Peneda-Gerês National Park

Peneda-Gerês National Park, Portugal , 2014

Acrylic on canvas board

10" x 8"

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/198169269/peneda-geres-national-park-portugal?

Our little rental car struggles through the mountainous switchbacks in northern Portugal.  Just north of Parque de São Bento da Porta Aberta, the little hatchback pulls over to an overlook of the Cávado River.  A valley filled with unique colorful flora.  Wind and water have carved this land of granite.  Now, if only we can find the trailhead to explore...

This painting would look best in a space that is light yellow, bright red, dark orange, or neutral beige.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

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

Manny the Silken Windhound Wishes Us a Happy Anniversary!

HAPPY 4TH ANNIVERSARY MEGAN!

I LOVE YOU!!!

PS-Can't believe it's already been 4 years since we were in Portugal.

Hey, you told me you didn't know how to draw...

Manny the Silken Windhound, 2014

graphite and ink on paper

5" x 7"

Collection of Vickie Patridge

© copyright Mike Kraus

For more information, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike?ref=shop_home_active_1

6x6x2014 OPEN NOW:

Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo)

137 East Avenue

Rochester, NY 14604

See if you can find the pieces I've submitted.  For more information, please visit:

http://www.roco6x6.org/6x6x2014_intro.php

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal, 2014

acrylic paint on canvas

8" x 10" 

© copyright Mike Kraus

Please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/191085932/tree-in-albufeira-portugal-original-8-x?

Hiking along the Atlantic coast in southern Portugal.  The only shade from the intense sun is a tree.  Every so often, there's a cool breeze from the water to provide some relief.  It's a great place to drink vinho verde.  To plan our life together on the other side of the world. 

This painting would great in almost space that is red, pink, violet, yellow, or blue.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

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

Tree in Albufeira Portugal, Mixed Critter, and Seaside Swirl.

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal, 2014

oil pastel on paper

8" x 10" in a 9" x 11" frame

© copyright Mike Kraus

To Purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/190352538/tree-in-albufeira-portugal-original-8-x

Hiking along the Atlantic coast in southern Portugal.  The only shade from the intense sun is a tree.  Every so often, there's a cool breeze from the water to provide some relief.  It's a great place to drink vinho verde.  To plan our life together on the other side of the world. 

This drawing would great in almost space that is red, pink, violet, yellow, or blue.

For more information or custom order, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt 

 Mixed Critter, 2014

crayon on paper

© copyright Rachel Bell

What lurks in the Amazon rain forest?  Even scientists aren't completely sure.  There are many regions where humans have yet to visit.  There have been rumors of a Mixed Critter. A beast that only wants to snuggle.

seaside swirl, 2014

glazed play-doh

© copyright Rachel Bell

Collection of Megan Bell and Mike Kraus

She dreams of the ocean.  Lying on the beach in the warm sun.  Not having to worry about the controversies at her job.  The tropical waters are every shade of blue.  Flamingos glide through the clear skies

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Mike and Megan's Honeymoon: Day 12 - Well, the Honeymoon's Over...

July 9th

The day of reckoning is near. The honeymoon is almost over and time to get back to the real world...

I swear they filmed this TV show for 24 hours. It's like a marathon of the Portuguese Regis and Kathy Lee

Here they are. I love that they didn't bring a chair and table from a set. This was just from a local diner next door.

The Portuguese Michael Jackson. We saw him walking around town quite a bit and they decided to put him on TV and dance. It was surreal because people were yelling "MICHAEL!" as if he really was Michael Jackson.

Now to cross the river to get on one of these boats ourselves

Enter Sandeman. These boats are known as Rabelos and were used to transport the wine from the Douro Valley, 60 miles away, to Porto. Now, it's tourists.

Ponte Dom Luis by Teofilo Seyfrig from the 1880s. He was a student of Gustave Eiffel of Eiffel Tower fame

Little French girls

Living in Chicago, I've grown to learn what a body recovery from a river looks like. Someone jumped or was dumped it seems...

Ponte Dona Maria Pia by Gustave Eiffel in 1877 with the Ponte S. João behind it.

Constructed in 1991 as a modern railroad bridge

Eiffel again

Heading back to the Ribeira district

The Serra do Pilar Monastery

Still filming the TV show...

A huge customs house

Some church from the 1300s. Notice that they ran out of space for a road, so they just built a bridge running parallel to the land

Ponte de Arrãbida opened in 1963

Old mansion or something. They don't tear buildings down, they let things remain until someone wants it again. There's a lesson to be learned from that...

Café Majestic is a very classy place. Too classy for us...

What? Your building isn't at street level? Build a walkway so it is!

Last kiss in Portugal after musicians played to us for dinner.

Porto's airport from the future

Lisbon (Lisboa) from the sky

That's where we stayed. Just north of the perfectly squared streets of the Baixa district.

Megan's sad that the honeymoon is over and we are heading back to the States. Apparently, I didn't get the memo and thought we were just going somewhere else that was awesome. We didn't and now my life is work and groceries again...

Thanks again to everyone for everything related to our wedding! Thanks to all the people who checked out all our honeymoon pics! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

Mike and Megan