Finger Lakes Anniversary

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

To bring back a little bit our our honeymoon in Portugal, Megan made us Francesinhas.  Mmmm...  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesinha

And you have to have some Port wine and a bag of cookies too, right?

To celebrate, we headed down to Naples.

The Finger Lakes have a lot of art and antique shops.  The entire store is just like this porch.

Now this is art.  A wood sculpture of a lumberjack.  BRILLIANT!

Bob 'n" Ruth's.  I have to say this is probably one of the most entrepreneurial businesses I've seen in a while.  Not only is it an old fashion diner, but it has fine dining in the back, a bar, an ice cream stand, and a vineyard.  Probably more.

This is called the Famous Piccadilly Circus Sandwich or something like that.  Toast with ham, turkey, bacon, tomatoes, with some kind of cheese sauce.  Good way to prepare for the day.

First Church Cemetery was right next to Bob 'N' Ruth's.  And, for some reason, I am fascinated with old cemeteries.

Samuel Parish died 30 years before Michigan was even granted statehood.

John Hinckley, drummer.  Ancestor of Reagan's attempted assassin?

Jabez.  Now that's a name to remember

I didn't see many Revolutionary War anything growing up in the Midwest.

Megan really liked this stone because it says "also."  I thought it'd be better if it said "PS-My wife's here as well."

Grimes Glen.  It's way more interesting that this sign sounds...  http://www.co.ontario.ny.us/Facilities/Facility/Details/Grimes-Glen-Park-11

Grimes Creek

Grimes Creek has slashed through the rolling hills of slate.  Lots and lots of slate.

A literal riverwalk.  At some point, the trail ends and you walk through the shallow river.

A sixty foot waterfall.  One thing I've learned about Upstate New York is they have a lot more waterfalls than I could imagine.  A man from Kansas City and I discussed this for a little bit.

It looks like a champagne fountain.

YEAH FOR MEGAN!

Showing off her yoga.

It's like an ad for the Prana Sleep bed or something.

Oh memories.

My turn.  The girl is not impressed...

A perfect trail on a hot day.

Lots of trees clinging to the side of the slate cliffs that are about 200 feet high.

Oh look.  Another waterfall!

Hard to believe that this wasn't a park until 2008.

She loves me.

Crazy pattern from the water wearing away the slate.

Hobo garbage can at the base of the falls.  What a let down...

A great place to picnic.

Back at the first falls.

Lots of ripples

I really like the fish bridge.

To Arbor Hill (http://www.thegrapery.com/) for a wine tasting!

Onward toward Canandaigua!

More views of Canandaigua Lake

This is from Onanda Park (http://www.townofcanandaigua.org/onandaenjoy.htm) for another hike.

Good vibes Brandon Sherman...

This life is all you.  Lots of inspiration at the cliff overlook.

Topenga '13, eh?  Guess someone really liked Boy Meets World...

Riverbed at the base of the park.

Just so you know, there is a wikipedia page for rock balancing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_balancing

And you guessed it.  Another waterfall...

Canandaigua Lake from the city of Canandaigua.

Nice day to have a boat.

Boat Houses at the City Pier (http://visitfingerlakes.com/photos/landmarks/136/)

Squaw Island.  It's the smallest NY state park and site of the formation of the Seneca Indian Nation when their land was invaded.

Back to the boathouses

For the history of the boathouses, visit: http://www.canandaiguaboathouse.com/history.php

I really like the boathouses.  It's probably the Old World feel to them.

On to the New York Wine and Culinary Center (http://www.nywcc.com/) for dinner and drinks at the Upstairs Bistro.

Mmm...  Potato Soup.

Megan had the Rabbit Special.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich.

What a great way to celebrate four years of a great marriage!

Drawing Western Avenue in Muskegon, Michigan

I thought I'd share the process of how I draw.  For the subject, I decided on drawing Western Avenue in my hometown of Muskegon, Michigan.  It's the main street of downtown which has been bulldozed and rebuilt about every other generation.  Somehow, both of these buildings, the Russell Block to the left and the Century Club to the right, have been able to survive since the 1890s.  Anyway, this is how I draw.

 I've measured out a piece of paper to fit an 8" x 10" frame.  I've also added a border.  I like to leave an edge to the paper just in case someone decides to change the frame in the future.  It allows more flexibility for using mats and different size frames.  Next, I tape the paper down to my drawing board and prepare to sketch.

So, I sketch out my general lines in pencil.  I place various points of reference.  For example, I've used the edge of the street and rooflines to keep everything in balance. 

Once I have my reference points, I move into framing the structures.  I really like bold, straight lines that border on architectural drafting.  

This is the nitty-gritty.  From the outside of the building, you can usually see where the support beams are located.  In mid-century Modernist building they tend to be completely exposed.  But, in Victorian-era structures they are more subtle and hidden.  Most of my pencil lines are used to find the underlying structure so I can apply the facade appropriately.

The outline of the Century Club is now complete. 

The restored Western Avenue now has a median.  I had to sketch this in before moving on to the Russell Block building because it is in the foreground.  Then to the van, sidewalk, and the first floor of the structure.  From there, I worked my way up the building using the initial support beams as my guides once again.   

The outline is complete. 

 Then, I add the ink wash.  I like to add an organic wash to counter-balance the rigid drafting technique.    It takes the drawing out of the realm of a photograph and places it into a memory or dream.

The landscaping was particularly fun on this project. 

A detail of the cars. 

And, we're done.  We have a drawing celebrating the crown jewel of Muskegon's downtown.

Add it to a frame and hang it on your wall. 

Or place it on your mantle.  

Have any questions?  Let me know.

Western Avenue In Muskegon, Michigan, 2014

Pen and ink on paper

8" x 10"

© copyright Mike Kraus

To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/194679066/western-avenue-in-muskegon-michigan

Manny the Silken Windhound Wishes Us a Happy Anniversary!

HAPPY 4TH ANNIVERSARY MEGAN!

I LOVE YOU!!!

PS-Can't believe it's already been 4 years since we were in Portugal.

Hey, you told me you didn't know how to draw...

Manny the Silken Windhound, 2014

graphite and ink on paper

5" x 7"

Collection of Vickie Patridge

© copyright Mike Kraus

For more information, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/186507940/custom-commission-original-art-by-mike?ref=shop_home_active_1

6x6x2014 OPEN NOW:

Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo)

137 East Avenue

Rochester, NY 14604

See if you can find the pieces I've submitted.  For more information, please visit:

http://www.roco6x6.org/6x6x2014_intro.php

Hoping To Reap What I Sow

Scout helping us remove the fence from the old garden and move it to its new location.

Here's the old veggie garden in the waaaay back portion of our yard.  As you can see, it's really overgrown and its next to the "deer highway" and acts as a roadside diner for them.  

Tilling the soil.  It's a bit more convenient near since it's near the house and better conditions.  Our home resides on an old strawberry farm, so I hope it's pretty fertile.

Megan's breaking up the soil and weeding.

A nice little plot of soil.

What kind of seeds is the little girl planting?  We have onions, brussels sprouts, green beans, watermelon, and carrots.  

So this is what onion seeds look like.  hmmm...

All done (almost).  Just need to straighten out the fence a little bit and then the maintenance until harvesting.  We should have onions by mid/late October, brussels sprouts mid-September, green beans in mid-August, watermelon in September, and carrots in early-September.  Should be an interesting experiment for us.

Went to Warner Castle (http://www.rcgc.org/about-warner-castle) for an event the other day.  Some of you may remember this place as the location we took our wedding photos.

 This is the Sunken Garden.  A wonderful place for wedding pictures and role playing games (RPG)...

 

The wallpaper inside Warner Castle

Flower in our garden.  Can't take credit for this.  It was all the previous owners work.

But, I've just discovered that the secret to growing great peony flowers is Mountain Dew...

Heavenly light gracing the trail through Linear/Channing Park 

Someone knows how to set up a rest stop along the trail...

6x6x2014 OPEN NOW:

Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo)

137 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604

See if you can find the pieces I've submitted.  For more information, please visit:

http://www.roco6x6.org/6x6x2014_intro.php

Evergreen Birch Forest

Evergreen Birch Forest, 2014

Acrylic on canvas board

8" x 10"

© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/193877751/evergreen-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 small bright space that seems bare.  It would also compliment a space that is navy blue, burgundy red, or yellow.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

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

6x6x2014 OPEN NOW:

Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo)

137 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604

See if you can find the pieces I've submitted.  For more information, please visit:

http://www.roco6x6.org/6x6x2014_intro.php

Skaneateles Lake

Skaneateles Lake, 2014

acrylic painting on wood

18" Diameter

© copyright Mike Kraus

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

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 navy blue, burgundy red, evergreen, or cadmium yellow 

For more information or custom order, please visit:

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

6x6x2014 OPEN NOW:

Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo)

137 East Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604

See if you can find the pieces I've submitted.  For more information, please visit:

http://www.roco6x6.org/6x6x2014_intro.php