Games- work in Progress by K Henderson

Games, Work in Progress, 12 x 24

This is just a small bit of the tromp l’oeil oil painting I’m currently working on. I’m having so much fun with it, I couldn’t wait to show it to you.

As you probably know, I’m addicted to vintage toys and thrift stores. As I was whining to Hubby one day about all the tape they use in thrift stores and how it ruins the boxes he said “Why not paint the tape too?” Duh! I paint tape all the time in my tromp l’oeils and here it’s already been added to this Rook card game.

Ride ‘Em Cowboy by K Henderson

Ride Em’ Cowboy, detail, 18 x 24, oil on canvas

Ok, my secret is out. I love vintage cowboy figurines. Alright, it wasn’t much of a secret. I collect them. I display them. I love them.

The background features a silk scarf with a wonderful picture of a cowboy on a horse.  Each ceramic cowboy has his own palomino  horse and a cactus to show us he is in the Southwest.

I like the hard, shiny figurines against the soft texture of the scarf and rug.

Super Powers by K Henderson

Super Powers, 20 x 16, oil on cradled board

I had great fun putting this trompe l’oeil painting together. I chose each object to symbolize Superman or his powers.

The blue, red and yellow shield, of course, is Superman’s trademark.

Superman has Xray Vision. This came from a comic book ad selling those cool glasses.

“splo…” is one of those comic book words we’ve all come to identify with Super Heros.

The round magnifier is used to symbolize Superman’s Super Vision. He can see tiny things no one else can see as well as the ability to see far distances.

The ‘S’ from a scrabble board just stands for Superman

Superman is able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

“Kryptonite Is Superman’s Worst Enemy”. Well, that’s the way they put it in the old radio shows. That makes it sound like kryptonite is going to sprout legs and go chasing after Superman.

Superman is faster than a speeding bullet

He’s more powerful than a locomotive.

The stamp is just cool.

The steel ball is there because Superman is known as ‘The Man of Steel’ and because I really like painting it.

Where would Superman be without Lois Lane? Probably in a lot less trouble!

And the rocket, of course, because Superman arrived on earth in a spacecraft from his home planet of Krypton.

And the cardboard box? That’s where most of us have stashed our toys and comic books from our childhood.