Family Dinner

Family Dinner portrays a special meal for my Japanese-American immigrant family. Sashimi slices, avocado, a bowl of spicy tuna and tamago (thin egg omelet), the shrimp tempura and unagi (marinated eel) are displayed on a red-checked tablecloth. The food is made by my entire family and is a communal experience in the making as well as the eating. The cloth portrays both a childhood memory of my family’s actual tablecloth and suggests all-American meals. We all deserve a place at the table and food traditions provide us a sense of belonging. This painting honors those ideas. –Artist statement