Showing posts with label silver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label silver. Show all posts

Monday, April 30, 2018

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Twilight Woods #290
gouache paint on Bristol paper
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
201804062
© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/516504816/twilight-woods-290-artist-trading-cards

Please join us for the opening of my show at:
540WMain
Sunday, May 6th 2018
4 - 6pm
540 West Main Street
Rochester, NY 14608

For more information, please visit:

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:
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Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Twilight Woods
acrylic paint of canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201804059
© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/596254186/twilight-woods-original-acrylic-painting

 Please join us for the opening of my show at:
540WMain
Sunday, May 6th 2018
4 - 6pm
540 West Main Street
Rochester, NY 14608

 For more information, please visit:
This painting would look best in a space that is dark red, light yellow, dark orange, blue, dark purple, green, beige, white, black, grey, or wood.


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:
at No comments:

Monday, February 19, 2018

Twilight Wood

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

 Twilight Woods #275
gouache paint on Bristol Paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 
201802028
© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/213226104/twilight-woods-275-artist-trading-cards
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.


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:
at No comments:

Friday, February 16, 2018

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
 Twilight Woods #273
gouache paint on Bristol Paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 
201802026
© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/558182865/artist-trading-card-twilight-woods-273
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.

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:
at No comments:

Friday, February 2, 2018

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
Twilight Woods #269
gouache paint on Bristol paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm)
201801018
© copyright Michael 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.


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:
at No comments:

Friday, January 19, 2018

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
 Twilight Woods #263
gouache paint on Bristol paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm)
201801008
© copyright Michael 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.


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:
at No comments:

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Artist Forum: Winter Woods Inspiration

 Question: How do you decide what to paint?

This is something I've been asked a lot recently.  And I thought I'd share some of my thoughts as it's something every artist struggles with at some point.  

For my example, I will use my Winter Woods painting, which is posted in this blog.  This is a series I started a few years ago.  The dog was restless and I brought her outside to play for a little bit.  While she was running around, I thought the fresh snow was beautiful.  It was so fresh and powdery on the ground, the light coating floating on the branches, and the sun making everything shimmer.  That was the inspiration.


I went back to my studio and started sketching.  For me, it's all about finding the right balance.  I don't want something too realistic, otherwise I'd just use my camera.  But, if it's too abstracted, it tends to lose it's connection to our senses.  So, I try to find that place between the real and the abstracted that brings out the emotions of a piece.  The first piece that came out was a very simple gouache design on a greeting card.  It was a flat blue sky, multi-layers of white snow, dark brown trees with snow on each branch.


For me, that is just the start.  I read a Matisse quote that it took him 50 times painting a subject before he considered a piece "good."  That stuck in my head and, for me, that really is true.  When I complete a piece, it goes on my wall or somewhere that I will see it frequently.  I want to see it often and think, "I like that part, I wish I did that differently, and I will add that next time."  What I want to do is push each piece further toward my vision.  So, the Winter Woods piece evolved.  The hills of snow became less exaggerated.  The sky was amplified by various shades of blue.  I stagger the trees more to give it depth and a pattern like notes on a music sheet.  And finally, the trunks and branches are a mixture of black, brown, and metallic paint to give it shape and excitement.  Just like the previous pieces, this will be on my wall and I will think of ways to push this piece further next time.  And when I'm out of ideas then the series is complete.


But, I'm never our of ideas.  I have a list of 41 paintings I'd like to do.  Where do these ideas come from?  Everywhere.  They come from my patrons requesting commissions.  Maybe a discussion with a fellow artist.  A suggestion from a gallery owner.  Seeing something in a museum.  Maybe a random object caught my eye on TV.  To keep track of all this inspiration, I make a list and sketches so I'm always busy painting.


I hope this is helpful.  And please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss something.    

Winter Woods, 2017
acrylic paint on canvas
18" x 24" (45.7 cm x 61.0 cm)
© copyright Mike Kraus 

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

It's a chilly late afternoon in the forest.  The snow glows on the creaking branches of the trees.  All I hear is the crunching of my boots down the icy path.  This is the season of hibernation.  A time of reflection and calm.

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

For more information or custom order, please visit:
at No comments:

Monday, October 17, 2016

Winter Woods

Winter Woods, 2016
Acrylic on Canvas Board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
© copyright Mike Kraus

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

It's a chilly late afternoon in the forest.  The snow glows on the creaking branches of the trees.  All I hear is the crunching of my boots down the icy path.  This is the season of hibernation.  A time of reflection and calm.

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

For more information or custom order, please visit:



at No comments:

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Special Offer from The Gladiator Necklace


COUPON CODE: FriendsofKraus2016

Friends of Mike Kraus Art receive 50% off any purchase of $14 or more. FREE SHIPPING. Coupon code cannot be combined with other coupon codes or discounts. Only one coupon code per transaction. Supplies are Limited. Offer good while supplies last. Offer expires on November 15, 2016.
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Thursday, July 21, 2016

Vision Quest IV

Vision Quest IV, 2014
acrylic painting on canvas in a frame
16" x 20" (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm)
© copyright Mike Kraus

This painting was featured at:
BRIGHTSCAPES
Canandaigua National Bank and Trust
210 Alexander Street
Rochester, NY 14607

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

I have stayed here for several days.  Alone in the wilderness with only the things I can carry in my backpack.  I've been rationing my food and water to extend my time here.  There's an intensity to the evening sun that is counter-balanced by the darkness of the soil.  A delicate harmony to everything.

This piece would work in a space that is deep red, yellow, light orange, blue, green, light purple, black, white, grey, beige or on wood.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

at No comments:

Friday, May 20, 2016

Twilight Woods


Twilight Woods, 2016
Acrylic on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm) 
© copyright Mike Kraus

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

I follow the winding path not knowing where I'll end up.  The trees rustle in the breeze stirring up the aromas of the forest.  A freshness one always has to remind themselves of in civilization.  The light refracts in strange ways at this time.  It's when the surreal becomes the real.  

This painting would look best in a space that is red, orange, yellow, dark green, blue, purple, black, white, beige, or wood.

For more information or custom order, please visit:



at No comments:
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