The intent of this thesis is to draw particular focus to my fascination with seemingly unimportant, mostly flat paper surfaces. In the tradition of 17^th century trompe l'oeil Letter Rack paintings, I create portraits of my experiences engaging with the subject matter of flattened cardboard boxes, large folded pieces of paper, and small found paper scraps of various, and often indistinct, purposes. These paintings are executed and arranged to draw attention to the inherent abstraction and the hints of the sublime, which I perceive through a Color Field approach to viewing. By producing oil paintings and watercolors that employ methods of illusion, I seek to draw the viewer into experiencing the depiction in a more engaged manner.