Cabin In Treman State Park

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

Cabin In Treman State Park

acrylic on canvas board

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

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/222439508/cabin-in-treman-state-park-original

Our feet are sore after hiking along Enfield Creek to see Lucifer Falls.  It's a rocky gorge full of cliffs, stairs, and waterfalls.  There's an explosion of color that matches the roar of the water.  At the end of the rim trail is the cabin.  A perfect place to get away from the world.

This painting would look best in a space that is green, red, violet, purple, brown  beige, black, white, or on wood.

Having Fun During COVID-19

https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/covid-19coronavirus-resources.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
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikekrausart

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MikeKrausBlog

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

Cayuga Lake

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

Cayuga Lake

Acrylic paint on canvas

16" x 20" (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm) 

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/185976649/cayuga-lake-original-acrylic-painting-16

A lazy day along Cayuga Lake hiking between Seneca Falls and Ithaca.  Well worn paths through gorges and woods that open up to vineyards.  A tractor path leads us down to the calm lake where we take a snack break.  With places like this, social distancing is easy.

This piece would work best in a space that is light red, orange, yellow, dark green, navy blue, purple, white, black, beige, or wood

Having Fun During COVID-19

https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/covid-19coronavirus-resources.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

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikekrausart

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

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MikeKrausBlog

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

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 7TH SCOUT-IVERSARY!

 HAPPY 7TH SCOUT-IVERSARY!

EXTENDED COVID-19/CORONAVIRUS EDITION!  In the before times, we'd lazily wander around Corbett's Glen, the site of Scout's first walk after adoption.  To follow health and safety guidelines and avoid crowds, Scout-iversary has been extended to a full weekend and covers the Finger Lakes Region!

BUT WAIT!  THERE'S MORE!

Here's the view from Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill (https://www.co.ontario.ny.us/Facilities/Facility/Details/Ontario-County-Park-at-Gannett-Hill-4)

Enjoy the sunlight now.  The next time you'll see it is in May...

Weird place to find a Roman highway

COVID-19/Coronavirus Discovery: Mountain bike paths are an absurd and tiring way to get lost in the woods.

Judging from the distance, looking at Boston...

So this is then looking toward Montreal...

Megan's vision of the perfect photo with Scout

Scout's vision of the perfect photo with Megan

PUPPY ATTACK!

Previous Scout-iversarys!
Year 6) https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2019/10/happy-6th-scout-iversary.html

Year 5) https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2018/10/happy-5th-scout-iversary.html
Year 4) https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2017/10/happy-4th-scout-iversary.html
Year 3) http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/10/happy-3rd-scout-iversary.html

Year 2) http://mikekraus.blogspot.mk/2015/11/happy-scout-iversary.html

Year 1) http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2014/10/celebrations.html

In The Beginning) http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2013/10/our-new-dog-scout.html

Hemlock Lake

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

Hemlock Lake

acrylic paint on canvas board

202010093

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

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/708800293

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

Over 100 homes and 5 hotels used to ring Hemlock Lake connected by 5 large ships. The pollution began to poison the waters. In 1852, the City of Rochester began to process of improving water quality after contamination lead to a massive disease outbreak. Over 5,000 acres were purchased and all buildings demolished to improve the water's purity. Today, it's the prime example of how to live with these sacred lakes.

Having Fun During Coronavirus
Art Project: 
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/07/art-project-having-fun-during.html
Building a Fire Pit:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/08/building-fire-pit-having-fun-during.html
Share Heart of Hope:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/08/coronaviruscovid-19-heart-of-hope.html
Hiking:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/08/hiking-having-fun-during-coronavirus.html
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Parlor Game:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/08/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley-parlor-game.html
Celebrating Women:
 https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/08/celebrating-women-having-fun-during.html
Have A Picnic:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/09/have-picnic-having-fun-during.html
You Haven't Seen That?!? Game:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/09/you-havent-seen-that-game-having-fun.html
Have Some Theme Spirit:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/09/have-some-theme-spirit-having-fun.html
Working For the Weekend:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/09/working-for-weekend-having-fun-during.html
Honor and Remembrance:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/09/honor-and-remembrance-having-fun-during.html

Apple Picking and Other Farms:
https://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2020/10/apple-picking-and-other-farms-having.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
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikekrausart

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MikeKrausBlog

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

Choose Your Own Title: "This Is 40" or "COVID-40"

BIRTHDAY BLOWOUT!

Can you believe of the dozen of photos this is the best bubble Megan made?

Megan took the day off of work and we celebrated all around the Finger Lakes.  We started off the day having a picnic breakfast at Bare Hill Unique Area (https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/37438.html) overlooking Canandaigual Lake and Bristol.

Onward and upward!  Visited Conklin's Gully at the High Tor Wildlife Management Area (https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24439.html).  The vertical climb at the start did burn off the apple cake breakfast.  And, it is a pretty amazing very from the edge of the cliff.

Megan preparing lunch at Keuka Lake State Park (https://parks.ny.gov/parks/keukalake/maps.aspx)

It's like living in a brochure for visiting upstate New York.

Bench looking toward Branchport

Megan put all my favorite meats into one sandwich.  It was delicious and drove our pup Scout insane.

When magic is delivered to your mailbox

Spiderman says #WearAMask

Seneca Mills Falls on the Keuka Outlet Trail (https://www.keukaoutlettrail.org/) between Penn Yan and Dresden.  

If you're going to have ruins, they might as well be beautiful

Megan's Totally Tubular 80's Quiz: Mike Edition.  Thanks for everyone who participated.  I don't know what's worse: how much I forgot or how much my wife learned...

To go with the 1980s theme, Megan and I split a bag of Big League Chew (https://www.bigleaguechew.com/).  It's exactly how I remember it.  And I was instantly transported to being an 8 year old playing pee-wee baseball and having the whole bench being yelled at by the coach because we're blowing bubbles instead of paying attention to our game. 

Downtown Penn Yan at the end of the trail.  It reminded me of the old paths connecting towns and villages in Europe.  A perfect setting for Robin Hood and other medieval characters.

If you're going to make pancakes anyway, just use a 28-foot griddle and set a world record.

For all you singles out there, find a partner that will make you sloppy joes and tater tots on your birthday and never let them go..

If you didn't know, Megan is a trained cake decorator.  Really?  That's amazing!  Her creations are scattered throughout my blog over the years.  You can tell because she was smart enough to avoid using 40 individual candles.  A stylistic choice my asthma appreciates.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TEXTS, POSTS, CALLS, MAIL, AND BIRHTDAY GREETINGS IN OTHER FORMS OF COMMUNICATION!!!  I really appreciate it.  I love and miss you all.  In a year full of difficulty and grief, I'm so grateful to have such wonderful friends and family to celebrate with.  When life happens, I'm glad we're all in it together!