Since I was five I’ve made birthday cakes. It’s something that connects me to my childhood when my mother patiently taught me to cream the shortening and sugar, add the eggs one at a time and gradually add the milk after the sifted flour and baking powder. Throughout the years I was delighted to make the celebratory centerpiece decked out with the appropriate number of candles for the fortunate person getting to live another year, enriching my life. When a call was made to make art celebrating the 60th birthday of the Academy Art Museum I made a cake, this time of torn hand painted paper.