University of Kansas (KU) Campus

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

University of Kansas (KU) Campus

202305025

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your home or office, please visit: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/1673463459

The University of Kansas (KU) (https://ku.edu/) has another proud graduate.  While most days were used to study mechanical engineering and business, there was always time to watch a game at the David Booth Memorial Stadium or the Allen Fieldhouse.  Understandably, mom is overjoyed for their quick progress at adulthood.  With three sons that are very well-educated college+ graduates, she knew what she was doing.  And success leads to more success.  

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

University of Kansas (KU) Campus

acrylic paint on canvas board

16" x 20" (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm) 

202305025

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your project, please visit: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/1659820478

📻 Listen to my interview on NPR's Marketplace at 📻: https://www.marketplace.org/2023/12/19/alternative-investments-went-on-a-wild-ride-during-the-pandemic/

ARTS o’ MAGAZINE:

🌭 Gotta Have Some Fun Before Ya Go 🌭: 

https://medium.com/arts-o-magazine/gotta-have-some-fun-before-ya-go-2ca6412ca654?sk=32ce425de9bd7d47852db16bc175e9c5

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 Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Lurie Children's 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 thousands 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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Proof That Summer Did Exist (Even If Was Abbreviated...)

 This is the only evidence that I have that I saw my sister this summer.  I'm really getting lazy with taking pics...

THE TWINS!   Here's the questions: Are these really little chairs or really big babies?

The answer: really little babies.  But, they wear Megan and I out.  Too much fun.

Giants vs. the Bills.  This season started with so much promise..  And Eli Manning did not play well.  But, watching the highlights on TV, you would have thought he was a quarterbacking god 

BELL'S BLOOD SHED!  The best idea ever is to combine a family reunion with a Halloween haunted house.   

This was scary.  Scary good!

Mmmm...  Pig roast.

 My favorite moment of the family reunion:

Pig Roaster: (explains Pig meat.  Specifically bacon meat) Do you want to try some of the bacon meat?

Bell Kid: No, I want the heart!

Pig Roaster: (startled) What?  Uh...  Really!

Bell Kid: Oh yeah!

 Handsome Devil!

From the Rochester, Monroe County American Guide:

At Central Ave. and St. Paul St., unveiled in 1899, was dedicated by Theodore Roosevelt, then Governor of New York State. The statue, of bronze on a granite pedestal, designed by Sidney W. Edwards, is inscribed with quotations from speeches of Mr. Douglass.

Frederick Douglass (1807-1895) was born a slave in Easton, Md. Having run away from his master in 1838, he took up residence in New Bedford, Mass. In 1841 he began to lecture against slavery and became famous as an orator. In 1848 he published a newspaper, The North Star, in Rochester. At the outbreak of the Civil War he urged the employment of colored troops and helped organize them. He was an active agent of the Underground Railroad and his home, still standing on Alexander Street, was a refuge and way-station for runaway slaves seeking safety and freedom in Canada. During the administration of Benjamin Harrison, Mr. Douglass was appointed Minister to Haiti. After his death in 1895 his body was interred in Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester.

This monument to Frederick Douglass had been located near the train station in Rochester, but due to the fact that smoke and congestion became heavy in that area, city authorities moved the statue to Highland Park Bowl in 1941. This location is near the site of his home on South Avenue, which burned in 1872, arson was suspected.

The home on Alexander Street, that served as an Underground Railroad site has been torn down.

The granite section of the monument was made by Smith Granite Co. of Westerly, R.I. The model for the bronze statue was Douglass' son, Charles R. Douglass.
It appears Douglass' birth year is either 1817 or 1818, not 1807 as the guide suggests. 

Personally, I think this monument should be moved back to downtown Rochester in a very prominent spot.  Perhaps Washington Square Park or a new river walk park just off of Main Street.

Why You Shouldn't Slide Down the Bannister

EPIC RAIL SLIDE!  Watch the top left corner of the screen.  If you're going to get banned-for-life from a stadium, this is a monumental way to do it.

It's not even 5:30pm and this is what it looks like already?  Gonna be a loooooong winter...

Scout spent a whole morning chasing leaves while I raked them.  

SURPRISE VISITOR!  Gertie gets to spend the night at our house tonight.  It's amazing how still they are when a treat is visible.

Get well soon, Marianne!

That's all there is to report this week.  But, after the rail slide video, everything else seems lame...

So, Who's the Starting Quarterback This Week?

Look at all that encased meat!

 Megan and I tailgating at the Bill's game against the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend.  

 We've got pork.  We've got beans.  We've got sliders...

So, the Green Bay Packers have had 3 starting quarterbacks in the last 20 years.  Buffalo's had that just in the first half of the season...

HEAT LAMPS!

PUPPY UPDATE:

Megan, Scout, and Gertie waiting for trick or treaters to come to the house.  Why aren't there any costumes?  Wait...

A demon possessed Eskimo.  

That's all from these parts.

WE'RE OUTSIDE THE LINES!!! HAHAHA!

Who needs Flutie Flakes when you can have MariO's?  Seriously, one of the huge advantages to signing with the Buffalo Bills is the possibility of having your own cereal.  

Winding down to the last fire of the year...

Zweigle's red and white hot over an open flame.  

More home improvement.  This is the before picture.

This is the after.  Not too much.  Just painted the wall above the tile white to soften it up a little bit.  The matching yellow wall kind of burned out your retinas.  

And, a "before" of our front door.

I'm not going to call this an "after" picture because this is getting redone.  The red paint isn't sticking.  So, I'll probably have to strip it, prime it, and sand it all over again because the base is non-absorbent (as you can tell by the missing chunks on the left).  But, someday, this is what it will look like.

"Before" front door

Not an "after" front door...

Last, but not least.  Watched Gertie for a night.  I think she was looking for Dick and Marianne  the whole time.  

That's it for me until the Detroit Tiger's faceoff against Oakland A's in the playoffs starting Friday.  Might splurge and make myself some "Famous Prince Fielder Nachos."

Stupid Bills. Lost Again. Wait... They Won? How Could That Happen?

 It's football season again and that means Conklin's Bar & Grill's Illegal Motion tailgating is back!

What's on the menu?  Why, is that fried bologna sandwiches and other assorted meats your making? 

MARISA!  What are you doing in Buffalo?  Really, if you are going to visit us, this is the best way to do it. 

When in Buffalo, you need Buffalo Wings.  And, in Buffalo, they are just "wings."  The Buffalo part would be redundant... 

"I bought candy from you already.  Don't you remember?"
"NO!"
Smart little cheerleaders raising money at everyone's tailgate parties. 

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!  Buffalo Bills vs. Carolina Panthers at Ralph Wilson Stadium.  

 Best way to avoid traffic to and get to the game.

Rainbow parachute!  What does it mean? 

 Ka-BOOM!  And here come the Buffalo Bills!

The mob rejoices 

It was a pretty rough game.  At least it was competitive.   

And, we got a CJ Spiller bobblehead just for attending the game.  As always, we had a great time!

Now for some other business...

A large book sale at the local Penfield Library.  A grocery store bag of books for $3!  Sounds like trouble.

Not sure if they were working on the utilities or having the best fried turkey cookout ever...