Tag Archives: Trompe L’oeil

Japanese Memories Table

This striking side table began life as a solid wood vintage Early American style nightstand.  I painted it a  deep navy blue and  created faux marble surfaces in shades of grey on both the top and lower shelves.  This is a trompe l’oeil  piece of art work, where everything looks real enough to pick up!  On the upper surface I depicted items collected on a visit to Japan; There is a sophisticate  navy colored fan, and a pair of chopsticks encased in a fabric sheath, secured by a braided knot.  I added three glass marbles through which you can see light shinning.   I folded a crane and a swallow from paper purchased in Tokyo to use as models to paint the two Origami birds on the lower shelf.  This unique table is currently for sale for $450 plus shipping.  The top is  14″ X 16″ and it stands  27″ tall.Please contact me through this site if you are interested in this table or perhaps a custom painted item.

Cake Plate on a Side Table

This charming side table began life as an Early American style nightstand.  I painted it a cool grey and  created a faux marble surface on both the top and lower shelf.  On the upper surface I depicted a delicate  trompe L’oeil  china cake plate with a butter knife, as if crackers and cheese had just been consumed.  I left the back corner of the top marble surface free for a lamp as the client asked.   On the lower shelf I painted my favorite children’s book, a little battered with love just as my own copy is.  (To my delight, my toddler granddaughter tried very hard to pick it up!!)  Serendipitously  I found a graceful vintage handle to replace the original clunky wooden one.  I think it matches my plate perfectly, don’t you agree?

Hearts of Stone Table

Rocks and more rocks, painted hyper realistically in liquid acrylics!!!  I  returned to one of my favorite subjects in the summer  of 2017 to paint this charming vintage table.  There are at least a dozen heart shaped stones in the oval table top  (30″ X 19 “).  How many can you find? I’ll let you decide the total number as some are only hinted at!   Of course there is a bug on one of the stones.  The lower shelf is painted as a single slab of grey marble.  The shelf is also painted on the underside so as to continue the Trompe L’oeil illusion.  The legs remain their original dark brown stain but I added small grey diamonds to the graceful curves to visually connect the two painted surfaces.   The table stands 29” tall and has a drawer tucked under the top tier.  This piece is similar to a previously commissioned table named River Stones, and has recently been sold.  If you are interested in commissioning a similar piece please feel free to contact me through this site.

Pansies on a Faux Marble Box

This project began as a simple wooden box with no hardware. The flowers are painted life size. I wanted the Pansies to have all the varied  attitudes of the real world.  There are buds, seed pods and fading blossoms as well as wide open ‘faces’! Of course there is a visiting honey bee near one long edge.  This is Trompe L’oeil;  The marble is not real. The clasp is not real, nor are the hinges.  The cover still lifts off to open!  The photo of the ‘block’ of marble is the underside of the box.