Skaneateles Lake

Skaneateles Lake, 2016

acrylic painting on canvas

16" x 20" (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm)

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/193600478/skaneateles-lake-original-acrylic

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

Classic wooden motor boats race through Skaneateles Lake on a fine summer afternoon.  After some light shopping and heavenly burgers, we decide to hike along the shoreline.  An old vineyard somehow manages to survive the invasion of mega-mansions.  There's a cool breeze coming off the lake on a hot day.  An increasing rare sacred open space along the Finger Lakes.

This painting would look best in a space that is light orange, navy blue, burgundy red, evergreen, or cadmium yellow, purple, black, white, beige, or wood 

For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt

(Detail)

Field of Lavender and Sunflowers

Field of Lavender and Sunflowers, 2016

acrylic on canvas board

8" x 10"  (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm) 

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/243370724/field-of-lavender-and-sunflowers

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

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 look best in a space that is deep red, yellow, orange, blue, green, black, white, grey, beige, or wood

For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt 

Bright Red Birch Forest

Bright Red Birch Forest, 2014

Acrylic on canvas

16" x 20" in a frame (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm in a frame)

© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/199896299/bright-red-birch-forest-original-acrylic

This painting was featured at:

BRIGHTSCAPES

Canandaigua National Bank and Trust

210 Alexander Street

Rochester, NY 14607

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

What’s black and white and red all over? A birch forest of course. 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 somewhere that light green, dark red, light yellow, blue, dark orange, dark purple, black, white, grey, beige, or wood.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt

FREE #BRIGHTSCAPES art show eBook from Mike Kraus Art

Download your FREE copy of the official

Brightscapes art show book at:

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Vision Quest IV

Vision Quest IV, 2014

acrylic painting on canvas in a frame

16" x 20" (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm)

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/197537182/vision-quest-iv-original-acrylic

This painting was featured at:

BRIGHTSCAPES

Canandaigua National Bank and Trust

210 Alexander Street

Rochester, NY 14607

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

I have stayed here for several days.  Alone in the wilderness with only the things I can carry in my backpack.  I've been rationing my food and water to extend my time here.  There's an intensity to the evening sun that is counter-balanced by the darkness of the soil.  A delicate harmony to everything.

This piece would work in a space that is deep red, yellow, light orange, blue, green, light purple, black, white, grey, beige or on wood.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt

A View of the Blue Mountains of the Adirondacks

A View of the Blue Mountains of the Adirondacks, 2015

Acrylic on canvas 

16" x 20" in a frame (40.6 cm x 50.8 cm in a frame)

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/234191209/a-view-of-the-blue-mountains-of-the

This painting was featured at:

BRIGHTSCAPES

Canandaigua National Bank and Trust

210 Alexander Street

Rochester, NY 14607 USA

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

It was a steep and treacherous hike up the mountain in the Adirondacks.  A wild region full of deer, herons, and chipmunks.  You may even find a moose, coyote, or black bear on these trails.  The dense pine forest opens up to a meadow full of brisk autumn air.  There is a startling calmness.  And from this view, it's as if we can see all six million acres of this park.

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

For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt

Evergreen Birch Forest

Evergreen Birch Forest, 2014

Acrylic and ink on canvas

8" x 10" in a 11 1/4" x 13 1/4" frame (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm in a 28.6 cm x 33.7 cm frame)

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/193877751/evergreen-birch-forest-original-acrylic?ref=listings_manager_grid

This painting was featured at:

BRIGHTSCAPES

Canandaigua National Bank and Trust

210 Alexander Street

Rochester, NY 14607

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

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 small bright space that seems bare.  It would also compliment a space that is orange, navy blue, burgundy red, yellow, light green, deep purple, gray, black, white, beige, or wood.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt

A 1,000 Reasons To Love The Thousand Islands

Megan and I headed up to the Thousand Islands (http://www.visit1000islands.com/) for a camping vacation.  Just a short drive to Burnham Point State Park (http://nysparks.com/parks/57/details.aspx) between the towns of Cape Vincent and Clayton.

 Scout can't wait for an adventure

"Why is Mike taking so long getting supplies?"

Megan surveying Carleton Island and the St. Lawrence River from our campsite. 

She seems pleased with our spot 

Introducing Scout to waves.  I guess she's never seen them before...

Our new home 

Burnham Point State Park from the pier 

Megan loves this really fast slide built into the hill. 

Scout taking it easy in her coastal condo. 

 The first of many campfires

Eating well at the campground.  It's always scary for Megan to see what I'll come out with from the store before camping.  The menu for this trip was pizza, steak stir fry, brats, smores, and an assortment of snacks.

Sun setting over Carleton Island.

Waking up early camping sponsored by Taste of Design Cafe (https://www.facebook.com/tasteofdesign.cv/) in Cape Vincent.

Spent too much time looking for a camping percolator, found one, still have no idea how to use it, it broke, and then had to return it.  We learned our lesson and just went to the cafe.  

PS-the almond croissants are amazing.

More of the 1,864 islands of the Thousand Islands from Clayton. 

The Johnston House (http://www.johnstonhouserestaurant.com/) 

Went on a day trip to Wellesley Island State Park (http://nysparks.com/parks/52/details.aspx) for hiking and the first thing we see when we pull in are a huge nest full of Osprey (http://www.thousandislandslife.com/BackIssues/Archive/tabid/393/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/682/Ospreys.aspx)

 Hiking along Eel Bay

It must be a quiet place to live on Mosquito Island. 

The Zebra Mussels have done a wonderful job cleaning the water.

Views to Canada from atop Wellesley Island 

The Narrows between Wellesley Island and Murray Isle.

And finishing a day of hiking at the swimming beach was a great idea.

All that walking killed Scout...

Another beautiful evening.

Boldt Castle (http://www.boldtcastle.com/visitorinfo/) in Alexandria Bay.  

One of countless freighters in the Saint Lawrence River. 

Boldt Castle with another freighter. 

Megan and Scout on Casino Island.  She's not our dog, she's our fur-baby.  This picture is not incriminating... 

More huge houses on little islands.

A Canada Steamship Lines (https://www.cslships.com/en/canada-steamship-lines) freighter up close. 

A surprisingly interesting and beautiful place to visit was the Zenda Farms Preserve (https://tilandtrust.org/explore/preserves-trails/zenda-farms-preserve) just west of Clayton, NY.   

 

"This isn't kindling wood, it's my chewing stick pile..." 

"I wasn't sure I liked camping until I realized there was steak..."

A parade of geese checking each campsite for bread. 

Probably the best sunset photographs I've ever taken. 

 Great way to finish up a vacation.

Scout and I dreaming about our next adventure.