‘It’s Good to Be The King’

Linda Ross could have served grilled peanut butter and “’nanner” sandwiches to her guests at the Aug. 7 opening reception for “It’s Good to be The King” at L Ross Gallery. But instead of Elvis’s signature sandwich, Linda provided a genteel variation: little cupcakes — some with peanut butter icing and some with banana cream icing.

Nineteen artists were represented at the show devoted to images of Elvis. Megan Hurdle included three of her Elvis paintings. She went from his head — “The King” — to his toes — “Blue Suede Shoes.”

Elvis was an easy subject, Megan said. “Just the iconic being that he was,” she said. “Being from Memphis, it’d be like drawing your father or your brother. Just familiar.”

The painting is her fourth version of “Blue Suede Shoes,” Megan said. “I don’t know if he ever wore them. I’m sure that he did. That’s just kind of what comes to mind when you think of Elvis: ‘Hound Dog,’ ‘Blue Suede Shoes.’”