Our Kitchen Table

The kitchen table has been a special place of interaction and connection for both my immediate and extended Italian American family throughout my life. It is always covered with a decorative tablecloth. My book is covered with one in particular that belonged to my grandmother, Assunta. I never had the chance to meet my grandmother, as she passed away before I came into the world. However, I have grown to know and love her deeply through what has been shared with me. She raised three children, one of them being my father. My book explores the relationship I have with my Grandma Susie through the memories that have been shared with me through my father, and some of her physical belongings that we continue to cherish in our home. The illustrations represent the lasting impact she has had on our family, despite the absence of her earthly presence. These material items are symbols of her motherly love that lives on through each of us, and our home that she built for us many years ago.