🦔 If you found a hedgehog curled up in your garden, what would you do first? 🦔

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🦔 Lookin' Sharp, Hedgehog #599 🦔

pen, ink, and colored pencil on Bristol paper

2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 

NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION

202511062

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your collection, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/193877751

I know I look small curled up in my little ball of quills, but I promise I am braver than I seem. The world is a big place for a hedgehog like me, and I spend my nights wandering through tall grass and quiet shadows, listening to the tiny rustles of beetles and distant owls. Lately my paths have become harder, with fewer safe bushes and more bright lights and fences where open space used to be. So if you ever see a hedgehog like me shuffling across a yard or near a garden, thank you for slowing down and for leaving a little wildness in your world. A bit of long grass, a small gap in a fence, or even just a softer step makes all the difference. I may be tiny, but every act of kindness helps my whole little world feel safe enough to curl up and breathe.

🟥⬜️🟦 Fall of Freedom: Join the Movement! 🟥⬜️🟦

This November 21–22, artists everywhere are uniting to celebrate creativity as an act of courage and connection.

We believe art is truth, empathy, and voice. When we create, we remind the world what it means to feel free and what is lost when that freedom is threatened. The Fall of Freedom campaign unites galleries, libraries, and online communities in a celebration of creative resistance. Share your work and tell us what freedom means to you.

🖼️ Art matters. Artists matter. Freedom matters.

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/1617676342947449

&

🦃 Grateful Art Festival 🦃

Right after Thanksgiving we gather to celebrate the best time of the year for artists, makers, and collectors. This festival is your chance to discover treasures for yourself and meaningful gifts for the people you love.

Explore a dazzling variety of hand crafted creations in ceramics, jewelry, glass, photography, wood, fiber, metal, wearable art, digital works, paintings, prints and so much more. With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Artist Sunday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday all in one week, the Grateful Art Festival is the perfect way to shop with purpose, support creativity, and fill your holidays with beauty.

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1461556485171523

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🌞🌳 Do you remember the stillness just before night falls? 🌳🌞

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🌞🌳 Twilight Woods 🌳🌞

acrylic paint on canvas board

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

202511060

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your home, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/597804576

Where this path will end is a mystery. 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.

Is there a place you go to relax? Is it wide-open or cozy? What do you see, hear, smell, and feel when you are there? Is it a place where you can be by yourself? What about it makes you feel good?

This piece would look best is a small-to-medium space that is red, orange, green, blue, purple, black, gray, or wood.

🍂🍁 Fall of Freedom: Join the Movement! 🍁🍂

This November 21–22, artists everywhere are uniting to celebrate creativity as an act of courage and connection.

We believe art is truth, empathy, and voice. When we create, we remind the world what it means to feel free and what is lost when that freedom is threatened. The Fall of Freedom campaign unites galleries, libraries, and online communities in a celebration of creative resistance. Share your work and tell us what freedom means to you.

🖼️ Art matters. Artists matter. Freedom matters.

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/1617676342947449

&

🦃 Grateful Art Festival 🦃

Right after Thanksgiving we gather to celebrate the best time of the year for artists, makers, and collectors. This festival is your chance to discover treasures for yourself and meaningful gifts for the people you love.

Explore a dazzling variety of hand crafted creations in ceramics, jewelry, glass, photography, wood, fiber, metal, wearable art, digital works, paintings, prints and so much more. With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Artist Sunday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday all in one week, the Grateful Art Festival is the perfect way to shop with purpose, support creativity, and fill your holidays with beauty.

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1461556485171523

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🩷 What if joy was as easy as a bite of something soft and sweet? 🩷

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🩷 Brownie Points #598 🩷

pen, ink, and colored pencil on Bristol paper

2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 

NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION

202511061

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your collection, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/531384469

The first bite of a brownie always makes me pause. Warm, soft in the center, with a little crumble at the edge, it tastes like comfort and kindness. For a moment, all the noise in my head quiets and life feels simple again. It is not just sweetness, but a reminder to slow down and savor what is good. 

Wouldn’t it be nice to hold that feeling close a little longer?

Step into the holiday season with joy, creativity, and gratitude at the

🦃 Grateful Art Festival 🦃

Right after Thanksgiving we gather to celebrate the best time of the year for artists, makers, and collectors. This festival is your chance to discover treasures for yourself and meaningful gifts for the people you love.

Explore a dazzling variety of hand crafted creations in ceramics, jewelry, glass, photography, wood, fiber, metal, wearable art, digital works, paintings, prints and so much more. With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Artist Sunday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday all in one week, the Grateful Art Festival is the perfect way to shop with purpose, support creativity, and fill your holidays with beauty.

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1461556485171523

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

❤️ How do you feel with that quiet space between you and someone else? ❤️

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

❤️ The Moment Between ❤️

acrylic paint on canvas board

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

202511059

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your home, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/200213111

There are moments in life when the space between people feels almost tangible, as if silence itself has weight. I am fascinated by that pause: the instant before connection or withdrawal, when everything we might share or withhold exists at once. It’s in those fragile intervals that I sense the truth of being human, where hope exists. What separates us is often the same thing that might bring us closer, if only we stayed still long enough to see it.

When was the last time you truly noticed that quiet distance between yourself and another?

Step into the holiday season with joy, creativity, and gratitude at the

🦃 Grateful Art Festival 🦃

Right after Thanksgiving we gather to celebrate the best time of the year for artists, makers, and collectors. This festival is your chance to discover treasures for yourself and meaningful gifts for the people you love.

Explore a dazzling variety of hand crafted creations in ceramics, jewelry, glass, photography, wood, fiber, metal, wearable art, digital works, paintings, prints and so much more. With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Artist Sunday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday all in one week, the Grateful Art Festival is the perfect way to shop with purpose, support creativity, and fill your holidays with beauty.

RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1461556485171523

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🍂 Let’s Celebrate Fall Together! 🍁

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

There is something magical about this time of year. The air feels crisp, the colors glow brighter, and every moment feels like a chance to pause, reflect, and reconnect.

This month, I would love for you to join me at the 🍂 Fabulous Fall Art Festival 🍂, where artists and makers from all over are sharing their most heartfelt creations. It is more than an art show: it is a celebration of creativity, connection, and community.

The 🍂 Fabulous Fall Art Festival 🍂 is now open at:

👉 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1934458910278595

As you explore, you will find art that feels like a reflection of who you are and what you love. Every piece tells a story and supports real people who pour their hearts into their craft.

Let’s make this season about joy, friendship, and surrounding ourselves with beauty that truly matters.

Questions?

Your Friend,

Mike Kraus

MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

P.S. I’m grateful we get to share this creative space together. Every message, like, or quiet visit means more than you know. Here’s to a month filled with calm moments and small joys.

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

🍁 When was the last weekend you had that was completely unhurried? 🍁

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

🍂 Autumn Forest 🍂

Museum-quality posters made on thick matte paper

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your home or office, please visit: 

FRAMED: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/1853358704

PRINT: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/1867554409

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/941229199

There’s a crisp sparkle to the air as I walk beneath the bright canopy, each step stirring up the earthy scent of fallen leaves. Sunlight filters through the branches and turns the yellows, oranges, and reds into glowing embers. The path feels alive, crunching softly underfoot, guiding me toward the river where the sound of rushing water blends with the whisper of the trees. It’s the kind of day that makes me breathe a little deeper and smile a little easier.

What do you love most about autumn, the bright colors, the brisk air, or the quiet peace it brings?

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

🍂✨ The Fabulous Fall Art Festival is coming! ✨🍂

Join us online starting November 3rd for a cozy celebration of creativity, color, and community! Meet amazing artists, explore handmade treasures, and fill your home with beauty all from the comfort of your couch.

Artists and art lovers, this is your space to connect, share, and be inspired. Come join the fun! 

👉 RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1418446459249700

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social

☕️ Do you drink coffee for energy or for emotional support? ☕️

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

☕️ The Morning Cup of Coffee #596 ☕️

pen, ink, and colored pencil on Bristol paper

2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm) 

NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION

202510058

© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

To purchase for your collection, please visit:

https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/228727517

With sunrise sneaking in at 5:29 AM, how is anyone supposed to sleep? I shuffle out of bed, let the dog out, and move through my slow morning rhythm. My bones creak their usual protest as I fill the coffeemaker with fresh grounds and water. It sputters and sighs to life, filling the air with that rich, earthy scent that feels like comfort itself.

That first mug gets me started, steadying the mind before the day begins: emails, paperwork, and endless to-dos. A refill or two keeps me company through the afternoon while I dive into the creative work that truly wakes me up. By the afternoon, maybe a final pour to toast another day well spent.

So tell me, what’s in your mug today? Do you take it black, sweet, creamy, or with a little weekend “kick”? What small ritual starts your day on the right note?.

🍂✨ The Fabulous Fall Art Festival is coming! ✨🍂

Join us online starting November 3rd for a cozy celebration of creativity, color, and community! Meet amazing artists, explore handmade treasures, and fill your home with beauty all from the comfort of your couch.

Artists and art lovers, this is your space to connect, share, and be inspired. Come join the fun! 

👉 RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1418446459249700

My Story

Hi, I’m Mike the artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I could hold a crayon. As a kid, I’d fill every notebook, homework margin, and scrap of paper with doodles. I sold my first artwork in junior high, sketching in class and handing off pieces between periods. That early love for making things never faded. I followed it all the way to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and eventually, I decided to stop treating art as a side hustle and make it my life’s work.

My paintings are full of energy, motion, and saturated color. I’m drawn to bold shapes and organic lines—forms that feel alive. I create with the hope that my work brings something beautiful and uplifting into someone’s day. Whether it’s a spark of joy, a moment of calm, or just a splash of color that makes you pause—I want my art to connect with something real.

Now, I’m lucky enough to paint full-time, with collectors across the U.S. and in dozens of countries around the world. But more than anything, I still feel like that kid with a crayon, excited to create. I’m grateful to share this journey with you—and I hope you find something in my work that makes your world a little brighter.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Store: http://MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/TheWayToBeauty

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/MikeKraus/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mkraus

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/mikekraus.bsky.social