Wednesday, February 7, 2018

The Birch Forest

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
  The Birch Forest, 2018
acrylic paint, marker on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201801020
© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/535452263/the-birch-forest-original-acrylic

Birch trees have always been a meditative source for me. Growing up, there was one outside my window that I would look at while daydreaming. And, when I needed to get away from the world I went to a grove of Birch trees to find refuge. I’ve always found the unique and nearly useless white tree interesting.

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


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.


Tuesday, February 6, 2018

An Exciting February

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty

How are you?  I hope that your 2018 is off to a great start too.  I've 
been busy painting in my studio, preparing upcoming shows, and
installing my artwork at the Bausch + Lomb Rochester Optics Center. 
 And more is happening every day.  So, expect to hear of more
exciting projects soon.  THANKS AGAIN and please let me know if
you need anything    

Your Friend,
Michael Kraus
MikeKrausArt.etsy.com

PS- My work on view at:
Bausch + Lomb​ Rochester Optics Center
http://mikekraus.blogspot.com/2018/01/bausch-lomb-rotating-art-program.html
and
Whitman Works Company​
www.whitmanworks.com
 


About Michael Kraus
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:

Monday, February 5, 2018

Leaving Donegal, Ireland

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
Leaving Donegal, Ireland
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201801019
© copyright Michael Kraus

This is the last time Frank Duff will see his home. A vanishing glimpse of Donegal, Ireland aboard the ship Eliza slowly heading for America.  While he loves his home, he and his wife, Anna, know there is no future for them there.  For generations, Frank and his family farmed the land.  Their hard labor put food on the table, clothes on their backs, and maybe a little extra to barter when times were difficult.

That all changed when the English exiled the Gaelic leaders from Ireland.  The British made it illegal for Catholics to worship, vote, speak their language, and own property.  With their farm stolen from them, English absentee landlords demanded high rents that they could never afford.  The debt became so large that they were forced off their farm to become migrant farmers traveling through Ulster and Scotland.  Their days consisted of walking barefoot to work and fighting wild dogs for food.  And they'd watch each other die from malnutrition only to be buried in mass graves.

This group of religious/political refugees on the ship Eliza were not welcomed to America.  They practiced the "foreign religion" of Catholicism that "pledged allegiance to the Pope."  Fear was purposely spread that these Irish would bring crime to their cities and they were rapists.  These Irish were coming to take away jobs and their many children would drain the welfare budgets with their diseases and laziness.  So, when the boat docked in New Castle, Delaware, Frank and Anna were now afraid of their new home too.

Frank and Anna Duff were my 5th great-grandparents.  They left the east coast to established a farm in the distant wilderness of Butler, Pennsylvania.  Several generations worked the land and eventually became machinists in factories, firefighters, bridge builders, and soldiers in war and peace.
They only wanted a chance at a better life and I remember their story.


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:

Friday, February 2, 2018

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
Twilight Woods #269
gouache paint on Bristol paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm)
201801018
© copyright Michael Kraus

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:

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
Twilight Woods #268
gouache paint on Bristol paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm)
201801017
© copyright Michael Kraus

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:

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
 Twilight Woods #267
gouache paint on Bristol paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm)
201801015
© copyright Michael Kraus

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:

Green Birch Forest

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty
 Green Birch Forest #266
pen and marker on Bristol paper
NOT A PRINT OR REPRODUCTION
2.5" x 3.5" (6.35 cm x 8.89 cm)
201801014
© copyright Michael Kraus

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:


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