Monday, July 8, 2024

😎 How Relaxed An Happy Am I? 😎

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

😎 How Relaxed and Happy Am I? 😎
TAKE THE QUIZ!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/allfreedom/permalink/869257465222224

When complete, go to “See Answers” and add up the score (there are no incorrect answers). Possible results are 0–40. They indicate:
► Scores ranging from 0–13 would be considered relaxed.
► Scores ranging from 14–26 would be considered moderate stress.
► Scores ranging from 27–40 would be considered high perceived stress.
Did I score a 14 or higher? Write down the score somewhere I can easily find it later. Follow our relaxation guide at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/allfreedom/learning_content After I’ve completed, take the quiz again to see if I’m more calm and relaxed.

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 Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Lurie Children’s 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 thousands 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.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at:
Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/BrightscapesArt/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MikeKrausArt
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikekrausart
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

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Monday, June 24, 2024

🎨 How Do I Start An Art Collection? 🎨

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


How do I start an art collection?  Every collection started with one piece of art that someone loved.  And there's many ways to do it with no "right" answer.  But, here are a few things to consider:

Purpose: Is it to complement your home?  Is art an investment?  Maybe you want to surround yourself with a beautiful subject, style, or artist's creations.  What is important to you?

What Medium?: Do you want paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, woodworking, jewelry, etc.?  Whatever it is, look up the technique to help guide you to quality work.

Research: Which pieces will fulfill your purpose?  Look online, local galleries, and art fairs.  Who makes the artwork?  How much does it cost?  And don't hestitate to ask questions.

Budget:  How much and how will you use it?  Will you spend $1,000 on one piece for the year?  Or will you decide to buy 10 pieces for $100 instead?

Purchase and Make Friends: Introduce yourself to the artist, curator, dealer, gallerist, museum director, etc.  Share your story.  Ask them about their journey.  The art world is a small community and so much of it happens in hidden studios, storage units, vaults, and other mysterious places. 

The most important thing about collecting art is that you are having fun.  Over time, you'll figure out what is best for you and that is what will make your home wonderful.

NOW OPEN!!!
Want to meet new friends and have fun?
COME TO THE allFREEDOM SUMMER PARTY AT:

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 Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Lurie Children's 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 thousands 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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Monday, June 10, 2024

🎨 What If I Don't Know Anything About Art? 🎨

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


What if I don't know anything about art?  I can help you.  An interior design professional can guide you.  And, with the internet, books, and magazines, you can help yourself.  Art is all about training your eye how to see.  

Don't just look at art, but try to actually see it.  Take a moment to close you eyes and clear your mind.  Now, really look at the painting; the subject, colors, shapes, technique, etc.  How does this image make you feel?  Do you think the artist saw and felt the same things you do when they created the piece? Is this a literal subject or is there a metaphor?  When was it was created and does it mean something different now?  Why?

Feel free to ask questions if there's something you don't know or understand.  I've asked an artist questions about their pieces and have been given amazing demonstrations about their technique and mindset.

NOW OPEN!!!
Want to meet new friends and have fun?
COME TO THE allFREEDOM SUMMER PARTY AT:

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 Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Lurie Children's 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 thousands 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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Tuesday, June 4, 2024

🎨 Where Can I Find Art? 🎨

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Where Can I Find Art?  A good place to start is online.  Especially if you're not sure what you're looking for.  Randomly visit pages on Etsy.com, SaatchiArt.com, Sothebys.com, and even Craigslist.com to see what artists are making.  You may not find what you are looking for, but you may discover the styles and subjects you want.  And that's a great step forward.

Social media can be a wonderful tool for finding and purchasing artwork too.  If you find an artist you like, you should follow them on Facebook, Reddit, Pinterest, LinkedIn, or any other places you have in common.  Many artists will share their latest pieces, upcoming shows, or give insights into their work.

While New York City, Paris, and London are famous for their galleries, many towns have galleries of their own with a range of local and international artists.  Art festivals and craft fairs are popular annual events that can 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. 

It's also important just to keep your eyes open when going around town.  Does the cafe where you get your coffee in the morning have pieces for sale on the walls?  What are those paintings in the garage sale or thrift store?  Does the pieces in your favorite restaurant have price tags on them?  Interesting artwork can show up in unique places.  And the more unique, the better the story usually is.

NOW OPEN!!!
Want to meet new friends and have fun?
COME TO THE allFREEDOM SUMMER PARTY AT:

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 Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Lurie Children's 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 thousands 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, May 29, 2024

Carefree Wine Tasting: Riesling


We are not wine experts.  My wife, Megan, and I enjoy drinking wine with good food.  There's no snobbery here.  It's a blind taste test to see what we really like.  We save our notes for future meals.  And it's all about having fun.  

How it works is simple.  We mark each wine glass and mix them to keep their identity secret.  Then we sip each to look for the smell, taste, texture, acidity, and tannins.  We then do it again with food suggestions we've found from various sources.  Finally, we rank our favorites with and without food ending with an overall winner.  

Frisk Prickly Riesling 2022 (https://www.friskwines.com/)
Nose/Smell: sweet and apple-like
Taste: light peach sweetness with a pop-like tartness
Texure/Mouthfeel: sharp, bubbly
Acid/Cheek: not acidic for Megan, but slightly so for Mike
Tannin/Gumdryness: slight-to-medium dryness
Color: cloudy yellow

Food: 
Spicy Shrimp: mellows the wine
Havarti Cheese: wine more sweet and bubbly flavored
Wheat Crackers: no change and stopped eating crackers as they all had same result
Spicy Nuts: wine has burst of flavor with smooth aftertaste
Prosciutto: wine too sweet
Apple Tart: wine has a burst of tartness that quickly disappears

Lamoreaux Landing Riesling: Semi-dry 2021 (https://www.lamoreauxwine.com/)
Nose/Smell: very ripe pear with woodsiness 
Taste: lightly tart fruit, ripe pear, and earthy minerality 
Texure/Mouthfeel: lightly smooth
Acid/Cheek: lightly tart
Tannin/Gumdryness: lightly dry
Color: light yellow/green

Food: 
Spicy Shrimp: overpowered and could only taste the spice
Havarti Cheese: good and balanced
Spicy Nuts: made wine smooth and creamy
Prosciutto: no good 
Apple Tart: terrible with a sour meat taste

Bota Box Riesling (https://www.botabox.com/)
Nose/Smell: light stone fruit with floral scent
Taste: soft stone fruit/pear.  not too sweet
Texure/Mouthfeel: very smooth and silky
Acid/Cheek: not acidic
Tannin/Gumdryness: little-to-no dryness
Color: very pale yellow, almost white
Notes: highest alcohol content

Food: 
Spicy Shrimp: Brought out shrimp flavor.  Mike thought it made the wine more flavorful
Havarti Cheese: made the wine sweeter and more tart
Spicy Nuts: wine was very smooth and flavorful
Prosciutto: wine was very sweet
Apple Tart: Megan thought it made wine taste salty and bad.  Mike thought it was "fine..."

Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Riesling 2022 (https://loosenbrosusa.com/)
Nose/Smell: very light fruit, but almost no scent
Taste: minerally/earthy grapefruit.  Almost like Sweet-Tart candy
Texure/Mouthfeel: slightly rough bite with a smooth aftertaste
Acid/Cheek: slightly acidic tartness with light sourness
Tannin/Gumdryness: pretty dry in comparison
Color: very light yellow
Notes: lowest alcohol content.  Possibly harmed by American preservative requirements

Food: 
Spicy Shrimp: shrimp was more pungent, but wine had a better leveled out taste and sweetness
Havarti Cheese: wine more prickly and sweet
Spicy Nuts: Made wine too sweet and tart
Prosciutto: Best of the group, but still not great...
Apple Tart: Made wine salty and gross

BEST RIESLING ON ITS OWN:
#1 Bota Box Riesling
#2 Lamoreaux Landing Riesling: Semi-dry 2021
#3 (TIE) Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Riesling 2022/Frisk Prickly Riesling 2022

BEST RIESLING WITH FOOD:
#1 Bota Box Riesling
#2 (TIE) Lamoreaux Landing Riesling: Semi-dry 2021/Frisk Prickly Riesling 2022
#3  Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Riesling 2022
*note: next time, try pork instead of prosciutto.  Use crackers to clean palette.  And avoid apple tarts and similar desserts

BEST OVERALL RIESLING:
#1 Bota Box Riesling (note: with perfect score)
#2 Lamoreaux Landing Riesling: Semi-dry 2021
#3 Frisk Prickly Riesling 2022
#4  Dr. Loosen "Dr. L" Riesling 2022

The "distance" between 1st and 4th place was very small and we'd happily drink all of these wines again.  I hope this helps you find something you like.  Maybe you'll have a different experience.  Or you'll share one for us to try next time.  THANKS!


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 Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Lurie Children's 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 thousands 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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Tuesday, May 28, 2024

🎨 What Style Painting Should I Choose? 🎨

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


What style painting should I choose?  Do you like clean lines and a modern look?  Something messy, abstracted, and bold might add interest into your home.  Are you more traditional and love Victorian design?  Perhaps a gallery wall of paintings with unique frames would look great.  If you choose a bright, bold piece, other items in the space should be minimal.  If your space is already very busy, a simple piece may make the best statement.  And feel free to mix family heirlooms with contemporary pieces.  Maybe put a new painting in an old frame.  Use depth/texture, trends/traditions, and complimentary/contrasting items to create visual interest.

Want to meet new friends and have fun?
COME TO THE allFREEDOM SUMMER PARTY AT:

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 Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Lurie Children's 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 thousands 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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Tuesday, May 14, 2024

🌊😎🌞 Seneca Lake State Park 🌞😎🌊

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Seneca Lake State Park
acrylic paint on canvas board
16" x 20" (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm) 
202404005
© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.
To purchase for your home, please visit: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/209750260

A cool breeze comes off the calm, deep waters of Seneca Lake as we hike the shoreline. We've found our spot to enjoy our picnic lunch from roadside stands paid on the honor system and bottle of local Gewurztraminer wine.  Just relaxing and appreciating the panoramic view.  There's a sweet scent coming from the vineyard as we smirk at our dog running aimlessly through the field.  And we're fortunate to know that feeling like this comes from being outdoors.

Spring is happening right now.  Don't forget to capture that feeling.

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

Want to meet new friends and have fun? 
COME TO THE allFREEDOM SUMMER PARTY AT:
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 Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Hauenstein Center For Presidential Studies, Lollypop Farm Humane Society, and the Lurie Children's 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 thousands 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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