Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

   Twilight Woods #261

gouache paint on bristol paper

2.5 " x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm)

201801004

© copyright Michael Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/555810485/twilight-woods-261-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:

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

Google+: http://plus.google.com/111168390406803022323/posts

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

  Twilight Woods #260

gouache paint on bristol paper

2.5 " x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm)

201801003

© copyright Michael Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/237020890/twilight-woods-260-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:

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

Google+: http://plus.google.com/111168390406803022323/posts

Icy Shore of the St. Lawrence River

 Icy Shore of the St. Lawrence River, 2017

acrylic paint 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/239624926/icy-shore-of-the-st-lawrence-river

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

It's a chilly morning and I make sure my coffee is very hot before going outside.  My wife stays cozy next to the fire in the 1,000 Islands Harbor Hotel as I explore the snowy shore.  I look out toward Pine Island as the ice collects and builds on the gentle current.  Grindstone Island, which seems so massive on a sunny day, almost seems to disappear in weather like this.  A flock of ducks flee Picton Island and huddle in a spot on Round Island trying to stay warm.  And that's what I'll do too.  Head back into the hotel to relax by the fire with a fresh cup of coffee.

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

For more information or custom order, please visit:

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

Mike Kraus Wins a Contest and Reviews Facial Polish!

YEAH!  I won a bottle of Detoxifying Charcoal Facial Polish from Lemongrass Spa and it just arrived in the mail!

Detoxifying polish extracts impurities and exfoliates dry skin.  Super antioxidants contained in red raspberry and acai help recharge cells for glowing, radiant skin. 

It's the first day of Spring and my face feels like sandpaper after a cold winter and the blast of dry central air for the last six months. 

Only need a little dab, which means a two ounce container should last forever. 

Massage into the skin with upward strokes. 

The price of beauty before rinsing off with cool water.

My face feels so much better.  It's really soft and now I smell raspberries everywhere I go.  Highly recommended.  If you'd like a bottle, contact Mandi at Lemongrass Spa at: http://www.ourlemongrassspa.com/4812

LAST DAYS OF MY ART SHOW

AT WHITMAN WORKS

1826 Penfield Road

Penfield, NY 14526

Tuesday-Saturday 11am-6pm

More info at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1874977212771319/

No Man Is A Thousand Islands

Megan and I are back at the Thousand Islands region of New York.  (http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/07/a-1000-reasons-to-love-thousand-islands.html)  This time in the winter.  And not brave enough to camp this time.

View from our room at the 1,000 Islands Harbor Hotel looking toward Pine/Bluff Islands

Tried some Saint Lawrence Spirits at their new tasting room at 510 Riverside Drive in Clayton, NY.   Megan and I sampled a couple flights of vodka, gin, and moonshine.

 As you can tell, these didn't last long...

 Moving on to the absinthe.  There's nothing like a show before having a drink.

If you don't know (because I didn't), this use to be set up during your meal.  While you ate, the ice in the bucket on top would slowly drip onto the tray below.  That would slowly make it's way to the sugar cubes before falling into the cup. 

 Thousand Islands Inn.  There's conflicting stories who and where Thousand Islands dressing was created.  But, this place claims to be the place it was "first served."  Was it "first eaten" here is another question for another sign to answer...

All good vacations include a hot tub at some point. 

 So romantic.  Didn't plan on it being Valentine's Day Weekend.  Nice perk since it came with this, chocolate, a cheese spread, crackers, chocolate covered strawberries, and champagne.  Wonder what would have done if we came up when we originally planned; Super Bowl Sunday?

Swans in love 

View from our room looking toward Grindstone Island. 

View from our room looking toward Calumet Island 

Megan and I returned to Wellesley Island State Park to do some winter hiking.  We were largely unsuccessful.  The snow largely melted before we arrived.  Then it all froze to the grass and rocks before getting a dusting of snow.  We fell a few times before we even got to the hilly and rocky section because it was too treacherous.  Very unfortunate.

Ice Fishing on Eels Bay

WELCOME TO ALEXANDRIA BAY!

And we owned that town.  If you've ever been here in the summer, you know how strange this sight looks.  Both times I've been here previously, this was three blocks of motorcycles parked on top of each other.   

 Uncle Sam's Alexandria Belle docked for the winter

Lion's Field ended up being one of the best things we did in Clayton.  Only reason we knew about it was because Megan saw it as she looked down the side streets of Highway 12.  It's an all purpose park that seems to host every type of sport on a small field.  Around the football field, they've turned it into an ice track. 

Megan getting ready to show off her speed skating skills. 

A kid sliding down the ice hill. 

Ice skaters need to yield to the speeding, crashing sledders. 

2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic 500 metre speed skating time trial... 

And she's off! 

What a fun and relaxing weekend in the Thousand Islands.  It's so amazing to have a place like this so close to home.

Winter Woods

Winter Woods, 2016

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/233691635/winter-woods-original-acrylic-painting-8

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:

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