Showing posts with label people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label people. Show all posts

Friday, November 6, 2020

Toronto Alley

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Toronto Alley
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
202011103
© copyright Mike Kraus

*NOTICE - SHIPPING DELAYS HARMING SMALL BUSINESSES MAY BE EXPERIENCED: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/16/usps-mail-delays-postmaster-general-changes-workers

Toronto, meaning "plenty" to the Huron and "place where trees stand in water" to the Iroquois, is a beacon to the world.  It called to French fur traders, British colonists, refugees of the American revolution, fleeing US slaves, Irish, Germans, French, Italians, Jews, and over 200 other distinct ethnic groups that speak 160 languages.  This multiculturalism made Toronto the fourth largest city in North America and a major center of business, arts, and finance.  The locals are famously friendly and that joy can be found on the streets.

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.

Having Fun During Coronavirus
Art Project: 
Building a Fire Pit:
Share Heart of Hope:
Hiking:
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Parlor Game:
Celebrating Women:
Have A Picnic:
You Haven't Seen That?!? Game:
Have Some Theme Spirit:
Working For the Weekend:
Honor and Remembrance:
Apple Picking and Other Farms:
Halloween Gravedigger Flashlight Game:
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/11/vote-vote-vote-having-fun-during-covid.html

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

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Decisions of Destiny

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Decisions of Destiny #314
gouache paint and ink on bristol paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 
201810120
© copyright Mike Kraus

This artist trading card or ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) is frameable, collectible, enjoyable and can be given as a special gift for a birthday, wedding, new baby, anniversary, thank you or other occasion.  It is a one-of-a-kind original work of art, NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION. It is signed on the back and lends itself to framing in a standard trading card frame or book.

More About Mike Kraus Art
Boston Voyager Magazine Interview

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

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM​ Rochester at:

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.

Monday, October 8, 2018

Pin-Up Skeleton

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Pin-Up Skeleton #313
gouache paint and ink on bristol paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 
201810119
© copyright Mike Kraus

This artist trading card or ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) is frameable, collectible, enjoyable and can be given as a special gift for a birthday, wedding, new baby, anniversary, thank you or other occasion.  It is a one-of-a-kind original work of art, NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION. It is signed on the back and lends itself to framing in a standard trading card frame or book.

More About Mike Kraus Art
Boston Voyager Magazine Interview

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

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM​ Rochester at:

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.

Friday, October 5, 2018

Decisions of Destiny IV

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Decisions of Destiny IV #312
gouache paint and ink on bristol paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 
201810118
© copyright Mike Kraus

This artist trading card or ACEO (Art Card Editions and Originals) is frameable, collectible, enjoyable and can be given as a special gift for a birthday, wedding, new baby, anniversary, thank you or other occasion.  It is a one-of-a-kind original work of art, NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION. It is signed on the back and lends itself to framing in a standard trading card frame or book.

More About Mike Kraus Art
Boston Voyager Magazine Interview

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

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM​ Rochester at:


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.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Whale of a Decision

 A Whale of a Time #189
Gouache and ink on Bristol Paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 
© copyright Mike Kraus 

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

This artist trading card or ACEO (Art Card Editions & Originals) is frameable, collectible, enjoyable and can be given as a special gift for a birthday, wedding, new baby, anniversary, thank you or other occasion.  It is a one-of-a-kind original work of art, NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION. It is signed on the back and lends itself to framing in a standard trading card frame or book.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Decisions of Destiny Triptych #188
Gouache and ink on Bristol Paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
3 - 2.5" x 3.5" (3 - 6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 
© copyright Mike Kraus 

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

These artist trading cards or ACEOs (Art Card Editions & Originals) are frameable, collectible, enjoyable and can be given as a special gift for a birthday, wedding, new baby, anniversary, thank you or other occasion.  It is a one-of-a-kind original work of art, NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION. It is signed on the back and lends itself to framing in a standard trading card frame or book.

For more information or custom order, please visit:


Thursday, November 19, 2015

There Was a Dream

There Was a Dream #131
Gouache on Watercolor Paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm)
© copyright Mike Kraus

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

These artist trading cards or ACEO (Art Card Editions 8 Originals) are frameable, collectible, enjoyable and can be given as a special gift for a birthday, wedding, new baby, anniversary, thank you or other occasion.  They are one-of-a-kind original works of art, NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION. It is signed on the back and lends itself to framing in a standard trading card frame.

FREE SHIPPING IN THE UNITED STATES

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Friday, March 13, 2015

Oh the Humanity

Oh the Humanity, 2015
pen and ink on paper
8" x 10" in a 8" x 10" frame (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm in a 20.3 cm x 25.4 cm frame)
© copyright Mike Kraus

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

With over seven billion people on earth, it's hard to imagine that each one is an unique individual.  No two people are genetically the same, not even "identical twins."  Our DNA is always changing and mutating.  People come in infinite shapes and sizes.  An immeasurable diversity that can be easy to forget.

This piece would work in almost any space with its use of black and white in a neutral frame

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Oh the Humanity

Oh the Humanity, 2014
pen and ink on paper
6 1/2" x 4 1/2" in a 12 1/2" x 10 1/2" frame
© copyright Mike Kraus
$23 + shipping

With over seven billion people on earth, it's hard to imagine that each one is an unique individual.  No two people are genetically the same, not even "identical twins."  Our DNA is always changing and mutating.  People come in infinite shapes and sizes.  An immeasurable diversity that can be easy to forget.

This piece would work in almost any space with its use of black and white in a neutral frame




Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Faces In the Crowd

Faces In the Crowd, 2003ish
pen and ink
© copyright Mike Kraus

I wonder how many people know that I've captured them in my sketchbook?  Here's a sampling from hanging out in Millennium Park in downtown Chicago.  Lots of characters makes for interesting people watching.  You can tell who is a tourist because they look up at all the skyscrapers.  I don't know about the people looking down or about the guy in the top hat.

Monday, August 29, 2005

"We'd Be On the Boat and Do the Thing."

Last night may have been my last full day in Muskegon for a while. I may be back next weekend. I may not. I don't know. So, I had an impromptu (sp?) going away party. How unplanned was this going away party? Not even the people who live in Turtle House knew it was my going away party until at least half way through. The pictures tell the story of the evening.... For the most part.


Don't cry Tania. I'll be back in Muskegon soon. And Chicago is a fun place to visit.


Look at those luscious sideburns. Damn baby, no wonder the Rambone sleeps with you at night.


Pondering what Muskegon is going to be without Mike Kraus? Who will go to the Vous with you? Who will mom talk art to? Oh, the worries...


I am the drunkest looking sober man I have ever seen.


Nice. You wonder why I call you The Terrorist. The CIA knows what he is talking about.


Andrea and Leslie smoking and drinking.


Guns, beer, and cigarettes. Sounds like a good evening. Now, what can you do in the back seat of a Rivera in the Turtle House driveway. Oh, I remember... 4-eva...


What are you telling Ana-Shea, Nick? It looks like you are picking up some strange woman off the streets of Chicago and she's not having it. Story of my life...


Best friends Forever. This picture is the last piece of Hasan's going away birthday present. The girls got him a picture frame and this pic is what's going in it.

I'm going to miss you all. At the beginning of summer, I was a miserable mess. Yet, somehow it ended up being one of the best times of my life. I've had so much fun, learned a lot about myself, learned a lot about my friends, and love you all. When I move to Chicago, I expect each and everyone of you to come down and sleep on my couch. I will post my phone number and mailing address once I know what it is. I might be out of communication for a while. Don't worry, I'm just a nomad.

Today, I have a job interview at the American Red Cross. I'm just going to go in and be an arrogant jerk. I know I'm not going to work there. They can't match the job offer I got. But, I might make a friend there and be able to leverage something at a later date. After that, I will pack up the little electric car and drive down to Mike Nummerdor's place. We might go see some grizzly bear movie and drinking. I'm really glad that when I move to Chicago this time I am going to have some really good friends there to hang out with.

Don't forget me Muskegon, I love you all...

Mike Kraus

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