❓ Can you find my painting?❓

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

Ready for a little art treasure hunt?

One of my favorite annual art events is officially open, and this year I’m excited to share that four of my original pieces are part of Rochester Contemporary Art Center’s (RoCo) 6x6x2026 exhibition. Thousands of tiny artworks from around the world are now available online and in person, and every piece is just $20.

There’s something especially fun about the 6x6 show because every artist creates anonymously. You browse based purely on what catches your eye, not the name attached to it. It turns collecting art into a treasure hunt, and once pieces are purchased, the artists are revealed.

If you’ve never explored 6x6 before, this is the perfect time. The online gallery makes it easy to scroll through an incredible variety of work from artists across the globe while supporting RoCo and the local arts community at the same time.

And yes… somewhere in the mix are my four mystery pieces waiting to be discovered.

Can you find my artwork at 6x6x2026?

Check out theVirtual Art Sale to support local art at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center and snag original artwork for only $20:
https://roco6x6.org/gallery/2026

Online sales are live now. You can purchase a Virtual Access Code for early access to the exhibition and the first opportunity to collect favorite pieces. General online purchasing opens to everyone on June 3.

Whether you’re a longtime collector or simply looking for a small piece that makes you smile, this show is packed with unexpected favorites. The best part is that every purchase directly supports the arts while giving you something truly original to bring home.

I’d love to hear if you spot one of mine before the reveal.

Your Friend,
Mike Kraus
MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

PS: FINAL DAYS of my show at the Rochester Fine Art Market! Many favorites have already sold, so don’t miss your chance to see the collection before it closes. View details here: https://rochesterfineartmarket.com

I’m Mike Kraus, a lifelong artist who believes color, movement, and curiosity can quietly change how a space and a day feel. More about me at: https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/bio.html

For more information or custom order, please visit:
Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikeKrausArt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikekrausart
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🏡 Have you ever stayed in a house so crooked it felt like it had a personality? 🏡

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

I remember walking up to old houses in Vermont that seemed to lean a little with age, their lines soft and imperfect as if the years had gently nudged them out of place. The wooden steps creaked underfoot and the cool mountain air carried the earthy scent of damp leaves and pine. Nothing felt rushed there. Even the crooked windows and tilting porch seemed to say that a home needs to be lived in to feel warm, welcoming, and full of life.

A little of that feeling can be a quiet reminder that character and charm often come from the passage of time rather than perfection. Sometimes the most comforting places are the ones that look like they have stories tucked into every corner, inviting you to slow down and enjoy the moment. 

What makes you feel that cozy feeling?

🏡 Wonky House #611 🏡

pen and colored pencils on Bristol paper

2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 

NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION

202604015

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To feel cozy, please visit: 

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/531805521

or buy direct at:

https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/buy-direct-from-mike-kraus-art.html

🇺🇸 For MayDay 2026, let’s celebrate Freedom in the most meaningful way we can by creating, sharing, and showing up for one another. Whether you are an artist, a maker, a performer, a vendor, or someone who simply loves to support creativity, you are an essential part of the experience. Bring your colors, your sounds, your ideas, and your energy, and step into a space where inspiration is shared and every contribution matters. Together we can fill the day with connection, creativity, and a spirit that reminds us how powerful it is to express, support, and lift each other up. 🇺🇸

🇺🇸 What will you bring to life? 🇺🇸

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/1494771728908397

I’m Mike Kraus, a lifelong artist who believes color, movement, and curiosity can quietly change how a space and a day feel. More about me at: https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/bio.html

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikeKrausArt

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikekrausart

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🍁 What are you ready to let go of as we welcome a new year? 🍁

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

I step into the forest and feel my shoulders soften as the air turns cool and clean, the ground whispering with the crunch of leaves under my boots while a pale birch rises ahead of me like a quiet guardian, its branches holding a warm glow of gold and ember red that seems to breathe with the season. In that moment the noise I carried in fades, replaced by the steady rhythm of my steps and the gentle hush of wind moving through the trees, reminding me that nothing needs to be rushed and that it is safe to simply be here. I run my fingers along the smooth bark, notice the faint scent of damp earth and sunlight, and feel a small kind of magic where worries loosen their grip and my thoughts find space to settle. 

When was the last time you let a walk in nature slow your breath and remind you that you belong to something larger and kinder than whatever you are carrying right now?

🍁 Autumn Birch 🍁

acrylic paint on canvas board

5" x 7" (12.7 cm x 17.8 cm)

202512078

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your home, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/539209116

or

Buy Direct From Mike Kraus Art

This piece would look best in a small space that is green, blue, purple, black, white, gray, or wood.

I’m Mike Kraus, a lifelong artist who believes color, movement, and curiosity can quietly change how a space and a day feel. [More about me]

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🍰 What will comfort look like for you in 2026? 🍰

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🍰 Cheesecake Daydream #605 🍰

pen, ink, and colored pencil on Bristol paper

2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 

NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION

202512076

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your collection, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/217808258

I found myself staring at this cheesecake as if it were a tiny moment of quiet wrapped in cream and cherries, the kind of treat that makes the room feel softer and the day slow down just enough to breathe. The cherry sauce glowed like evening light against the pale sweetness beneath it and for a second it felt like an invitation to pause and let something simple be enough. I took in the scent that was both bright and comforting and felt my shoulders soften in a way I did not expect.

When life gets loud and rushed, what small comfort helps you return to yourself?

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

💜🌻 What moment would you want to unwrap again and again? 🌻💜

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

💜🌻 Sunflowers and Lavender in Provence 🌻💜

acrylic paint on canvas board

5" x 7" (12.7 cm x 17.8 cm)

202511067

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your home, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/534467771

Our bikes race up and down the gentle hills of Provence. Everything has a distinct texture, the colors are vibrant, and the perfume in the air is intoxicating. Every twisting road reveals new rows of lavender stretching endlessly under the sun. I will never forget the fields of France.

This little painting is small, simple, and easy to bring into your life. It fits in almost any room and ships securely to your door, ready to brighten your space. No stress and no extra steps. Just color and memory waiting for you.

Art is more than something pretty on a wall. It carries feelings, memories, and a little bit of hope. If this piece speaks to you, it may be because it already belongs with you.

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

LAST DAY!!!

Still searching for the perfect holiday gift?

❄️☃️ LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY ART FESTIVAL ☃️❄️

is here to help you find something truly special just in time. Join us for a festive online marketplace filled with creativity, community, and cheer at: https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtFestival

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

❄⛄❄ Happy holidays! ❄⛄❄

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

Happy holidays!

If this season feels a little packed and a little fast, you are not alone. It is okay to pause, breathe, and give yourself a moment to rest. This time of year always reminds me how important it is to slow down and take in the good things we have created together.

I find myself thinking of you. How lucky it is that people like us cross paths at all. How we share the same desire to bring more beauty into the world and lift each other up when life feels heavier than expected. How we celebrate each other’s wins and stay connected through the quieter seasons too.

Thank you for being you and for bringing so much warmth, curiosity, and kindness into it. I hope you and your loved ones have a peaceful and joyful holiday season.
Questions?

Your Friend,

Mike Kraus

MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

P.S. The  ❄️☃️ Last Minute Holiday Art Festival☃️❄️is happening now with plenty of creative cheer. Join us at the party at: https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtFestival

Last days to ship before the holidays:

Hanukkah Sameach!
Christmas December 20th
Kwanzaa December 20th

📀 Instant Art To Download! 📀

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase, please visit: 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt?search_query=download

OOPS!!!  While wrapping gifts you realize you forgot someone.  Or their gift was lost or never arrived by delivery.  No problem.  Download one of 300+ options of artwork and print it for an extra frame around your home.  Or make unique gift tags.  Use them as a virtual background for your online holiday party.  Or use for a thoughtful card to say "Happy Holidays!"  It's an instant gift.  And something to let your loved ones know how much you care.

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🍁 Do you ever look at a familiar view and wonder what it looked like long ago? 🍁

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🍁 Autumn-On the Hudson River #604 🍁

pen, ink, and colored pencil on Bristol paper

2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 

NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION

202512070

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your collection, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/241681104

Standing at the curve of the road with the hum of traffic in my ears and the faint mineral smell of fuel drifting from the giant white tanks, I tried to imagine what Jasper Cropsey once saw from this very hillside when autumn wrapped the Hudson River in blazing reds and golds. His painting held a wandering stream and hunters pausing in a sunlit meadow while sheep grazed in soft quiet, but now the sky is laced with power lines and Storm King Mountain across the water glows only where the sun manages to slip between thick cables. Even so, in the flash of blue water beyond the fence and the burst of color in the trees by the roadside, there is still a whisper of that older world, a reminder that the river keeps outlasting whatever we build beside it.

Do you ever stand in a familiar place and try to picture what it looked like before people reshaped it?

Still searching for the perfect holiday gift?

❄️☃️ LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY ART FESTIVAL ☃️❄️

is here to help you find something truly special just in time. Join us for a festive online marketplace filled with creativity, community, and cheer at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1288257772795315

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🏞️ Does "home" still feels like peace to you? 🏞️

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🏞️ Weybridge, Vermont and the Care of Its Land 🏞️

acrylic paint on canvas board

8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)

202511066

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your collection, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/689058278

Weybridge, Vermont, where the morning light still falls on fields that have been cared for by the same families for generations. Around here, we measure progress by what we choose to protect. Neighbors still gather at the farm stand, the forests still rise untouched on the hillsides, and the small roads still wind past barns that stand strong because our community believes beauty is worth keeping. We have watched elsewhere fill its open spaces with noise and speed, yet Vermont holds to a quieter promise.

We choose local before national, stewardship before sprawl, and a way of life that honors the land that raised us. This choice does not make us old fashioned. It makes us grounded. In Weybridge and across Vermont, we live close to what matters. The question is simple, yet powerful. What are you choosing to preserve in your own life and why does it matter? 

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

Still searching for the perfect holiday gift?

❄️☃️ LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY ART FESTIVAL ☃️❄️

is here to help you find something truly special just in time. Join us for a festive online marketplace filled with creativity, community, and cheer at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1288257772795315

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🎁 Find hundreds of beautiful art gifts under $100. Easy, thoughtful, and ready to bring joy this season. 🎁

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

✨ Holiday Art Gift Guide ✨

at: https://www.etsy.com/search?q=mike%20kraus%20art&order=price_desc&explicit=1&custom_price=1&max=100

If you are hunting for something thoughtful, joyful, and easy to give this season, I have wonderful news. You can now browse hundreds of beautiful art gifts under $100, each one created to bring a little glow of color and calm into someone’s life. From tiny atmospheric landscapes that feel like soft winter light on your skin to dreamy moments filled with gentle texture and warm color, there is something for friends, family, coworkers, and anyone who needs a spark of beauty right now. Everything ships safely, arrives ready to enjoy, and is chosen with care to help you stress less and smile more. Come explore the collection and treat someone to a small piece of joy this holiday season.

Find your perfect gift at: https://www.etsy.com/search?q=mike%20kraus%20art&order=price_desc&explicit=1&custom_price=1&max=100

Still searching for the perfect holiday gift?

❄️☃️ LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY ART FESTIVAL ☃️❄️

is here to help you find something truly special just in time. Join us for a festive online marketplace filled with creativity, community, and cheer at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1288257772795315

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🍁 When was the last weekend you had that was completely unhurried? 🍁

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🍂 Autumn Forest 🍂

Museum-quality posters made on thick matte paper

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your home or office, please visit: 

FRAMED: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/1853358704

PRINT: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/1867554409

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/941229199

There’s a crisp sparkle to the air as I walk beneath the bright canopy, each step stirring up the earthy scent of fallen leaves. Sunlight filters through the branches and turns the yellows, oranges, and reds into glowing embers. The path feels alive, crunching softly underfoot, guiding me toward the river where the sound of rushing water blends with the whisper of the trees. It’s the kind of day that makes me breathe a little deeper and smile a little easier.

What do you love most about autumn, the bright colors, the brisk air, or the quiet peace it brings?

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

🍂✨ The Fabulous Fall Art Festival is coming! ✨🍂

Join us online starting November 3rd for a cozy celebration of creativity, color, and community! Meet amazing artists, explore handmade treasures, and fill your home with beauty all from the comfort of your couch.

Artists and art lovers, this is your space to connect, share, and be inspired. Come join the fun! 

👉 RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1418446459249700

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🌸 Which Flower Holds Your Forever Memory? 🌸

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🌸 Pink Gerbera Daisies #591 🌸

pen, ink, and colored pencil on Bristol paper

2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 

NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION

202509046

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your collection, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/235107957

I remember sitting with these gerbera daisies and noticing how their petals shifted from a soft blush to a deeper violet as the light moved across them, almost like they were breathing with the day. The black centers felt like quiet little universes, pulling me in as the petals reached outward in a kind of joyful stretch. I could almost hear the whisper of a warm breeze moving through a summer garden, carrying that sweet earthy scent that lingers on your skin. Flowers always remind me of moments that feel both fleeting and endless at the same time.

Do you have a flower that instantly brings you back to a memory you never want to let go of?

🍁 Calling All Art Lovers! 🍁

Get ready for the Awesome Autumn Art Festival—the coziest, craftiest, most joyfully creative online event of the season! Whether you're here to shop unique, sell your amazing work, or just soak in the good vibes, this is THE place to be. Think colorful finds, handmade magic, and a community that actually cares about art.

So grab your pumpkin spice and click that RSVP—because this fall, we’re making art the main event at:  👉 https://www.facebook.com/events/1046518944308485

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🛸 What Signal Are You Waiting For? 🛸

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🛸 Whispers Beyond Tomorrow's Signal 🛸 

acrylic paint on canvas board

8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)

202508044

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your home, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/204674466

There are days when it feels like the air itself is working against us, heavy with smoke and noise, but I remind myself that the only signals worth waiting for are the ones we create. Every decision we make, no matter how small, shapes the path forward, like ripples pushing against the weight of everything trying to hold us still. It’s not easy, but there’s a strange kind of hope in knowing we’re the ones steering this ship.

When the world feels overwhelming, what choices do you make to keep yourself moving toward something brighter?

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

🍁 Calling All Art Lovers! 🍁

Get ready for the Awesome Autumn Art Festival—the coziest, craftiest, most joyfully creative online event of the season! Whether you're here to shop unique, sell your amazing work, or just soak in the good vibes, this is THE place to be. Think colorful finds, handmade magic, and a community that actually cares about art.

So grab your pumpkin spice and click that RSVP—because this fall, we’re making art the main event at:  👉 https://www.facebook.com/events/1046518944308485

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

👀 What do these eyes still see at Graffiti Pier? 👀

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🦅 Graffiti Pier In Philly #590 🦅

pen, ink, and colored pencil on Bristol paper

2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 

NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION

202509045

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your collection, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/252048870

When I stood before this crumbling section of Graffiti Pier, the air smelled faintly of rust and wet stone, and the silence was heavy except for the distant echo of water against the ruins. What remains here feels like a stubborn survivor, its skin layered with color and symbols that shout and whisper all at once. The wide blue eyes seemed to follow me, bright and unblinking, daring me to step closer into the dark mouth of the doorway. I thought about how quickly something massive can fall, yet still leave behind fragments that tell stories no collapse can erase. 

Have you ever returned to a place you thought was gone, only to find a piece of it still holding on, waiting for you?

🍁 Calling All Art Lovers! 🍁

Get ready for the Awesome Autumn Art Festival—the coziest, craftiest, most joyfully creative online event of the season! Whether you're here to shop unique, sell your amazing work, or just soak in the good vibes, this is THE place to be. Think colorful finds, handmade magic, and a community that actually cares about art.

So grab your pumpkin spice and click that RSVP—because this fall, we’re making art the main event at:  👉 https://www.facebook.com/events/1046518944308485

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social