Wednesday, October 30, 2019

On the Shore of Lake Huron

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty 



On the Shore of Lake Huron
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910099
© copyright Michael Kraus

It's the calm before the storm.  And Lake Huron is famous for it's winds.  In 1913, 90 mile per hour (145 kph) winds sank 10 boats and killed 235 sailors.  In 1996, "Hurricane Huron" formed resembling a tropical hurricane complete with an 18-mile (29 kilometer) wide eye.  Over 1,000 shipwrecks have occurred in this tumultuous sea and many are preserved, including 22 sunk at Fathom Five National Marine Park.  So, find a place to hunker down with some hot cocoa (perhaps something a bit stronger if necessary).

This piece would look best in a small-to-medium space that is red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue, purple, black, white, grey, beige, or wood



More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview 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 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, October 28, 2019

Lavender Field

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty 



Lavender Field
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910098
© copyright Michael Kraus

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 piece would look best in a small-to-medium space that is red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue, deep purple, black, white, grey, beige, or wood

More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview 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 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, October 25, 2019

Lavender Farm

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty 



Lavender Farm
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910096
© copyright Michael Kraus

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 piece would look best in a small-to-medium space that is red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue, deep purple, black, white, grey, beige, or wood

More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview 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 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, October 23, 2019

On the Shore of Lake Erie

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty 



On the Shore of Lake Erie
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910093
© copyright Michael Kraus

Lake Erie has an over-sized influence.  It's more than just location, industry, tourism, and fishing, but in an intellectual and spiritual way.  It's the look and feel of the water that communicates indescribable messages to those who listen.  Yet, ugliness begets ugliness.  For the sake of convenience and profit, we've destroyed wetlands for subdivisions, dumped industrial and animal waste into rivers, and poured fertilizers onto grass to make it a little greener.  This predictably has lead to dead zones of toxic Blue-green algae that now engulf over 500 square miles of Lake Erie during the summer.  Conservation and restoration of Lake Erie is imperative.  Progress requires the protection of our scenic, health, historic, and recreational values.  Saving these lakes is saving ourselves and others.

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

More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview 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 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, October 21, 2019

Lavender In Provence

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty 



Lavender In Provence
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910092
© copyright Michael Kraus


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 dark red, orange, yellow, green, blue, dark purple, black, white, gray, beige, or wood.

More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview 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 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, October 18, 2019

Montagne Sainte-Victoire

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty 



Montagne Sainte-Victoire
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910091
© copyright Michael Kraus


Montagne Sainte-Victoire can be seen in the distance from Le Jas de Bouffan.  A source of inspiration for ancient Roman soldiers conquering surrounding lands.  A site for festivals for early Christians celebrating the beautiful world.  And the view of the mountain was incredible at Chemin des Lauves.  These locations and mountain were the bookends of the life of Paul Cezanne.  His optical realism, simplified shapes, colorful atmospheres, and enhanced depth motivated Matisse, Picasso, Mondrian, Beckmann, Braque, Giacometti, Léger, Gorky, Giorgio Morandi, Liubov Popova, Marsden Hartley, Charles Demuth, Kelly, Jasper Johns, Jeff Wall, Brice Marden, Sherrie Levine, Francis Alÿs and so many others to make their own unique creations.

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

More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview 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 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, October 16, 2019

On the Shore of Lake Ontario

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


On the Shore of Lake Ontario
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910090
© copyright Mike Kraus
“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong." - Lao Tzu

This piece would look best in a small-to-medium space that is red, orange, yellow, green, dark blue, purple, black, white, grey, or wood.

More About Mike Kraus Art
Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM
https://www.mixcloud.com/graphic-ear/070518-graphic-ear-with-mike-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, October 14, 2019

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Twilight Woods
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910089
© copyright Mike Kraus

I follow the winding path not knowing where I'll end up.  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.
This piece would look best in a small-to-medium space that is red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, light purple, black, white, grey, or wood.

More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview at:

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.


Friday, October 11, 2019

The Coffee Art Project at The New York Coffee Festival

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Cafe Bliss
 acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm) in a frame
201909079
© copyright Mike Kraus

The New York Coffee Festival (https://www.newyorkcoffeefestival.com) is New York’s flagship coffee event, celebrating the burgeoning specialty coffee scene in this great city. With exceptional coffee, as well as food, cocktails, live music and art on offer, it’s an unmissable event for coffee lovers of all levels.


The New York Coffee Festival is a celebration of community and culture, returning to the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011 - https://www.metropolitanevents.com/) from October 11-13. Whether you're a beginner, coffee aficionado, self-confessed coffee geek, or key industry stakeholder, we're curating an immersive program just for you.

Taste your way through the vibrant New York coffee scene with hundreds of exciting coffees to sample. Boost your coffee knowledge in workshops, be a part of interactive demos and meet the top US artisans and baristas one-to-one.  To top it all off, enjoy delicious street food, coffee cocktails, live music and coffee-inspired art.

With 100% of our profits being donated to Project Waterfall (http://www.projectwaterfall.org/), partnering with NYC-based charity: water (https://www.charitywater.org/) to deliver life-changing water projects in coffee-growing regions. Since 2011, Project Waterfall has raised over $1.4 million, bringing clean water to more than 25,000 people across seven countries. 





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.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Twilight Woods

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Twilight Woods
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
201910088
© copyright Mike Kraus

I follow the winding path not knowing where I'll end up.  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.   

More About Mike Kraus Art
My NPR Marketplace Business News interview about art as an alternative investment

Graphic Ear Interview on WAYO 104.3 FM

Boston Voyager Magazine interview at:

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.


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