portfolio

Friday, April 25, 2025

Singer by K Henderson


The Singer, 10 x 8, oil on board

This is the second of three in my Music themed Vintage Card trompe l'oeil paintings.

My Contemporary Realism still life paintings tend to be complicated with lots of 'stuff' in them. With these vintage card paintings, my goal is to keep them simple and add nothing outside the card. I broke my rule by adding a scrap of sheet music.
Available

 

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

World Book Day

 

Buck Rogers Books, 36 x 30, oil on cradled board

I love books. I collect books. I have lots of books. Oddly enough, I rarely have books in my paintings.

As a first step in remedying the situation I gathered up my Buck Rogers Big Little Books for this painting.

Buck Rogers first appeared in Phil Nowlan's science fiction tale titled Armageddon—2419, published in Amazing Stories in August of 1928. The Big Little Books were published between 1933 - 1943.

Sorry, This painting has SOLD

Cherry Splash by K Henderson

 


Cherry Splash, 30 x 40, oil on linen

This is another in my Cocktail series. I wanted to paint a red cocktail with cherries and this is the results.
Available

Saturday, April 19, 2025

Pianist by K. Henderson


The Pianist, 10 x 8, oil on board


It's been a while since I've created a small painting based on a Vintage Game Card.  This card is from a game called Who's the Thief?

I like to paint these cards in groups of 3 with a similar theme. This is the third card in my Music trilogy. The other two are Tutor and The Singer

Available

 

Thursday, April 17, 2025

Martini by K Henderson

 



Martini, oil on cradled board, 24 x 18

I've painted cocktail glasses several times in my still lifes but this is the first time I've actually painted a cocktail. And it won't be the last.

I love painting the light on the glass and liquid. Most of all I like the way the olives are distorted when viewed though the glass
Available

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Strawberry Shortcake by KHenderson

 


Strawberry Shortcake, 36 x 36, oil on linen

This is one of my Annual Strawberry Painting.

I must say that the strawberries were the easiest part of the painting to complete. The whipped cream with all its ebb and flow and the biscuit with  its nooks and crannies were time consuming to get Just Right. 


Available

Sunday, April 13, 2025

Butch the Pup by K henderson

 


Butch the Pup, 20 x 24, oil on cradled board

As my Faithful Followers know, I collect Vintage Toys. Included in this collection is about 50 Fisher Price pull toys.

Butch the Pup was designed in 1952. In this painting, Butch stands at the ready on the mantel. Do toy dogs dream of dog biscuits?

Saturday, April 12, 2025

Grape Jelly by K Henderson

 


Grape Jelly, 20 x 20, oil on linen
 
Biscuits with Grape Jelly. Yum! 
 
I love this little plate that I picked up at thrift store. I wish I had more of them

Friday, April 11, 2025

PB&J #2

 


PB&J #2, oil on linen, 24 x 36

In a recent survey when asked about Peanut Butter and Jelly preferences 36 % say strawberry jam is favorite (grape is 31%); favorite bread is white bread (54%); favorite type of peanut butter is smooth (56%) and a whopping 80 % like their PB & J with the crust left on the sandwich.

This painting reflects 3 out of 4 of the top choices. I'm fond of Apricot jam, wheat bread, Crunchy (!!!) and crust on. How about you?

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Ice Cream Sundae by K Henderson

 

                                            Ice Cream Sundae, 24 x 18, oil on cradled board

I love Ice Cream! Who doesn't? And what could be better than a large helping of vanilla ice cream topped with sweet strawberries? 

This painting will look great hanging on your wall!

Available

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Wonderful Cat by K Henderson

 


Wonderful Cat, 18 x 24, oil on cradled board

I came across this Felix the Cat Crayon Box  while engaged in my never ending search for vintage toys. The colors of the box and the pencils screamed out "Paint Me!" so I did. I don't know if any of the pencils are original to the box but I don't really care.

This Trompe  L'oeil shows a box of colored pencils manufactured by the American Lead Pencil Company. These were called School Crayon Boxes although these are obviously pencils. Felix the Cat is painting up a storm!

By the way, Felix is one old cat! He first appeared around 1919 and is still going strong!

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Jolly Jumper Vintage Toy by K Henderson

 


Jolly Jumper, 9 x 12, oil on cradled board

I think everyone likes toys at Christmas time. Some of us like toys all the time.

Jolly Jumper is a Fisher-Price pull toy made in 1954. In this painting he is sitting on a colorful game board from the game Frantic Frogs.

Monday, April 7, 2025

Buck Rogers Crayon Ship by K henderson

 

 
Buck Rogers Crayon Ship, 24 x 18, oil on cradled board

I enjoyed painting my Felix the Cat pencil box so much that I went looking for more pencil boxes. Buck Rogers Crayon Ship caught my eye because of the bright colors and, well, it's really cool!

I'll be creating another painting using this box because it has great graphics on the back, too. The 'chalk drawings' (yes, these are painted with oil paint) are also based on the graphics from this box.

Available

Sunday, April 6, 2025

Space - O~Oil Painting by K Henderson

 

Space - O, oil on linen, 30 x 24

Here's another painting of a Vintage 'School Crayon' box.  The boy and girl are in a Flying Saucer against a red background. These space age artists have done a great job coloring inside the lines (mostly) Available

Saturday, April 5, 2025

Felix Paints En Plein Air by K Henderson

 

Felix Paints En Plein Air, 18 x 24, oil on cradled board

This vintage box of colored pencils makes me smile. It shows Felix the Wonderful Cat feverishly painting En Plein Air.

In this painting the box of pencils is surrounded by coloring book images that any cat would love : a cat friend, a mouse and and fish

Available

Friday, April 4, 2025

Love Me Tender~Oil Painting 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? 

Available

 

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Tooty Tutor by K Henderson


Tutor, 10 x 8, oil on canvas

Music. That is my current theme for my Vintage Card trompe l'oeil oil paintings.

First up is Tooty Tutor. He is from an Old Maid card game
Available

 

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Little Feather by K Henderson


Little Feather, 8 x 10, oil on board

I haven't created one of my Vintage Playing Card paintings in a while and when I found this "Little Feather" character I knew he would be perfect for a Cowboy and Indian painting. Dastardly Bad Bill Bunion is a good counterpart for the young brave.

 

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

The Dentist by K Henderson


The Dentist, oil on board, 10 x 8

Welcome to my Vintage Card Game Series of paintings. These are small, fun trompe l'oeil oil paintings of  cards from vintage games.

My first offering is The Dentist from the 1938 game 'Who is the Thief'.

Note: No vintage card was harmed in the making of this painting. I scan my cards and print them on card stock. I them take the print and rip, smudge, stomp and tape to give them the Character that I want.
Available

 

Monday, March 31, 2025

And Your Little Dog, Too! By K. Henderson


And Your Little Dog, Too, 28 x 22,  oil on linen



I don't know about the weather where you live but we are expecting the usual spring winds:  50 mph this week. 

Time to watch The Wizard of Oz again.

 
The title of the painting comes from the line in the Wizard of Oz "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!" spoken by the Wicked Witch of the West.

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Shining Star by K Henderson


Shining Star, 10 x 8, oil on Board

This is the first in my most recent Old Maid Cards trilogy. The theme of these three is Cowboys and Indians.

Available

 

Friday, March 28, 2025

Cowgirl Clarabelle by K Henderson


 

CowGirl Clarabelle, 10 x 8, oil on board

This is the third painting  in my most recent Old Maid Cards trilogy. The theme of these three is Cowboys and Indians.

Available

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Corny Cowboy by K Henderson


Corny Cowboy, 10 x 8, oil on board
 
This is the second  in my most recent Old Maid Cards trilogy. The theme of these three is Cowboys and Indians.
Available

 

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Coca Cola Cowboy by K Henderson


Coca Cola Cowboy, 30 x 30, oil on linen
With that title, of course it has to have a Coke Bottle in the painting. I've had this bottle for some time now and finally got to use it in a painting. Wow! Definitely more complicated than I expected but I'll be painting it again.   

Available

 

Monday, March 24, 2025

Orbit by K Henderson


 

Orbit, 20 x 30, oil on linen

Here's my latest Trompe L'oeil painting in my Vintage Board Game series. This game was manufactured by Parker Brothers in 1959.

My Orbit game is in pretty good shape. Fortunately, I have 2 very beat up Monopoly games that I used for inspiration for the tape, dents and dings.


Available

Saturday, March 22, 2025

Flying Aces by K Henderson


 

Flying Aces, 24 x 48, oil on linen

This is my my most recent painting from my Vintage Board Games series. FLYING ACES No.72  was published by Selchow & Righter Company , New York, NY. 1940. Artwork by William Longyear.

Friday, March 21, 2025

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. 



Thursday, March 20, 2025

Batman Puzzle by K Henderson


Batman Puzzle, 30 x 36, oil on linen
 
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.

Available

 

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

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.

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Straight Arrow by K Henderson

                                     Straight Arrow, oil on linen, 30" x 40"


One of my favorite board Games! I grew up in an era where kids played "cowboys and Indians".

Available

Monday, March 17, 2025

Robot Sam The Answer Man by K Henderson


Robot Sam The Answer Man, 36 x 30, oil on linen

Here's my most recent Vintage Game oil painting. Robot Sam is an electric quiz game made by Jacmar Mfg. Company in 1954. It's a battery operated game with question and answer cards. You touch a wired probe to the question and try to match the answer using the second probe . If you answer correctly a small light glows.

This yellow and red box with the image of a happy robot has taped corners.
Detail

 


Sunday, March 16, 2025

Tek- No- Krazy

 


Tek-No-Krazy, 30 x 30, oil on linen

Here's another game that I had to paint once I saw it. The game is small, about 8" x 8" and I thought it deserved to be seen BIG.

I'm not sure of the exact date this game came on the scene but, obviously, it was when we were still in awe of outer space, robots and flying saucers. Some of us still are.Available

Thursday, March 13, 2025

The Mouse by K Henderson

                                                The Mouse, 24" x 24", oil on canvas 

This Mickey Mouse card game was manufactured around 1946 and was included in a 'six pack' of other card games. The box measures 2.75" x 1.875".

I love the old yellowed tape and the beat up edges. Mickey Doesn't mind. He just keeps on smiling. Did you know that Mickey Mouse had his 96th birthday in 2024?

Available

 

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

One Lonely Night by K Henderson


One Lonely Night, 40 x 30, oil on linen

I love pulp fiction. I love the hard boiled detectives, the femme fatales and the witty dialogue. Mostly I love the cover art of the books.

This well used book cover decorates a crime novel written by Mickey Spillane. It features his most famous character,detective Mike Hammer

Available

 

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

The Case of the Sulky Girl by K Henderson


The Case of the Sulky Girl, 24 x 18, oil on linen

The Case of the Sulky Girl is  Erle Stanley Gardner's second Perry Mason novel. It was written in 1933.

I loved painting the packing tape on this painting. And if you look close on the painting you will see that all the Plain Brown Wrapper packages are addressed to fictitious detectives. This one is address to Miles Archer, Sam Spade's partner. (Sorry, you can't see it is this detail)

Available


 

Monday, March 10, 2025

Mickey Paints by K Henderson

Mickey Paints , 18 x 24, oil on cradled board


 This is another painting that is all about color. The bright colors of the vintage paint box against the  squares of watercolor make for a happy painting.

Available   soon!

Sunday, March 9, 2025

The Case of the Drowning Duck


 The Case of the Drowning Duck, 24 x 18, oil on linen

The Case of the Drowning Duck was written by Erle Stanley Gardner in 1942. I love the title of the book. It's about "a chemist who drowns ducks and becomes a murder suspect.".
The Book Cover Woman looks like she's trying to claw he way out of her Plain Brown Wrapper. 


Available

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Maltese Falcon by K Henderson


 Maltese Falcon, 36 x 30, oil on linen

 The Maltese Falcon is a 1929 detective novel by Dashiell Hammett, originally serialized in the magazine Black Mask beginning with the September 1929 issue.In 1998, the Modern Library ranked The Maltese Falcon 56th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century

Available  for purchase

 

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Summerfall Winterspring by K Henderson


Summerfall Winterspring, 36" x 30", oil on canvas

Summerfall Winterspring is another of my contemporary realism oil paintings featuring my vintage toys and ceramics. The main figure is the Indian Princess marionette,  Summerfall Winterspring, from the Howdy Doody television show. Also included is a vintage scarf, a chalk figure (the kind you used to be able to win at carnivals) and a mule from an 1800’s mechanical toy.

 

Available  for purchase

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Cauldron by K Henderson

                            Cauldron, 24" x 24", oil painting

I love these old wooden "alphabet blocks". The worn corners on the carved wood shows craftmanship that you don't see in toys today.

This painting is Available  for purchase to brighten up your home.

 

 

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

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? 

Available


 

Clue by K. Henderson

                                            Clue, oil on canvas, 12" x 16"

Clue is a murder mystery game devised in 1943. Who dunit?

Was it Colonel Mustard  in the conservatory with the knife?

I love this game. How about you? 

Available  for purchase

 

 

Monday, March 3, 2025

Dorothy and the Tinman by K Henderson


 

Dorothy and the Tinman, 12 x 12, oil on cradled board

I've watched "The Wizard of Oz"  more times than I can remember. I've tried to put all the elements of the movie in the trompe l'oeil painting.

How many of the objects can you from the movie can you identify? 

This is Available  for purchase

Sunday, March 2, 2025

Diner oil painting by K. Henderson

                                            Diner, 16" x 20" oil on Linen

In this painting I'm trying to capture the nostalgia of a 1950's diner. 

The checkerboard  table has syrup, sugar, salt and pepper and napkins.

This is Available  for purchase

 

 

Saturday, March 1, 2025

In the Wind by K. Henderson


 In The Wind, oil on cradled board, 20 x 16

This is a Trompe L'oeil painting. Trompe-l'œil (French for "deceive the eye", pronounced [tʁɔ̃p lœj]) is an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects exist in three dimensions.

The 'frame', (not a real frame but painted onto the board) encircles a photo of an early aviatrix, an airmail envelope, parts from aviation games and more.


Available

Friday, February 28, 2025

Heart of Glass by K Henderson

                                Heart of Glass,16" x 20", oil on Cradled Board

I love painting glass. It's a challenge to get the transparency and reflections. And I love the color red so I had to add a red jar to the group.

This is Available to add to your art collection.
 

Friday, February 21, 2025

Flying Aces by K Henderson


Flying Aces, 24 x 48, oil on linen

This is my my most recent painting from my Vintage Board Games series. FLYING ACES No.72  was published by Selchow & Righter Company , New York, NY. 1940. Artwork by William Longyear.

 The object of the game is to follow the opponent's plane so that at the opportune time is plane may be "jumped".

Available