MansaWear

Alfie Fabric Button Necklace - Round Neckline

Minimalist style complements the bright, bold, and sassy colors of the fabrics by designer Nita Brown of MansaWear (https://shop.mansawear.com/s/shop). Brown has created a brand known for using high-quality materials and excellent tailoring.  While there's plenty of beautiful ready-made statement pieces available at MansaWear, they've become well-known for their custom fashions.  It's an intricate process starting with a 30-point measurement system, an expert style consultant guiding you through cut, colors, scale, patterns, adjustments and final fittings, resulting in a glamourous piece.  

CONGRATULATIONS to MansaWear for being selected for the prestigious JOANN Fabric and Craft Store's Minority Grant Award. “Apart from enabling me to hire 3 seamstresses for the chemo caps and mask production and meet the increased demand for tops due to conducting business virtually in the new normal environment, the brand exposure that JOANN's social media and marketing platforms, plus the opportunity of being a Creativebug instructor would be incalculable.” -Nita Brown of MansaWear

Happy Baby

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

Happy Baby

acrylic paint on canvas

5" x 7" (12.7 cm x 17.8 cm)
201806077

© copyright Mike Kraus

For more information, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

LET'S CREATE YOUR VERY OWN PAINTING TOGETHER! Your cherished memory or idea can be made into a work of art. Whether you want to remember a special day or give something to a caring friend; we can work together to create something unique. Invest in yourself and the arts with a special vision to color your walls.

THANK TO KETTLE RIDGE FARM!  I had another great day at KettleFest.  It's always great meeting so many wonderful people, local artisans, talented musicians, and eating all the honey and maple syrup pancakes.

More About Mike Kraus Art

Boston Voyager Magazine Interview

http://bostonvoyager.com/interview/check-mike-krauss-artwork/

Join my 540WMain Community Learning Academy workshop "How To Become A Professional Artist

https://www.facebook.com/events/308616739898516

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM​ Rochester at:

https://www.mixcloud.com/graphic-ear/070518-graphic-ear-with-mike-kraus/

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:

Store: MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

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

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

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikekrausart

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MikeKrausBlog

Google+: http://plus.google.com/111168390406803022323/posts

The Diva Squirrel

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

The Diva Squirrel

5" x 7" (12.7 cm x 17.8 cm) in a frame

acrylic paint of canvas board

201804058

© copyright Mike Kraus

For more information, please visit: please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike

Suzan isn't afraid of being "different." As a model, she regularly shops at jewelry stores for accessories. One day, she was inspired to create a piece she saw, but with a little more pizzaz. Suzan was successful at adding that pizzaz and started to make several more pieces. Friends, family, and co-workers would compliment the jewelry, which lead to sales when they discovered they were her own creations. 

Why Diva Squirrel Treasures? "Diva" is Suzan's modeling persona (per say). "Squirrel" is her nickname because of her short attention span. And "Treasures" are all her jewelry. "It is uniquely silly, but even my oldest son said he remembered in because it was different.

See Diva Squirrel Treasures eclectic jewelry at: 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/DivaSquirrelTreasure

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:

Store: MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

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

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

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikekrausart

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MikeKrausBlog

Google+: http://plus.google.com/111168390406803022323/posts

A Wedding In the Woods

CONGRATS TO MIKE AND ROSE!  You're married and Megan and I are so honored to have been there to see it!

First things first.  Getting re-baptized in Muskegon Lake

 Boat entering Muskegon Lake from the canal connecting to Lake Michigan 

Catamarans along the beach

Lighthouse on Lake Michigan at Pere Marquette Beach Park

Looking toward the Coast Guard station

 

Life size graffiti. 

Lake Express car ferry heading back to Milwaukee

Burcos Tacos (http://www.burcostacos.com/) in the old K-Mart plaza in Norton Shores.  I really liked the Thai and Old School tacos.  Dirt cheap.  Might have to buy the franchise rights and put one in down the street from me.

old acrylic painting from high school of the street I stayed on in Heidelburg, Germany

A pastel of some guy I did for some project.  Hope that helps...

Lake Harbor Park beach.  

Sunset 

The ladies watching the sun set

 A couple of the restored buildings on Western Avenue in downtown Muskegon.  Some nice little shops in the Century Building and the most hand crafted coffee I've ever had from Drink Drop Drink Coffee

Muskegon Proud mural 

An explanation of the history of snowboarding in Muskegon for the pics below

The Turning Point sculpture

The original Snurfer at the museum down on Western Avenue.

"Muskegon; Together Rising" a.k.a. "the can opener" 

Buster Keaton sculpture

Hackley Library 

Glass floor in the Hackley Library

 windows in the Hackley Library

The Hackley & Hume Home Museum (http://www.muskegonmuseum.org/hackley_hume.html).  Megan and I had some time to kill between errands and decided to check it out.  Charles Hackley (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hackley) is pretty much the reason why Muskegon, Michigan exists at all and Thomas Hume was his partner.

Thomas Hume's Home

The barn they shared

awesome coat tree.  The next batch of photos is the interior of the Hackley House.

 

Living room

Pretty amazing stenciling on the ceiling of the entire house.

not a bad dining room buffet

The modern kitchen.

This is just the hallway...

I guess if you are a lumber baron, it's not a bad idea to have everything in the house carved in wood.

And now for the interior of the Hume Home

Brunswick pool table made in Muskegon.  Kinda sad to see since I saw they just tore down the old Brunswick factory.

 

Monet Garden 

Little Lily Pond

Frauenthal Theatre 

 

 Megan trying her first Wet Burrito at the Station (http://www.stationgrill.com/)

Downtown Manistee waiting for our hotel room and getting ready for the wedding. 

CAMPING WEDDING!!!

Mike waiting for his bride

Here comes the bride: Rose!

 TIME TO PARTY!

Now that is a steak

food and reception tent

Post-wedding ride on the bike

Nate 

Alice and I 

Andrew watching Matt and Nick 

Dustin and Cliff 

This was only the start 

TENNESSEE!!!  You're no longer a puppy...

Shots on the dance floor 

Frances and I in our obligatory "ugly shot."

Angela and Noah

Detroit-style pizza from Jet's (http://jetspizza.com/).  Thanks Lisa 

Niagara Falls.  A great place to stretch your legs between Muskegon MI,  and Rochester, NY.  This is the Horseshoe Falls.

Lots of mist

American and Bridal Veil Falls

Lots of tourists with the city in the background.

Horseshoe falls with a suspicious lady.

Maid of the Mist looking for trouble.

Well, it's been a very busy week and a half.  It was good going to a couple of wedding.  Seeing tons of my friends.  Seeing lots of my family.  Visiting all my favorite old haunts and all that that's changed back home over the years.  THANKS AGAIN and I hope to be back soon and see everyone again!