Jeff Werby, co- founder of Fathom Coffee Roasters (4.9 stars on Google, with 148 reviews!) and so many more local businesses, inspired the packed audience with stories of his journey from VB skate kid to Navy officer to serial entrepreneur. Jeff’s informative and entertaining talk had the attendees fired up heading into the weekend.

Dressed in a COFFEE sweatshirt (think John Belushi’s COLLEGE sweater from Animal House), Jeff spoke to the many, many jobs he’s had over the past 20 years. Starting as a corn detassler on a farm in Illinois as a teenager, then moving to his cornucopia of experience in the Navy (he babysat a nuclear reactor, was a prison warden, a naval Surface Warfare Officer, and a Riverine Patrol Officer, among other positions), then a management consultant, vendor manager, and IT Director. He finally settled into the serial entrepreneur role with his long-time business partner, Lisa DeNoia. Along the way, Jeff learned from each experience, and ultimately determined that his skills emerged strongest and most authentic when he was working with himself or with a partner. 9-5, working for The Man, wasn’t going to be in the cards.

Jeff’s journey and story left the audience pondering the themes that guide his life and business decisions: Family, friends, co-founders, and relationships. Technology. A desire to learn and keep moving. Making connections. Enjoying what you do. Setting and exceeding goals. And up and at ‘em early, with great coffee! Certainly words of wisdom we all needed last Friday morning, and thanks to Jeff’s energy and generosity, we all left enthused and motivated to tackle what’s next.

Jeff is a graduate of UVA and Duke, and is also a co-founder of Port and Starboard LLC, 1701 from 2016-2023 (Virginia Beach’s first coworking space), and his latest creation, The Hot Box Sauna. His ventures have spanned diverse sectors, each reflecting his innovative spirit and commitment to quality. Beyond his own enterprises, Jeff has significantly contributed to the entrepreneurial landscape by mentoring and aiding numerous founders in launching their businesses, demonstrating his knack for collaborative growth and industry impact.

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Join us every 3rd Friday in 2024 as we explore, along with 236 other cities in 69 countries around the world, 12 new themes in a face-to-face community format. Past themes have included Rhythm, Endurance, Simplicity, Pride, and Treasure. February’s theme is NATIVE, chosen by the Honolulu, HI CM chapter, and our speaker will be the visual artist Rowena Fredrico Finn on Feb 16.

CM also has virtual field trips and a database of previous talks to enjoy and explore at home.

Thanks,

Robert Fiveash
co-host

If you haven’t met Jeff Werby before, now is the time! From rising to the occasion as a United States Veteran to rising early with his local gourmet coffee business, Virginia Beach creative Jeff Werby is a creative entrepreneur who has launched multiple businesses while creating a local network within the veteran community. Join us this Friday, Jan 19 for CreativeMornings VB at 830am at The Garage VB. Free ticket. Free Parking. Free inspiration. Coffee, too!Jeff Werby, a former Navy officer and graduate of UVA and Duke, is a co-founder of Port and Starboard LLC, 1701 (Virginia Beach’s first coworking space), Fathom Coffee Roasters, and The Hot Box Sauna. His ventures span diverse sectors, each reflecting his innovative spirit and commitment to quality. Beyond his own enterprises, Jeff has significantly contributed to the entrepreneurial landscape by mentoring and aiding numerous founders in launching their businesses, demonstrating his knack for collaborative growth and industry impact.

Last Friday, thirty members of the community, seeking conversation and connection, braved the cold morning to visit the ViBe‘s 2nd Creative Mornings VB event at The Garage on Mediterranean Ave. CM’s global theme for December was PAIN, and Erika Hitchcock spoke of Overcoming Pain with Artistic Inspiration, relaying her story of how she worked through grief to a place of healing to the attendees. Erika had lost her beloved brother to mental illness five years ago to the day, and experienced a severe accident that left her stunned and in place of grief, doubt, and fear. She had to retire from teaching in Virginia Beach City Public schools for over 18 years and she turned to art-making as a way to cope and heal. After a year filled with so much loss, she began to create and found peace which eventually turned into beautiful inspiration, celebrating love stories across the country.

In 2019, after her loss, her mother, Patricia, sensing the need to bring Erika back to a place where she’d experienced simple, unrefined joy, bought her a slab roller which reignited Erika’s passion for creating ceramics. Erika began sculpting and experimenting, creating ceramic wedding dress replicas, and found that this work gave her a release from dealing with the loss of her brother. By memorializing one of the most meaningful days of a married person’s life, along with the promise of never being alone, Erika began to offer commissions to customers who saw these replicas as symbols of their love story and celebration. She started StoneWear Ceramics, and today creates beautiful wedding dress replicas in stoneware clay for clients around the world. She’s been recognized by Virginia Bride and Coastal Virginia, and The Virginian-Pilot.

Each event’s Q&A is a great opportunity to further explore the speaker’s story, the month’s theme, and learn about local resources. Last Friday, through Erika’s art collaborations with our local chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, we learned more about the programs, resources, and support groups it offers, and how to get involved. NAMI is a wonderful local resource for those individuals and families in need.

Join us every 3rd Friday in 2024 as we explore, along with 236 other cities in 69 countries around the world, 12 new themes in a face-to-face community format. Past themes have included Rhythm, Endurance, Simplicity, Pride, and Treasure. CM also has virtual field trips and a database of previous talks to enjoy and explore at home.

• Written by co-founder Robert Fiveash, Brand Fuel

#loveistheanswer #feelyourpain #loveagain #findyourjoy

Welcome friends!

Your CreativeMornings Team is Kate Pittman of the ViBe Creative District nonprofit, Robert Fiveash of Brand Fuel and Tessa Hall Duquette of The Garage creative studio. We wanted to bring this internationally renown speaker series to Virginia Beach because our creative community has grown significantly in recent years– there are so many amazing individuals to learn about. Getting to know each other through a creative lens and new theme each month will no doubt be an exciting journey.

Help us grow this effort by telling your social networks that this is a new thing and share ideas for speakers in 2024!

Thanks for joining in. See you on the 3rd Friday of every month.

-Kate, Tessa and Robert