Step It Up with Lavender In Provence

Lavender In Provence, 2016

acrylic on canvas

350 dpi

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/215617131/lavender-in-provence-original-digital

This year, I've donated my artwork on behalf Beth Holmes and her family.  

Join us on 

Saturday November 19 

for our annual 

Step It Up! Cure Pancreatic Cancer

Indoor 5K and Family Fun Day!

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

Gordon Field House and Activities Center

1 Lomb Memorial Drive

Rochester, NY 14623

REGISTER TODAY!

No One Fights Pancreatic Cancer Alone!  Fighting pancreatic cancer is done with courage, strength and the support of family and friends. The Pancreatic Cancer Association of WNY is here to help patients and their families in the fight of their lives. 

We're in this fight together.

Received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer? It can be a very confusing and emotional time but you are not alone. We'll help you understand the disease, your diagnosis, and direct you to other resources available in our area. If you just need someone to talk to, we can connect you with patients and family members who have asked the same questions as you.

The Willow Tree

The Willow Tree, 2016

acrylic on canvas 

16" x 20" (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm)

© copyright Mike Kraus

This piece was created for the Willow Domestic Violence Center (formerly Alternatives for Battered Women (ABW)) as they growth and transform the organization to better serve survivors of abuse.

Willow Center provides life-changing, often life-saving, services reaching over 7,500 each year – right here in the Greater Rochester area. Last year, Willow Center responded to more than 5,000 calls to our crisis and emergency Hotline 222-SAFE.

The needs in our community are bigger than our current space and programs can accommodate. While more than 500 survivors and their children found safety in the shelter, there were 1600 on the waitlist, with many ending up in hotels or worse, staying with their abuser. 

Willow Center’s comprehensive campaign embraces innovation and will fund major capital renovations and critical program expansion that will work together to ensure the sustainability of services for survivors in our community.

The Safe Place Campaign will expand the emergency shelter from 40 to 49 beds, adding more than 3,200 bed nights for the community. New shelter rooms will be more accommodating to family living, with individual bathrooms and showers (compared to the three showers shared by 40 residents in the current shelter). The rooms are also flexible in size to accommodate larger families and separate enough to accommodate mixed genders. Three units will be designed to accommodate Deaf, hard of hearing and visually impaired survivors. The shelter will also have increased security, bullet-resistant glass and emergency response monitoring. Families who stay in-shelter will now be able to bring their family pets, making Willow Center the 2nd pet-friendly shelter in New York State. Adding pet living quarters will eliminate an unnecessary barrier to safety, as almost half of domestic violence survivors stay in abusive situations for fear of what will happen to their pets if they leave.

For more information about  the Willow Center's A Safe Place campaign, please visit: https://willowcenterny.org/safe-place-campaign/about-the-project/

Purple To Cure Pancreatic Cancer

Join me in supporting the

Pancreatic Cancer Association of Western New York

at the

Indoor 5K and Family Fun Day

Saturday November 21, 2015 at RIT Gordon Field House

12 noon - Registration Opens / 1:30-4:00 pm - Walk and Activities

Bring the whole family for an afternoon of fun while creating hope in the fight against pancreatic cancer.

SNEAK PEEK!

-Meet Scott Spezzano (98.9 The Buzz) and Nikki Rudd (News10NBC) - our Emcees for the event!

-University of Rochester's all male acapella group the Yellowjackets will perform

-Children's activities like a huge bounce house

-Character (princesses, batman, sports mascots)

-Food and Beverages

-Shop Purple where you can pick up some purple mementos and support our cause, which will include my original piece:

Lavender Field, 2015 

Acrylic on Canvas

8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 20.3 cm)

© copyright Mike Kraus 

To view, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/255409253/field-of-lavender-original-digital

For more information and advanced registration, please visit:

http://www.pcawny.org/index.php/news-events/step-it-up-5k-walk

I Love the Smell of Chlorine in the Morning

Last weekend, Megan and I were lucky enough to see Rachel in a swim meet at Penfield High School as a part of the Sea Dragons (http://www.seadragons.org)

Mmmm...  Swimming is a difficult sport to capture with still photography... 

But, look at Rachel go! 

She's a way better swimmer than I am.  I would have been doing the doggy paddle... 

And, here's the future Olympian showing off all her prizes.  GREAT JOB RACHEL!

And, here's Scout torturing us.  Specifically, trying to use Megan's hair as a pillow...

A good place to hide from the cold.

And passing out after three hours of losing her mind...

And, other dogs are now mailing Scout treats.  Apparently really good treats that are able to hold her complete attention for the entire night.  Thanks Vern!

Finally, went to Wilson Commencement Park's (http://www.wilsoncommencementpark.com/) gala on Saturday.  Unfortunately, wasn't able to take any pics.  It was a good time with great people.

That's about it for now.  Just waiting for Meg to get back from Chicago and playing with the dog.

ROAR

Rachel and I got to spend some time together this weekend.  There were a few rounds of Mario Kart on the Wii, Chinese for dinner, she taught me all about Movie Star Planet and Moshi Monster, as well as lots of drawing.  It was a good play date.

Someone became shy suddenly...

Rachel's drawing of Katy Perry.  My favorite part is her signature in the hairpiece.  THANKS FOR HANGING OUT WITH ME RACHEL!  I HAD A FUN TIME!!!

If she gets to show off her art skills, I will show off mine.  This is a silkscreen of a factory in Muskegon, Michigan.  It was part of a series I did in college.  There are about 30 others that have ended up in many odd places.  The majority are at my mom's house.  She'll probably give them to you for fire wood at a good price.

 These are sketches I did of people that rode the Brown Line train with me to work in Chicago.  The torn off parts are where I wrote things like "get milk for dinner" and "PAY ELECTRIC BILL!"  

Mini abstract landscape.  Somewhere out there are some strange large paintings I did with super thick paint.  This is a practice piece that is only a 6 x 8 inches.  There was some painting I saw at the Art Institute of Chicago that I really liked and I tried using a similar technique.  From a distance, it's suppose to look like the woods (not sure if I'm allowed to tell you that, but oh well).

Another painting of abstract woods in the fall.  Kinda looks like the leftovers after a party...

Finally, please consider joining our family in the 2013 Walk to End Alzheimer's at Corn Hill in Rochester, NY on Saturday October 12th.  For more information, please visit the site below:

http://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk/NY-ROCHESTERampFINGERLAKESREGION?fr_id=3587&pg=entry

The Sun Was Out Run

Outrun the Sun seemed to be a big success again this year, despite the rain.  The skies did clear up and lots of runners, walkers, families, and friends came out to enjoy the festivities.


Volunteers getting everything set up


Excitement at the Kidzone!


Megan and I volunteered to be road marshalls this year.  Here is the first batch of runners on Lake Road turning down Burnett.  


Moving right along


And now the mob!  Hundreds of racers pass by.  A great time was had by all.  For more information about Outrun the Sun and the Rochester Melanoma Action Group, please visit: http://www.melanomaaction.org


The doe and two fawn are in the backyard just chillin.'


I can't have guest visit and not try to entertain them.


WAIT!  I just want to bother you!


Tails up and they're off.


Sure, they run away when I come to see them.  But, when I'm trying to have a peaceful moment at my fire pit they terrorize me.  


Megan and I had a mini-date to Rumi's Grill and Cafe (http://rumisgrillcafe.com/) at 2735 Monroe Ave in Brighton (the old Pizza Hut).  Here are a couple of beef flats, which is a flat bread with lots of veggies and spices.  And, not a bad deal at $2.95.


This is a Rumi's Doner, which is essentially a beef and lamb sub.  It was soooooo good.  I don't know if the locals know what to make of this place yet.  But, we felt adventurous and want to try it out.  It's a good Mediterranean/Turkish restaurant.  Rumor has it that they have a great breakfast.


Happy Birthday Dick!  Megan made a delicious cake that had many adventures in my car


Bailey's BBQ Sauce from Fruitport, Michigan!  This is really the gift that keeps on giving.  First as food and now as a vase.  


Midget parking?  Saw this at Yotini's Yogurt Shop, which hasn't opened yet last time we walked by.  Never know what you'll find wandering the neighborhood.


Court Street Bridge over the Genesee River with the Freddy Sue Bridge (Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge) in the background.


Broad Street Bridge.  This is one of the more interesting things about downtown Rochester.  For those that don't know, the first level of arches use to be the Broad Street Aqueduct of the Erie Canal.  It carried barge traffic from the Erie Canal over the river.  In the 1920s, it was converted for use for the subway system and the top level was added for automobile traffic.  There's been talk about opening the bottom level up to the public with a walkway, stores, and other projects.  

That's about it.  The PGA Championship is in town at Oak Hill Country Club.  Megan and I plan on stopping over at there to see a practice round.  

Don't Forget the Outrun the Sun Race Against Melanoma!

The Outrun the Sun Race Against Melanoma is the largest evening event of its kind in America benefiting skin cancer education and melanoma research. The evening start time helps keep participants out of the sun's harsh daytime rays! The event includes a melanoma heroes recognition program, live music, refreshments, educational information booths, a Kids' Zone and more. This event engages people of all ages to run or walk for an important cause.

Rochester, NY

August 2

Webster Park

REGISTER NOW AT: http://rmag2013.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1059521

How Pinteresting

Here's Athena, my newest office mate.  This is the look she gives me when she wants me to stop running queries on the computer.


Okay, I'll give you a few minutes...


Now for the arts and craft section of the blog.  He's a centerpiece for our gala: A Night of Purrr Imagination.


The things you can do with cupcake wrappers and candy...


A giraffe in a fez.  Of course that would be on a cupcake wrapper.  


And now for the home decorating portion of arts and crafts, Here's our new swag lamp Megan made over the weekend.  


Another piece of evidence that Spring is here.  

Well, pretty glad to see the Red Wings (hockey version for the Rochester folk) were able to pull off their 22nd consecutive trip to the playoffs.  But, won't be watching the game tonight since it doesn't kick off until 10:30pm...  That is all.