Memories of My Papa is a deeply personal exhibition that reflects on love, loss, and the enduring presence of a cherished family figure through fragments of memory and emotion. Through intimate ceramic works and expressive imagery, Simeon explores how memories persist not as a single narrative but as layered impressions of faces, gestures, and familiar moments that continue to resurface over time.

The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the fluid nature of memory, where absence and presence coexist and everyday moments often hold the greatest meaning. While rooted in the artist’s personal experience, the work encourages viewers to reconnect with their own memories of family, love, and remembrance.

“Personal stories are what define our lives,” said Jerrold Dwayne Castro, coordinator of the Isla Center. “Rioanne’s showing is a testament to the goal of Isla, which is to showcase talented artists and present their stories to the community. Her personal story is a powerful example of how art resonates across generations and links communities through shared experiences. "

Simeon, a UOG alumna, uses ceramics to explore themes of memory, family, and identity. Her work draws on personal experiences and combines illustration with handcrafted ceramic forms, inviting viewers to reflect on the moments and relationships that shape their lives.

The Isla Center for the Arts is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free. The gallery is closed Sundays and holidays. For more information, call or text (WhatsApp) (671) 735-2965 or email islacenter@gmail.com.

About the artist
Rioanne Cabana Simeon is a Guam-born artist and University of Guam alumna who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts with a minor in Japanese Language. Her artistic practice has evolved from early influences in Japanese animation to a focus on ceramics, where she approaches clay as a drawing surface using handcrafted tools, stamps, and glaze to create layered compositions.

About the Isla Center for the Arts
The Isla Center for the Arts at the University of Guam serves as the University’s public art gallery, presenting exhibitions and programs that support artists, enrich cultural dialogue, and connect the campus with the broader community through the visual arts.

 

Exhibition opens Aug. 27 with free public reception celebrating memory, family, and ceramic art