Monday, April 28, 2025

💛🌊 Who supports us: friends, family, clubs? 🌊💛

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


💛🌊 Chimney Bluffs #578 🌊💛
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
202504019
© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.
To purchase for your collection, please visit: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/513797026

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.

My Story
I’m Mike, the Artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I’d fill countless sketchbooks with drawings, cover school assignments with doodles, and publish magazines and print flyers for my friend’s bands. And then, I became an “adult…” The demands of food and rent seemed to require a “serious job.” For years, I languished in a cubicle performing meaningless tasks for a meager salary.

But, art was always my side hustle. I started selling my artwork in junior high between classes. I’d create original pieces during lectures and commissions instead of homework. Oddly enough, being a poor student is what got me into the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Inspired by my past history, I quit my career and took another part-time job as a cashier of a big-box store because it had the least amount of responsibility. The rest of my time I spent painting. After several months, I had to quit this low-wage job too because it was getting in the way of my art.

I decided to be a full-time professional artist. I needed the time to paint, collaborate with my patrons and galleries, and maintain my studio. Since then, I’ve sold thousands of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. I’m very fortunate to have a career dedicated to adding more beauty to the world. And I hope to share that experience with you.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Friday, April 25, 2025

🌞 Sun Setting On America 🌞

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


🌞Sun Setting On America 🌞
Museum-quality posters made on thick matte paper
© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.
To purchase for your home, please visit: 

The darkness of night slowly gives way to the hope of a new morning.  The brilliance growing by the minute until it reachs its peak.  And then the luster gradually begins to give way.  The momentum building.  Suddenly the sun is gone.  We pursue and grasp for the happiness of the radiance that was ours so recently.  We are left yearning for the return of the light. 

This painting would look best in a medium-to-small space that is green, blue, white, black, grey, beige, or wood.

My Story
I’m Mike, the Artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I’d fill countless sketchbooks with drawings, cover school assignments with doodles, and publish magazines and print flyers for my friend’s bands. And then, I became an “adult…” The demands of food and rent seemed to require a “serious job.” For years, I languished in a cubicle performing meaningless tasks for a meager salary.

But, art was always my side hustle. I started selling my artwork in junior high between classes. I’d create original pieces during lectures and commissions instead of homework. Oddly enough, being a poor student is what got me into the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Inspired by my past history, I quit my career and took another part-time job as a cashier of a big-box store because it had the least amount of responsibility. The rest of my time I spent painting. After several months, I had to quit this low-wage job too because it was getting in the way of my art.

I decided to be a full-time professional artist. I needed the time to paint, collaborate with my patrons and galleries, and maintain my studio. Since then, I’ve sold thousands of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. I’m very fortunate to have a career dedicated to adding more beauty to the world. And I hope to share that experience with you.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Monday, April 21, 2025

🌻💜 How can we stay calm and detach from negativity? 💜🌻

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


💜 Sunflowers and Lavender in Provence 💜
acrylic paint on canvas board
5" x 7" (12.7 cm x 17.8 cm)
202504018
© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.
To purchase for your home, please visit: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/534467771

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.

Do you feel your life is unbalanced? Why? And what impact will it have on you next year?

This painting would look best in a medium space that is red, orange, green, blue, white, black, grey, beige, or wood.

My Story
I’m Mike, the Artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I’d fill countless sketchbooks with drawings, cover school assignments with doodles, and publish magazines and print flyers for my friend’s bands. And then, I became an “adult…” The demands of food and rent seemed to require a “serious job.” For years, I languished in a cubicle performing meaningless tasks for a meager salary.

But, art was always my side hustle. I started selling my artwork in junior high between classes. I’d create original pieces during lectures and commissions instead of homework. Oddly enough, being a poor student is what got me into the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Inspired by my past history, I quit my career and took another part-time job as a cashier of a big-box store because it had the least amount of responsibility. The rest of my time I spent painting. After several months, I had to quit this low-wage job too because it was getting in the way of my art.

I decided to be a full-time professional artist. I needed the time to paint, collaborate with my patrons and galleries, and maintain my studio. Since then, I’ve sold thousands of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. I’m very fortunate to have a career dedicated to adding more beauty to the world. And I hope to share that experience with you.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Friday, April 18, 2025

💗💀🍁 Au coin d'une rue de Montréal 🍁💀💗 (On a Montreal Street Corner)

Brightscapes : Le chemin vers la beauté
Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


💗💀🍁 Au coin d'une rue de Montréal 🍁💀💗
💗💀🍁 On a Montreal Street Corner 🍁💀💗
Affiches de qualité musée réalisées sur du papier mat épais
Museum-quality posters made on thick matte paper
droits d'auteur / © copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.
Pour acheter pour votre maison, veuillez visiter / To purchase for your home, please visit: 

Les rues de Montréal sont Liberté.  Partout où vous regardez, c'est une célébration de la bouffe, de la musique et de l'art.  De la vie.  Que ce soit un hiver froid ou un été chaud, il y a toujours un festival qui se déroule.  L'architecture contemporaine du centre-ville s'intègre parfaitement aux grands édifices du Vieux-Port et au-delà. Lorsque les Montréalais se rassemblent sur la place des Festivals, c'est toujours une expression de liberté.

The streets of Montréal are Freedom.  Everywhere you look it is a celebration of food, music, and art.  Of life.  Whether it's a cold winter or a hot summer, there's always a festival happening.  The contemporary architecture of Downtown blends seamlessly with the grand buildings of the Old Port and beyond. When Montréalers come together at the Place des Festivals, it's always an expression of liberty.

Cette pièce serait idéale dans un espace petit à moyen de couleur rouge, orange, jaune, vert, bleu foncé, violet, noir, blanc, gris ou bois.

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

Mon histoire
Je suis Mike, l'artiste de Mike Kraus Art Inc.

J'fais de l'art depuis que j'suis assez vieux pour tenir un crayon. Je remplissais d'innombrables carnets de croquis avec des dessins, je couvrais les devoirs scolaires avec des gribouillis, je publiais des magazines et j'imprimais des dépliants pour les groupes de mes amis. Et puis, je suis devenu un « adulte… » Les exigences de la nourriture et du loyer semblaient exiger un « travail sérieux ». Pendant des années, j'ai langui dans une boîte, faisant des tâches insignifiantes pour un maigre salaire.

Mais l'art a toujours été mon activité secondaire. J'ai commencé à vendre mes œuvres d'art au secondaire entre les cours. Je créerais des pièces originales lors de cours et de commandes plutôt que pendant mes devoirs. Curieusement, c'est le fait d'être un étudiant pauvre qui m'a permis d'entrer à la prestigieuse école de l'Art Institute of Chicago. Inspiré par mon passé, j'ai quitté ma carrière et pris un autre emploi à temps partiel comme caissier dans un magasin à grande surface, car c'était celui qui avait le moins de responsabilités. Le reste de mon temps, je l'ai passé à peindre. Après plusieurs mois, j'ai dû quitter cet emploi à bas salaire aussi, car il entravait mon art.

J'ai décidé de devenir un artiste professionnel à plein temps. J'avais besoin de temps pour peindre, collaborer avec mes clients et mes galeries et entretenir mon atelier. Depuis lors, j'ai vendu des milliers de tableaux qui sont exposés dans presque tous les États et dans des dizaines de pays. J'ai beaucoup de chance d'avoir une carrière consacrée à ajouter plus de beauté au monde. Et j'espère partager cette expérience avec vous.

My Story
I’m Mike, the Artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I’d fill countless sketchbooks with drawings, cover school assignments with doodles, and publish magazines and print flyers for my friend’s bands. And then, I became an “adult…” The demands of food and rent seemed to require a “serious job.” For years, I languished in a cubicle performing meaningless tasks for a meager salary.

But, art was always my side hustle. I started selling my artwork in junior high between classes. I’d create original pieces during lectures and commissions instead of homework. Oddly enough, being a poor student is what got me into the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Inspired by my past history, I quit my career and took another part-time job as a cashier of a big-box store because it had the least amount of responsibility. The rest of my time I spent painting. After several months, I had to quit this low-wage job too because it was getting in the way of my art.

I decided to be a full-time professional artist. I needed the time to paint, collaborate with my patrons and galleries, and maintain my studio. Since then, I’ve sold thousands of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. I’m very fortunate to have a career dedicated to adding more beauty to the world. And I hope to share that experience with you.

Pour plus d'informations ou pour une commande personnalisée, veuillez visiter : 

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Monday, April 14, 2025

💗 How Do We Limit Our Interactions With Cruelty? 💗

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


💗 Twilight Woods #574 💗
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
202502005
© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.
To purchase for your collection, please visit: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/709299994

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?

My Story
I’m Mike, the Artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I’d fill countless sketchbooks with drawings, cover school assignments with doodles, and publish magazines and print flyers for my friend’s bands. And then, I became an “adult…” The demands of food and rent seemed to require a “serious job.” For years, I languished in a cubicle performing meaningless tasks for a meager salary.

But, art was always my side hustle. I started selling my artwork in junior high between classes. I’d create original pieces during lectures and commissions instead of homework. Oddly enough, being a poor student is what got me into the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Inspired by my past history, I quit my career and took another part-time job as a cashier of a big-box store because it had the least amount of responsibility. The rest of my time I spent painting. After several months, I had to quit this low-wage job too because it was getting in the way of my art.

I decided to be a full-time professional artist. I needed the time to paint, collaborate with my patrons and galleries, and maintain my studio. Since then, I’ve sold thousands of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. I’m very fortunate to have a career dedicated to adding more beauty to the world. And I hope to share that experience with you.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Friday, April 11, 2025

🌊😎 Gulf of Mexico Escape 😎🌊

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty 


🌊😎 Isla Holbox In the Gulf of Mexico 😎🌊
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
202504016
© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.
To purchase for your home, please visit: https://mikekrausart.etsy.com/listing/555810485

The warm water of the Gulf of Mexico submerge our feet walking on the hot beach sand.  The sea birds and rustling of palm leaves are the only sound on the quiet shore.  We find a shady spot to relax and enjoy some snacks before heading back into the water.  We bob and wade through the salty sea with nearby colorful fish and sea turtles further away.  The perfect escape is the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

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

My Story
I’m Mike, the Artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I’d fill countless sketchbooks with drawings, cover school assignments with doodles, and publish magazines and print flyers for my friend’s bands. And then, I became an “adult…” The demands of food and rent seemed to require a “serious job.” For years, I languished in a cubicle performing meaningless tasks for a meager salary.

But, art was always my side hustle. I started selling my artwork in junior high between classes. I’d create original pieces during lectures and commissions instead of homework. Oddly enough, being a poor student is what got me into the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Inspired by my past history, I quit my career and took another part-time job as a cashier of a big-box store because it had the least amount of responsibility. The rest of my time I spent painting. After several months, I had to quit this low-wage job too because it was getting in the way of my art.

I decided to be a full-time professional artist. I needed the time to paint, collaborate with my patrons and galleries, and maintain my studio. Since then, I’ve sold thousands of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. I’m very fortunate to have a career dedicated to adding more beauty to the world. And I hope to share that experience with you.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Monday, April 7, 2025

🌸 Spring Has Sprung! 🌸

 Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty



Are you having an exciting Spring?

JOIN US TODAY at the Bring Spring Art Festival . This is a celebration of a refreshing Spring. There are hundreds of artisans sharing their works in ceramics, jewelry, glass, mixed media, photography, wood, leather, fiber, metal, wearable art, digital art, paintings, prints and so much more! And you can see it all at:

Bring Spring Art Festival
NOW OPEN! Monday, April 7th - 9th

What we surround ourselves with says who we really are. So, shouldn't it be special? If we're unique, shouldn't we have one-of-a-kind items? It should make us feel better that we're creating jobs, authenticity, and environmental sustainability. And real communities are supported by small businesses. We're so excited to see you!

Your Friend,
Mike Kraus


My Story
I’m Mike, the Artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I’d fill countless sketchbooks with drawings, cover school assignments with doodles, and publish magazines and print flyers for my friend’s bands. And then, I became an “adult…” The demands of food and rent seemed to require a “serious job.” For years, I languished in a cubicle performing meaningless tasks for a meager salary.

But, art was always my side hustle. I started selling my artwork in junior high between classes. I’d create original pieces during lectures and commissions instead of homework. Oddly enough, being a poor student is what got me into the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Inspired by my past history, I quit my career and took another part-time job as a cashier of a big-box store because it had the least amount of responsibility. The rest of my time I spent painting. After several months, I had to quit this low-wage job too because it was getting in the way of my art.

I decided to be a full-time professional artist. I needed the time to paint, collaborate with my patrons and galleries, and maintain my studio. Since then, I’ve sold thousands of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. I’m very fortunate to have a career dedicated to adding more beauty to the world. And I hope to share that experience with you.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Friday, April 4, 2025

🌞 Barcelona streets are a celebration of Freedom and Democracy 🌞

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


🌞Barri Gòtic Barcelona 🌞
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
202411038
© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.
To purchase for your home, please visit: 

People have been walking these streets since the Romans built them in 15 BCE and it grew into a Medieval maritime power. It earned it's name Gòtic (Gothic) because their wealth from the 13th-15th century lead to a building boom in the Gothic architectural style. It was a center of Republicans (Loyalists) against the Fascist Franco regime, which lead to resistance, suppression of Free Speech, civilian targeted bombing raids, mass arrests, and political murders. And that cruel dictatorship died with Franco. Catalans reclaimed these streets for Freedom and Democracy. And their courage and strength has made Barcelona a world-class city.

La gent ha estat caminant per aquests carrers des que els romans els van construir l'any 15 aC i es va convertir en una potència marítima medieval. Va guanyar el seu nom de Gòtic perquè la seva riquesa dels segles XIII-XV va provocar un auge constructiu d'estil arquitectònic gòtic. Va ser un centre de republicans (lleials) contra el franquisme feixista, que va conduir a la resistència, la supressió de la llibertat d'expressió, bombardeigs dirigits a civils, detencions massives i assassinats polítics. I aquella cruel dictadura va morir amb Franco. Els catalans van recuperar aquests carrers per a la Llibertat i la Democràcia. I la seva valentia i força ha fet de Barcelona una ciutat de primer nivell.

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

YOU'RE INIVITED TO THE
🌸 Bring Spring Art Festival 🌸
Let's celebrate warmer weather and the Arts together!


My Story
I’m Mike, the Artist of Mike Kraus Art Inc.

I’ve been making art since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I’d fill countless sketchbooks with drawings, cover school assignments with doodles, and publish magazines and print flyers for my friend’s bands. And then, I became an “adult…” The demands of food and rent seemed to require a “serious job.” For years, I languished in a cubicle performing meaningless tasks for a meager salary.

But, art was always my side hustle. I started selling my artwork in junior high between classes. I’d create original pieces during lectures and commissions instead of homework. Oddly enough, being a poor student is what got me into the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Inspired by my past history, I quit my career and took another part-time job as a cashier of a big-box store because it had the least amount of responsibility. The rest of my time I spent painting. After several months, I had to quit this low-wage job too because it was getting in the way of my art.

I decided to be a full-time professional artist. I needed the time to paint, collaborate with my patrons and galleries, and maintain my studio. Since then, I’ve sold thousands of paintings that are displayed in nearly every state and dozens of countries. I’m very fortunate to have a career dedicated to adding more beauty to the world. And I hope to share that experience with you.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

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