In the typical Filipino household, career paths often follow familiar lines — parents hoping their children will grow up to be engineers, nurses or teachers. But the Vios family breaks the mold, passing down not just careers but creativity itself, as an heirloom to be treasured. For generations, art has been their true legacy, beginning with their great-grandfather, who first laid the foundation for a family of artists.
The recent second exhibit of siblings Ma. Rowena Vios and architect Ramon Nilo Vios Jr., held at Galerie Raphael, Ayala Center Cebu on Sept. 14, titled GASA: A Back-to-Back Art Exhibition, painted just how deeply the Vios family breathes art.
Rowena Vios
Rowena recalled how their father would gather them as children and introduce them to their first experience with art — charcoal.
“For every artist, charcoal is a foundational skill you build on as you pursue art,” she said. “When I reached high school, I continued creating, but when I got married, I had to pause because I was focused on raising my kids and managing the business.” But art has a way of finding its way back, and it certainly did for Rowena. “Now, I run an art school in Toledo City where I mentor others,” she said. Rowena founded the Vios Center of Arts, where workshops are held, and scholarships are offered to budding artists.
Just like their mother, Rowena’s children have also inherited the family’s artistic talents. Her kids have learned the art of filmmaking, painting and design, continuing the generational tradition of creativity.
“What they need is encouragement. They see me painting, and that sparks their curiosity and interest,” Rowena shared.
Rowena’s work centers on impressionism and abstract painting. “Gasa means ‘gift,’ and that’s exactly what our family treasures most,” she explained, reflecting on how art has become a cherished inheritance passed down through generations.
Ramon Nilo Vios Jr.
“From my younger years until now, we’ve been exposed to different types of art. Exposure is key to learning, and that’s the foundation we’ve had,” Ramon shared.
Having been immersed in art from an early age, Ramon started as a young illustrator in his elementary classrooms, often taking instructions from teachers to create drawings for school projects.
Balancing both architecture and art, he admitted, can be challenging. “There’s a lot of critique in art, but if you take it positively, it helps you improve.” In architecture, Ramon was introduced to watercolor, a notoriously difficult medium. “Watercolor is one of the hardest mediums because controlling water and light is tricky. You have to preserve the original white of the paper, which is the opposite of oil or acrylic, where you can add white to create highlights,” he explained, noting the unique challenge of mastering the subtleties of watercolor.
Ramon has always had a deep connection with art, seeing it as his personal expression. Whenever he faces frustrations in architecture, he channels those emotions into his artwork. Ramon focuses on realism, capturing the everyday moments of life — fishing, traditions, and scenes that reflect human activities.
Now with two children — one an architect and the other still in senior high school — both of his children have also embraced art. “I preserve my paintings because through art, your family can keep it for the next 100 years. Whether it’s sold or not, it becomes a legacy,” Ramon shared.
“Every day from five to seven o’clock, I paint. That’s our memory, and that’s our heritage.” He proudly noted that he already has over 1,000 paintings in his home, each one a part of his family’s enduring story. S