Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Five Year Anniversary!

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

Five years ago, I followed my dreams and became a full-time artist.  I couldn't be more amazed by all the support I've received, humbled by the hundreds of my pieces that are on walls all over the world, and excited for all that is to come.  This has been an incredible journey.  An adventure that you made possible.  Thank you and I can't wait to see what the next five years bring. 


Your Friend,

Michael Kraus



PS - Here are some photos from our vacation to Palma de Mallorca looking for inspiration




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:

Thursday, April 2, 2015

The Waitress

 
The Waitress, 2015
pen, ink, and marker on paper
4" x 6" (10.2 cm x 15.2 cm) in a frame
© copyright Mike Kraus


Use my special anniversary coupon code 1YEARFUN and get 20% OFF!


She's been on her feet all night long.  Taking orders and attitude from customers.   The food was prepared somewhere in Iowa, frozen, shipped, thawed, thrown on a plate, and served with a smile.  Every couple of minutes, the drinks are refilled.  She cleans up the mess the kids left on the table and wishes you a "wonderful night" dropping off the check.  When she sees she was left a 5% tip, she wonders how she'll ever get the student loan debt collectors off her back.
This painting would look best in a space that is deep red, yellow, orange, dark green, navy blue, purple,  white, or beige
For more information or custom order, please visit:

Monday, April 7, 2014

Just Another Day At the Office

 Just another day at the office.  Scout and I made our commute from the bedroom to the living room.  Light traffic for a Monday.  I'm fortunate to have a window in my office.  It keeps the creative juices flowing.

Time to get to work.  Put on my reading glasses and work on the "to-do" list.  Lots of paper work.  Things to file.  Getting final approvals. 

 Senior Management Meeting.  Scout's the leader of the operation.  Beaker's the brains.  I'm tasked with "gettin' stuff done."

 Coffee Break.  This is where the real business gets done.  The place where the important meetings take place.  It's all about relationships.  And, knowing what you have to do to get rewards.

Five o'clock.  We've earned time to put on our slippers, sit back, and have a nice cold drink.  To enjoy the good life.  Work hard, play hard.    Most importantly, don't take stuff so seriously and remember to have fun.

Also, if you're on Etsy, please visit my new shop at:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt

Thursday, October 18, 2012

October 2012 #27

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Issue #27


Goodbye Chicago.  You’ve always had a place for me on your broad boulevards.  But, I’m married now and it’s time for me to move on.  To settle near family and have kids of my own.  Find a place to call “home” and live the clichés of Thanksgiving dinners and grilling in the backyard.  I love my simple life of taking the “el” to work and checking out the neighborhoods on the weekend; but I must go.

I remember the day I decided to move here.  After that misleading job interview, I wondered all around the Loop knowing there was nothing I could do back in Michigan.  Staring at the spitting faces of Crown Fountain.  Grabbing a hot dog and fries at Max’s Take Out.  I gave myself one year to sink or swim and moved into my Spartan Ravenswood apartment a few days later.

Now, the moving truck has all our junk in it and we’re starting a new life in Rochester, New York.  Will it be better than Chicago?  Apples and oranges.  But, I will miss the activity of a world-class city.  The adventure, amusement, and/or oddities I could find around every street corner.  The food.  All of my friends going to dive bars, the bartering of Maxwell Street Market, all kinds of concerts at a wide variety of venues, apartment parties for any reason, and just sitting on the porch people watching.  It’s been good.  

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Why People Are Afraid of Detroit

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The Detroit Monster attacking a sweet, innocent child from Rochester...  Her laughter hides her fear...

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A new friend at Lollypop Farm

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Look who's up for adoption on April 27th!  

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Puppies are the best way to clean your desk on "cleaning day."  

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Emmy Lou wasn't so happy about "cleaning day."  

That's all.  Off to start an insurrection...

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Working Like A Dog

DON'T FORGET TO SUPPORT ME AT BARKTOBER FEST 2011 at Egypt Park (right next to Lollypop Farm.  I'll be working the race.  Please visit: http://lollypop.kintera.org/ba​rktoberfest/mike 


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Megan and I got to watch Gertie this past weekend and it was apparently the only thing of interest.  Therefore, this blog is dedicated to a Yorkie that took over my life for a few days.


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Try as you might, you will never shake free from Megan's grip!


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Acceptance


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The cover of my next album.  


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KISS!


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Gertie visits Lollypop Farm.  I don't think Gertie has ever seen a cat before.  At least, she didn't act like she knew what a cat was.  This was about as close as she would get.  Otherwise, she would hide under my desk.


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Gertie and Neville.  It's not often that Gertie is the big dog in the room


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"Stop playing and pee!  I have 'giving season' to prepare for!"


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Neville and Gertie's floating head.  


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Rough day at work.  Friday couldn't come soon enough.  Good thing it's 5:30...


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5:32...


That's it until Labor Day!  Again, if you want to help the animals of the Greater Rochester area, please support me at Barktober Fest 2011 at: http://lollypop.kintera.org/ba​rktoberfest/mike 

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

A Few Obvious Signs of Summer


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Megan and Katherine at Goldie's. I believe this was Katherine's first weekend off since I've known her...

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Megan: Okay guys, now it's your turn for a picture... No... That's no good

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Megan: No, not that one either...

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Megan: Mike, stop it!
Mike: I'm getting bored...
Megan: Come on, let's get a good one.

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Mike: That's it, I'm snorting my beer...

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Memorial Day brats

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Megan and I went to Margie's with a couple friends after dinner. For those of you who don't know, it's where the Beatle's get ice cream when they are in town. And, they have a little Ringo figurine to prove it (along with everything else)...

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I was mesmerized by the watermelon cake when we decided to hang out in Dominick's. But, then I saw the hamburger cake and it blew my mind.

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Another sign of why my work is awesome. Taco parties, panini potlucks, the mysterious "Random Acts of Kindness" committee, and now they are giving me chocolate bars. Oh, and a paycheck too...

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Sunday, April 5, 2009

So, A Chicken Walks Into My Office...


Birthdays are a HUGE deal at work and it was my anonymous boss lady's b-day. When I went into work that morning, I had no idea a singing telegram chicken would be there as well.


She looks startled because he was "balking" at her really loud.


Those are some hairy chicken legs...


This is somewhere in the north of Chicago. Anyone know if this place is good or not? It's in Roger's Park or something.


Megan and I went and did some work related travel. Her work, no longer mine. That being architecture. There was an art gallery next to the Grosse Pointe Lighthouse and this was my favorite piece. I've seen more obnoxious strollers being used in Wicker Park/Bucktown that cost $1000 though.


This is from the Adult Art Education Class in Evanston. It was called "The Grateful Dead."


The Grosse Pointe Lighthouse




The sandy shore of Lake Michigan


The Baha'i Temple up in Wilmette. If you haven't been to it yet, I highly suggest it.


It took about 40 years to construct this place and they are still working on it. It was started in 1912.


Detail

That's about it. Waiting for it to stop snowing in April so I can go outside and enjoy myself.

xoxo,
Mike

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