K. Henderson Celebrates National Puzzle Day

Batman Puzzle, 30 x 36, oil on linen

Today is National Puzzle Day.

 Basic puzzle:  pieces are intended to be put together in a logical way in order to come up with the desired solution.

British engraver and mapmaker, John Spilsbury, created the first jigsaw puzzle in 1700 when he mounted a map on a sheet of wood which he then sawed around each individual country.  Spilsbury used his product to aid in teaching geography.

My Batman Puzzle was manufactured by Milton Bradley in 1966.

The Batman Cookies (also a puzzle since they are pieces put together in a logical way) were baked by me last week.

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Barbie, Queen of the Prom by K Henderson

Barbie, Queen of the Prom, 24 x 36, oil on linen

All the the Vintage Game Board paintings I've been creating recently have been 'Boy' games (Cowboys, Indians, Super Heroes). I decided it was time to do a 'Girl' game. And what could be more Girly than Barbie, The Famous Teenage Fashion Doll?

My favorite barbie accessory is the Cat-Eye sunglasses. This game includes Boyfriend cards and  Formal cards among others. And what teenage girl could live without her Telephone?

This game has a copyright date of 1960 from Mattel. In this game you are Barbie. You win if you are the first player to be crowned Queen of the Prom. But in order to win you must have a steady boyfriend, a prom dress and be elected president of a school club.

Love Me Tender by K Henderson

Love Me Tender, 16 x 20, oil on cradled board

Who doesn't love Elvis? Those dark good looks, those swivel hips, that lip curl! Oh yeah and the singing. *swoon*

And those Conversation  Hearts say it all. Did you know that these heart candies have been around since 1866?

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Spaceship - Journey to Jupiter by K Henderson

 

Spaceship - Journey to Jupiter, oil on linen, 30 x 40

This is another oil painting in my Vintage Game series. This Spaceship game was manufactured around 1935. It was obviously handled and hopefully played with a lot! It looks like it was taped with masking tape and later with heavy duty duck (duct) tape.

The bright colors, dents, wrinkles and tape make this a realism painting with much to explore.

detail

SOLD

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Fortune Telling Cat by K. Henderson

 

Fortune Telling Cat, 24 x 30, oil on canvas

Who can resist a cat that can tell the future? I really like these vintage fortune telling cards because they look like they were hand painted.

The Black Cat is against a green background, winking as though he holds all your secrets in his hand.

The transparent tape keeps the box together. 

K. Henderson Celebrates National Science Fiction Day

Sunday Drive, 30 x 40, oil on linen

Toys! I love them. This Sunday Drive of the future includes tin rocket ships, robots, a poster from Forbidden Planet and an alien landscape. The rocks are all from my yard.

This is another in my Flight series

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Dick Tracy Mystery Card by K Henderson

Dick Tracy Super Detective, 16 x 20, oil on cradled board

When I saw this card game from 1941, I knew it had to be my next painting in my Vintage Game series. The Dick Tracy character was created by Chester Gould in 1931.

I included a finger print to the tape to add to the mystery theme of the painting.

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Doctor, Doctor by K. Henderson

Doctor, Doctor 12 x 24, oil on cradled board

If you haven't figured it out by now, I collect vintage board games. The games in this painting are all medical related (at least to me they are).

When I see these games I can't help but sing the lyrics "Doctor, Doctor, gimmee the news" from the 1979 song "Bad Case of Loving You" written by John Martin.

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Martini Splash by K Henderson

 Martini Splash!, oil on cradled board, 18 x 24

This is the second in my Cocktail Series. I wanted to add some Action to the still life so I experimented with photographing olives dropping into a martini. What fun! I tested several different glasses and amounts of liquid. I used several photos to work from

This oil painting is the end result.

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