Set against the majestic San Gabriel Mountains, The Grandmother was commissioned by the iconic network of memorial parks, considered by many to be part art museum, part mausoleum, and part community park. Designed for a resting place in a predominantly Asian community, the work honors the generational bonds that define family.

Slatoff’s inspiration came from a traditional tea ceremony performed at the wedding of his son and daughter-in-law—a ritual in which the bride serves tea to her parents and elders in a gesture of gratitude and respect. From that intimate act emerged a universal story of love that bridges generations. The Grandmother captures the quiet devotion between grandparent and grandchild—a sculpted expression of continuity, tenderness, and the stories that live within family.