Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

On the Shore of Lake Huron

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty 



On the Shore of Lake Huron
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910099
© copyright Michael Kraus

It's the calm before the storm.  And Lake Huron is famous for it's winds.  In 1913, 90 mile per hour (145 kph) winds sank 10 boats and killed 235 sailors.  In 1996, "Hurricane Huron" formed resembling a tropical hurricane complete with an 18-mile (29 kilometer) wide eye.  Over 1,000 shipwrecks have occurred in this tumultuous sea and many are preserved, including 22 sunk at Fathom Five National Marine Park.  So, find a place to hunker down with some hot cocoa (perhaps something a bit stronger if necessary).

This piece would look best in a small-to-medium space that is red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue, purple, black, white, grey, beige, or wood



More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview at:

Mike Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.


For more information or custom order, please visit:

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

On the Shore of Lake Erie

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty 



On the Shore of Lake Erie
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910093
© copyright Michael Kraus

Lake Erie has an over-sized influence.  It's more than just location, industry, tourism, and fishing, but in an intellectual and spiritual way.  It's the look and feel of the water that communicates indescribable messages to those who listen.  Yet, ugliness begets ugliness.  For the sake of convenience and profit, we've destroyed wetlands for subdivisions, dumped industrial and animal waste into rivers, and poured fertilizers onto grass to make it a little greener.  This predictably has lead to dead zones of toxic Blue-green algae that now engulf over 500 square miles of Lake Erie during the summer.  Conservation and restoration of Lake Erie is imperative.  Progress requires the protection of our scenic, health, historic, and recreational values.  Saving these lakes is saving ourselves and others.

This painting would great in a small space that is red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, light purple, black, white, gray, beige, or wood.

More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview at:

Mike Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.



For more information or custom order, please visit:

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

On the Shore of Lake Ontario

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


On the Shore of Lake Ontario
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910090
© copyright Mike Kraus
“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong." - Lao Tzu

This piece would look best in a small-to-medium space that is red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue, purple, black, white, grey, or wood.

More About Mike Kraus Art
Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM
https://www.mixcloud.com/graphic-ear/070518-graphic-ear-with-mike-kraus/


Michael Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.


For more information or custom order, please visit:

Friday, May 10, 2019

Rue de Montréal (Montreal Street)

Brightscapes: Le chemin de la beauté
Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Rue de Montréal (Montreal Street)
peinture acrylique sur toile (acrylic paint on canvas board)
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201905045
© copyright Mike Kraus
Pour acheter, veuillez visiter: https://www.etsy.com/listing/691392452/montreal-street-original-acrylic?ref=shop_home_active_1&langid_override=3
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/691392452/montreal-street-original-acrylic

Pierre, mon 7ème arrière-grand-père, et son frère sont arrivés à Québec vers 1665. Ils ont quitté la Normandie en France pour devenir pilotes de bateau pour Samuel Champlain en Nouvelle-France. Après 4 ans, il commence une ferme qui a grandi à 15 acres et ont 6 animaux à cornes. Pierre épouse Françoise Loignon et a 13 enfants ensemble. Au cours des 350 prochaines années, la famille s'agrandit, se déplace et se modifie. Et je me promène dans ces rues en imaginant mes ancêtres et en voyant mes cousins.

Pierre, my 7th great-grandfather, and his brother arrived in Quebec about 1665.  They left Normandy France to be boat pilots for Samuel Champlain in New France.  After 4 years, he starts a farm that grew to be 15 acres and have 6 horned animals.  Pierre marries Francoise Loignon and have 13 children together.  For the next 350+ years, the family grows, moves, and changes.  And I wander down these streets imagining my ancestors and seeing my cousins.

Cette peinture aurait meilleure apparence dans un petit espace qui est rouge, jaune, orange, vert, bleu, violet, blanc, noir, gris, beige ou bois.

This painting would look best in a small space that is red, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, white, black, grey, beige, or wood.

En savoir plus sur l'art de Mike Kraus
More About Mike Kraus Art

Entretien avec NPR Marketplace Business News sur l’art en tant qu’investissement alternatif
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment
Entretien avec Graphic Ear sur WAYO 104.3 FM
Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM
https://www.mixcloud.com/graphic-ear/070518-graphic-ear-with-mike-kraus/

Entretien avec le magazine Boston Voyager à l'adresse:
Boston Voyager Magazine interview at:
www.bostonvoyager.com/interview/check-mike-krauss-artwork/


Michael Kraus est né sur le rivage industriel de Muskegon, dans le Michigan. Après avoir obtenu son diplôme en beaux-arts de la School of Art Institute de Chicago, il a étudié à la Grand Valley State University. À partir de là, il a acquis diverses expériences auprès de la Chicago Architecture Foundation, de l'Art Institute of Chicago, du Centre Hauenstein pour les études présidentielles, de la Lollypop Farm Humane Society et de la Children's Memorial Foundation. Et chaque endroit où il travaillait, il avait son carnet de croquis avec lui et trouvait le moyen de faire preuve de créativité. En 2014, Kraus est devenu un artiste à temps plein en créant Mike Kraus Art. Depuis lors, il a vendu des centaines de peintures exposées dans presque tous les états et dans des dizaines de pays. Kraus vit actuellement à Rochester, New York, avec sa belle femme et son chien maladroit.

Michael Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.



Pour plus d'informations ou une commande personnalisée, s'il vous plaît visitez:
For more information or custom order, please visit:

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Thousand Island Sunset

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Thousand Island Sunset
acrylic paint on canvas board
16" x 20" (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm)
201708082
© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/689058278/thousand-island-sunset-original-acrylic


The campfire crackles as it cooks our dinner for the evening.  The scent of our food and burning wood fills the air.  The gentle lapping of the St. Lawrence River fills the silence between our conversation.  We watch the sun make its slow decent toward the horizon.  The sky lights up as we prepare our s'mores.

This painting would look best in a space that is red, dark orange, yellow, green, dark blue, purple, black, white, gray, beige. or wood

More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM


Michael Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.


For more information or custom order, please visit:

Friday, December 28, 2018

On the Shore of Lake Ontario

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


On the Shore of Lake Ontario
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201812143
© copyright Mike Kraus
“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong." - Lao Tzu

This piece would look best in a small-to-medium space that is red, orange, yellow, dark green, dark blue, purple, black, white, grey, or wood.

More About Mike Kraus Art
Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM
https://www.mixcloud.com/graphic-ear/070518-graphic-ear-with-mike-kraus/



Michael Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.


For more information or custom order, please visit:

Friday, August 10, 2018

All Your Questions About Toronto; UNANSWERED!

Megan and I decided to take our summer vacation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada this year since neither of us has been there since the early-mid 1990s.  Little did we know, that we'd be back home in less that 24 hours...

We dropped off our bags and went for a late lunch at Fancy Franks (https://fancyfranks.com) around the corner on College Street.  And they were amazing.  We both got the "Franks Got Seoul" with Korean Beef Rib, Kimchi, Sesame Seeds, and Scallions.  I haven't had a hot dog this good since I lived in Chicago

The Fairland Funland (http://fairlandfunhouse.com) is an artist/musician project we were planning to attend while in Toronto.  It was just down the street from our place in Kensington Market.  

Eco-friendly car?

I barely recognize Toronto from my last visit around 1993.  There were new skyscrapers everywhere.  And it makes sense since the population is now more than Chicago and the 4th largest city in North America.  

The CN Tower (https://www.cntower.ca/intro.html) is one of the few structures I did recognize from before.  But, it looks much smaller next to all the new high rises around it.

The base of the CN Tower from the Rogers Center.  There's parks, event spaces, Ripley's Aquarium (https://www.ripleyaquariums.com/canada/) and all kinds of things here now.  So different from the large parking lots, railroad tracks, and abandoned industrial buildings I remember surrounding the stadium.


Here's a few people doing the Edge Walk (https://www.cntower.ca/en-ca/plan-your-visit/attractions/edgewalk/edgewalk-overview.html) on the CN Tower.  

The Toronto Blue Jays (51W-60L) (https://www.mlb.com/bluejays) vs. the Boston Red Sox (79W-34L) (https://www.mlb.com/redsox) at the Rogers Centre (formerly SkyDome).





We haven't been to an MLB game since Chicago.  While the Blue Jays aren't very good, at least the game was competitive.  Went into extra innings before the Red Sox overpowered the Jays.

We were completely unaware of what was happening.  While the game was happening, the roof of the stadium was being closed.  Which is odd since rules for baseball usually require that lights, domes, and other conditions have to be the same for both teams.  And, I've never seen a retractable roof changed during a game ever.  But, it was impressive to see this feat of engineering at work.  

Why the roof was closed was because a major rainstorm was about to hit Toronto.  It rained heavily for hours.  It rained so hard that the dome leaked into sections of the seats.  And it was a slow moving storm that we were stranded in the stadium hotel for a long time because taxis and mass transit were all down.  

Here's a photo from the Toronto Star (https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/08/07/16000-without-power-in-north-york-as-heavy-rain-batters-toronto-causing-floods-in-parts-of-the-city.html)  Megan and I were blissfully unaware of the situation still.  We knew it was raining hard, but we were annoyed because we left the rain gear at our place since there was no rain predicted earlier.  But, when we arrived at our rental, it too was flooded.  Fortunately, the building manager lived next door and we were able to stay in a guest room for the night.  But, that also meant it was the end of our vacation.

At Aroma Coffee (https://aroma.ca) on College Street pondering the rain.  Deciding "should we stay or should we go." 

Well, we're still technically on vacation.  So, Megan and I went to Deer Run Beach Park (https://www.co.ontario.ny.us/Facilities/Facility/Details/Deep-Run-Beach-3) for some sun and water.

Aww...  Those dragonflies are in love...

I have to admit, we do make good lemonade when life gives us lemons...

Please listen to my Graphic Ear interview on WAYO 104.3 FM Rochester at:

Michael Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Monday, April 16, 2018

Aurora Borealis Over the Rocky Mountains

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Aurora Borealis Over the Rocky Mountains
acrylic paint of canvas board
5" x 7" (12.7 cm x 17.8 cm)
201804055
© copyright Mike Kraus
Our car whined climbing the steep roads of the Rocky Mountains and the headlights only seemed to  illuminate the black void of the sky.  Twists and turns around every rock.  Just inches from the road were cliffs with no bottom.  As we came out of a tunnel, the sky flashed and danced with vibrant colors and unusual shapes.  We pulled off the desolate road and just watched the sky for hours.

This piece would look best in a space that is dark red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black, white, beige, grey, or wood.


Michael Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.


For more information or custom order, please visit:

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Rue St. Paul Montréal

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
 Rue St. Paul Montréal #280
Gouache, ink, graphite on Bristol Paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 
201802035
© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/213712985/rue-st-paul-montreal-280-artist-trading


This artist trading card or ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) is frameable, collectible, enjoyable and can be given as a special gift for a birthday, wedding, new baby, anniversary, thank you or other occasion. It is a one-of-a-kind original work of art, NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION. It is signed on the back and lends itself to framing in a standard trading card frame or book.



Michael Kraus was born on the industrial shoreline of Muskegon, Michigan. After earning his Fine Arts Degree from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he attended Grand Valley State University for his graduate degree. From there, he gained varied experiences from the Chicago Architecture Foundation, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Children's Memorial Foundation. And every place he worked, he had his sketchbook with him and found ways to be actively creative. In 2014, Kraus became a full-time artist by establishing Mike Kraus Art. Since then, he has sold hundreds of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. Currently, Kraus lives in Rochester, New York with his beautiful wife and goofy dog.


For more information or custom order, please visit:

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