Showing posts with label albufeira. Show all posts
Showing posts with label albufeira. Show all posts

Monday, March 28, 2022

The Beach In Albufeira, Portugal

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


The Beach In Albufeira, Portugal
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10"  (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm) 
201705054
© copyright Mike Kraus Art Inc.

The intense sun is blasting the golden beach sand.  The only relief is the cool breeze coming off the Atlantic.  That and a couple of glasses of chilled vinho verde.  The waves crash adding the distinct saltiness of the sea to the air.  Days don't get more perfect that this.

When I need to relax, this is where my mind takes me.  Where does your mind take you?  Is it some place far away or a cozy spot close to home?  Are you by yourself or with a loved one?  Our imaginations are a superpower.

This piece would great in almost space that is red, orange, green, dark blue, purple, black, white, beige, grey, or wood.

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 thousands 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 26, 2018

Beach In Albufeira, Portugal

Brightscapes: The Way To Beauty


Beach In Albufeira, Portugal
Acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10" (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm)
© copyright Mike Kraus

Not too far from Faro on the Algarve coast is the town of Albufeira.  An old fisherman's village turned tourist destination.  Travelers are attracted to the burning sun above the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  It's rare to find an empty beach nestled against the golden sandstone cliffs.  A place to rejuvenate under the rays with a little vinho verde.  

This painting would look best in a space that is blue, light green, light pink, orange, light purple, grey, or sand beige.



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, May 24, 2017

The Beach In Albufeira, Portugal

The Beach In Albufeira, Portugal, 2017
acrylic paint on canvas board
8" x 10"  (20.3 cm x 25.4 cm) 
201705054
© copyright Mike Kraus

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

Hiking along the Atlantic coast in southern Portugal.  The intense sun blasting the golden sand on the beach.  Every so often, there's a cool breeze from the water to provide some relief.  It's a great place to drink vinho verde.  To plan our life together on the other side of the world. 

This piece would great in almost space that is red, orange, green, dark blue, purple, black, white, beige, or wood.

For more information or custom order, please visit:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt


The Rochester Contemporary Art Center's (RoCo)
6x6x2017

ARTWORK SALE
NOW OPEN UNTIL JULY 16TH!
 137 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14604

Global Online Preview is now open!
See if you can find my piece at:




Monday, December 1, 2014

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal, 2014
acrylic paint on canvasboard
8" x 10" (20.3cm x 25.4cm)
© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/213449922/tree-in-albufeira-portugal-original

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

Hiking along the Atlantic coast in southern Portugal.  The only shade from the intense sun is a tree.  Every so often, there's a cool breeze from the water to provide some relief.  It's a great place to drink vinho verde.  To plan our life together on the other side of the world. 

This drawing would great in almost space that is red, pink, violet, yellow, or blue.

For more information or custom order, please visit:

Friday, November 28, 2014

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal, 2014
acrylic paint on canvasboard
8" x 10" (20.3cm x 25.4cm)
© copyright Mike Kraus

10% OFF with coupon code JOINTHEFUN

Hiking along the Atlantic coast in southern Portugal.  The only shade from the intense sun is a tree.  Every so often, there's a cool breeze from the water to provide some relief.  It's a great place to drink vinho verde.  To plan our life together on the other side of the world.

This drawing would great in almost space that is red, pink, violet, yellow, or blue.

For more information or custom order, please visit:



Friday, August 8, 2014

Beach In Albufeira, Portugal


Beach In Albufeira, Portugal, 2014
Acrylic on canvas board
10" x 8"
© copyright Mike Kraus

Not too far from Faro on the Algarve coast is the town of Albufeira.  An old fisherman's village turned tourist destination.  Travelers are attracted to the burning sun above the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean.  It's rare to find an empty beach nestled against the golden sandstone cliffs.  A place to rejuvenate under the rays with a little vinho verde.  

This painting would look best in a space that is blue, light green, light pink, orange, light purple, grey, or sand beige.

For more information or custom order, please visit:



Thursday, June 26, 2014

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



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:

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal, 2014
acrylic paint on canvas
8" x 10" 
© copyright Mike Kraus

Hiking along the Atlantic coast in southern Portugal.  The only shade from the intense sun is a tree.  Every so often, there's a cool breeze from the water to provide some relief.  It's a great place to drink vinho verde.  To plan our life together on the other side of the world. 

This painting would great in almost space that is red, pink, violet, yellow, or blue.

For more information or custom order, please visit:




Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Tree in Albufeira Portugal, Mixed Critter, and Seaside Swirl.

Tree In Albufeira, Portugal, 2014
oil pastel on paper
8" x 10" in a 9" x 11" frame
© copyright Mike Kraus

Hiking along the Atlantic coast in southern Portugal.  The only shade from the intense sun is a tree.  Every so often, there's a cool breeze from the water to provide some relief.  It's a great place to drink vinho verde.  To plan our life together on the other side of the world. 

This drawing would great in almost space that is red, pink, violet, yellow, or blue.

For more information or custom order, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MikeKrausArt 





 Mixed Critter, 2014
crayon on paper
© copyright Rachel Bell

What lurks in the Amazon rain forest?  Even scientists aren't completely sure.  There are many regions where humans have yet to visit.  There have been rumors of a Mixed Critter. A beast that only wants to snuggle.

seaside swirl, 2014
glazed play-doh
© copyright Rachel Bell
Collection of Megan Bell and Mike Kraus

She dreams of the ocean.  Lying on the beach in the warm sun.  Not having to worry about the controversies at her job.  The tropical waters are every shade of blue.  Flamingos glide through the clear skies

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Mike and Megan's Honeymoon: Day 11 - Peneda-Gerês National Park

July 8th

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Wecome to Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês (Peneda-Gerês National Park) !

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Megan and I rented a car and drove toward Peneda-Gerês. They have some very, very crazy roads.

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Albufeira da Caniçada

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Plaid shorts and a striped shirt. I'm a snazzy dresser!

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Here's our Hyundai with such amenities as bike tires and a lawnmower engine. I really don't know how they even made this to have 4 doors.

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Ok, so around this point we couldn't find a tourist center or anything. So, we saw another couple on the side of the road looking at a map and decided to ask them where they got a park map. They were Czech and didn't know where they were either. But, on their map was a tourist center. So, they invited us to follow them while they drove at high speeds around cliffs and hairpin turns with blind curves in their Peugeot. After a lot of going around in circles, we finally made it and got what we were looking for. The Czech guy asked us "Where in the US are you from" and we said Chicago. He got real excited and said "I love Married With Children." Excellent.

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São Bento da Porta Aberta. This church had all sorts of people at it making pilgrimages and crawling on their knees and other stuff I've only seen on TV. We looked inside (we couldn't go it because I had shorts and Megan wasn't dressed like a lady), we've checked online and we still don't know what is in there that makes people go crazy about it. But, they do... Oh also, the national park trail that apparently starts here, doesn't and no one has ever heard of it.

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A church in a holding pen

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Wind power

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These were massive windmills. Each blade seemed to be a wing off a Boeing 747 or larger.

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You know those little Smart bubble cars? Here's their sports coupe.

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As some of you may know, there's been some financial issues in Greece, Spain, Ireland, and Portugal tied with the global financial meltdown. This is a protest outside our hotel, Mercure Porto Centro, the the Praça da Batalha (Battle Square), which is usually where old guys and little girls on bikes hang out. The protest is against cuts the government intends to make.

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King Pedro IV again on the Avenida dos Aliados

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Shopping area near the college

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Jardins do Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace Gardens)

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A sports and concert arena in the park

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crazy angular pine tree

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Peacock running toward me. With my history of birds in Portugal, I did get a bit nervous.

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But, he only wanted food and left as soon as he realized I didn't have any...

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View of Porto looking toward the Atlantic Ocean. Pretty much the only "weather" we saw the whole time and it was just low clouds and a much appreciated cool breeze

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Porto toward the Douro River valley

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A little church in the park

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child choking a bird

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A hollow tree. If this were in Chicago, someone would live in this tree...

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My lady's Renault

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Praça Infante Dom Henrique (Henry the Navigator Square) and his statue.

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Ol' Henry himself

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The Stock Exchange Palace. We didn't go into it, but apparently it's pretty amazing and they spared no expense in it's 18 year construction.

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My favorite piece of Portuguese art at a restaurant in Porto. Want to see what 5 Euros ($6 US) can get you over here?

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Here's my Caldo Verde soup and pint of Super Bock beer

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Oh, and my beef platter with rice, salad, and, of course, french fries.

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Megan's pork platter and all the fixings. Notice her carafe of wine. Good deal!

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An interesting tile shop.

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