Sweet Lady and the Devil Dog

Sweet Lady and the Devil Dog, 2003

silkscreen and oil on canvas

© copyright Mike Kraus

Noah Hopson and Frances Close

Photos by Frances Close

All she wanted was companionship.  Someone to share her apartment at the senior community.  She replied to an ad that said, "Free Bichon to a good home."  How could she resist?  The sweet lady had to learn the hard way that "you get what you pay for."

The IT Guy

The IT Guy, 2014

pen, ink, and graphite

© copyright Mike Kraus

During the day, he's largely ignored by the staff until someone has a computer problem.  You'll usually find him in his distant office that doubles as a storage room for servers and cannibalized electronics.  At night, he performs at the local theatre and becomes a character himself.  Two lives which couldn't be any more different.

Palmer Hall

"Palmer Hall", 2014

pen and ink 
© copyright Mike Kraus

I paid the fee and they unlocked the doors.  We transferred our equipment from the car onto the stage.  Other groups arrive and friends gather in the parking lot.  Standing around the back door waiting for our drinks to be delivered.  This is the only place where kids are welcome.  Killing time with skateboards and forgetting the long week.  It’s 7pm and time to open the doors for the show.

Everybody Loves a Landlord

"Everybody Loves a Landlord", 2014

pen, ink, graphite 
© copyright Mike Kraus

On the edge of the city, a landlord busies himself with his rental estate.  Always with a cigarette in hand, he wanders around the structure trying to find a purpose.  He doesn’t have to show a vacant apartment until 3pm.  It’s not unusual to find him sitting in the lobby welcoming tenants and staring off into the distance.  The boom box repeats his only cassette: Dark Side of the Moon.  

Where's Vern?

"Where's Vern", 2014

Colored pencil and ink

© copyright Mike Kraus

Katie and Vern are explorers from New York.  They like to get dressed up and see all their friends in the city.  So, the next time you are in the Big Apple, look for them in a crowd because they’ll be the life of the party.

"All Entities Move and Nothing Remains Still"

"All Entities Move and Nothing Remains Still", 2014

pen, ink, and graphite

© copyright Mike Kraus

When is a place no longer home?  Is it when you no longer recognize the town?  Maybe it’s when all the institutions you were involved with have dissolved?  Or could it be when all your friends and family have fled?  Is the passing of time what makes it so “you can’t go home again?”