Beneath His Shade reflects on the quiet ways love, care, and protection are carried across generations. Inspired by the enduring presence of my grandfather, the work considers memory not only as something we recall, but as something we inhabit. His quiet strength became a source of stability throughout my childhood, offering a sense of shelter that continues to shape the way I understand home and belonging.

The American sycamore tree serves as both image and metaphor. Its broad canopy suggests refuge, while its peeling bark reveals the continual process of renewal. Like memory itself, each layer carries traces of what came before, holding histories of migration, resilience, and the slow cultivation of belonging.

Through painted surfaces, gathered textiles, and hand stitching, the work weaves together personal memory and inherited histories. Material becomes a vessel for remembrance, inviting us to consider how those who have protected and nurtured us continue to shape our lives long after they are gone.