Lavender In Provence

Lavender In Provence, 2017

acrylic paint on canvas board

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

201710111

© copyright Michael Kraus

To purchase, please contact me at: MikeKKraus@gmail.com

Our bikes race up and down the gentle hills of Provence.  Everything has a distinct texture, the colors are vibrant, and the perfume in the air is intoxicating.  And every twisting road we turn down has countless rows of purple and blue lavender.  The heat of the Mediterranean sun presses against our backs as we pedal back to the village of Sault.  I'll never forget the fields of France.

This painting would great in a small space that is red, orange, light yellow, green, blue, dark purple, black, white, gray, beige, or wood.

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

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

See my work in person at:

Whitman Works Co.
1826 Penfield Rd
 Penfield, NY 14526 
(585) 747-9999
https://www.whitmanworks.com/

Life on the American Plains

Life on the American Plains, 2017

acrylic paint on canvas board

10" x 20" (25.4 cm x 50.8 cm)

201710110

© copyright Michael Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/553921218/original-acrylic-painting-life-on-the

I can see the fields sprawl over the landscape to the curvature of the earth.  A horizon so distant it seems impossible to reach.  Yet, the winds from that distance cause my ears to twitch when the silence turns to a roar of wheat rustling from miles around.  Somewhere is a world of people, parties, and extravagance.  Here, the only thing is the self, solitude, and simplicity.  

This painting would great in an average sized space that is dark red, orange, dark yellow, green, blue, purple, black, white, gray, beige, or wood.

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

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

See my work in person at:

Whitman Works Co.
1826 Penfield Rd
 Penfield, NY 14526 
(585) 747-9999
https://www.whitmanworks.com/

Vision Quest

Vision Quest XLI, 2017

acrylic paint on canvas board

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

201710106

© copyright Michael Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/567247219/original-acrylic-painting-vision-quest

Twilight along the shore of the Lake Michigan.  In the valley between the dunes is a cluster of birch.  Their white bark clinging to the trunks of the unusual trees.  A humble spot secluded by nature.  A perfect place to find one's purpose in life.

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

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

See my work in person at:

Whitman Works Co. 1826 Penfield Rd, Penfield, NY 14526 (585) 747-9999 https://www.whitmanworks.com/

Field of Flowers

Field of Flowers, 2017

acrylic paint on canvas board

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

201710105

© copyright Michael Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/552938406/original-acrylic-painting-field-of

What should I consider when buying art?

Research: Who is selling you the painting?  Are you buying it online, from someone you know, a random person on Craigslist, a local gallery, or a world-renown auction house?  What is their reputation?  Just like buying a car, a house, or choosing a bank, you want to make sure you can have trust in your dealer.  

What about the piece you'd like to purchase?  Is it really authentic?  If the artist is alive, that can usually be solved by a phone call or email.  But, if the artist is deceased, a third party expert should be used to get a certificate of authenticity.  And look for damage and/or restoration as this can greatly impact the value of a piece

Who is the artist?  Are they alive?  If so, what age are they?  What awards have they won?  Did they attend an art school?  Have their works been exhibited?  

Please visit: http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/art-investing.html for some advice to consider in purchasing original artwork.

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

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

See my work in person at these locations:

Whitman Works Co. 1826 Penfield Rd, Penfield, NY 14526 (585) 747-9999 https://www.whitmanworks.com/

Art Cats Gallery 1845 Lakeshore Dr, Muskegon, MI 49441 (231) 755-7606 http://artcatsgallery.com/

Near Marseille, France

Near Marseille, France, 2017

acrylic paint on canvas board

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

201710104

© copyright Michael Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/552318898/original-acrylic-painting-near-marseille

Where Can I Buy Original Art?  It's available all around you.  It's not just sold in fancy galleries in Paris or New York City.  Many towns, large and small, have their own galleries with a range of local to international artists.  Art festivals and craft fairs are popular annual events that sometimes travel around the country.  Many artists have studios that are open to the public.  Shows, events, and studios are great places to visit when you're on vacation too.  Original artwork is even available online at places like Etsy.com, SaatchiArt.com, Sothebys.com, and even Craigslist.com.  Online is a great place to browse to see what you like before you purchase.

Please visit: http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/p/art-investing.html for some advice to consider in purchasing original artwork.

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

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

See my work in person at these locations:

Havana Night Gala - Baden Street Settlement Holiday Inn Rochester, NY-Downtown 70 State St, Rochester, NY 14614 http://badenstreet.org/2017-annual-gala/

Whitman Works Co. 1826 Penfield Rd, Penfield, NY 14526 (585) 747-9999 https://www.whitmanworks.com/

Art Cats Gallery 1845 Lakeshore Dr, Muskegon, MI 49441 (231) 755-7606 http://artcatsgallery.com/

HAPPY 4TH SCOUT-IVERSARY!

HAPPY 4TH SCOUT-IVERSARY!

A few photos of our annual walk through Corbett's Glen to celebrate Scout coming to live with us.

Previous Scout-iversarys!
http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2016/10/happy-3rd-scout-iversary.html

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

http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2014/10/celebrations.html

http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2013/10/our-new-dog-scout.html