study of a slice of cake 1, 2, 3, and 4

8” x 8” Oil on canvases

Study of a Slice of Cake 1, 2, 3, and 4 is a series of four 8x8 paintings that track the simple act of eating dessert. Each panel captures a different stage—before, during, midway through, and after eating a slice of lemon-olive-oil cake from my local coffee shop.

The setup stays the same: a white plate on a yellow table, painted with warm tones and cool purple shadows to highlight the contrast and mess of the moment. What changes is the cake—and the way we see it—as it slowly disappears.

This series is part of my ongoing interest in documenting everyday scenes, especially moments of consumption. It plays with the idea of still life by showing what still life usually skips: the bite marks, the crumbs, the middle of the story. These paintings aren’t about making something look perfect—they’re about paying attention to the things we usually overlook.