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Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Friday, July 22, 2016
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Flight Behavior
Flight Behavior, 2014
acrylic painting on canvas
8" x 10"
© copyright Mike Kraus
To purchase, please visit: https://www.etsy.com/listing/197718982/flight-behavior-original-acrylic?
"A small shift between cloud and sun altered the daylight, and the whole landscape intensified, brightening before her eyes. The forest blazed with its own internal flame. "Jesus," she said, not calling for help, she and Jesus weren't that close, but putting her voice in the world because nothing else present made sense. The sun slipped out by another degree, passing its warmth across the land, and the mountain seemed to explode with light. Brightness of a new intensity moved up the valley in a rippling wave, like the disturbed surface of a lake. Every bough glowed with an orange blaze. "Jesus God," she said again. No words came to her that seemed sane. Trees turned to fire, a burning bush. Moses came to mind, and Ezekiel, words from Scripture that occupied a certain space in her brain but no longer carried honest weight, if they ever had. 'Burning coals of fire went up and down among the living creatures.
The flame now appeared to lift from individual treetops in showers of orange sparks, exploding the way a pine log does in a campfire when it's poked. The sparks spiraled upward in swirls like funnel clouds. Twisters of brightness against gray sky. In broad daylight with no comprehension, she watched. From the tops of the funnels the sparks lifted high and sailed out undirected above the dark forest.
A forest fire, if that's what it was, would roar. This consternation swept the mountain in perfect silence. The air above remained cold and clear. No smoke, no crackling howl. She stopped breathing for a second and closed her eyes to listen, but heard nothing. Only a faint patter like rain on leaves. Not fire, she thought, but her eyes when opened could only tell her, 'Fire, this place is burning.' They said, 'Get out of here.' Up or down, she was unsure. She eyed the dark uncertainty of the trail and the uncrossable breach of the valley. It was all the same everywhere, every tree aglow...
...She was on her own here, staring at glowing trees. Fascination curled itself around her fright. This was no forest fire. She was pressed by the quiet elation of escape and knowing better and seeing straight through to the back of herself, in solitude. She couldn't remember when she's had such room for being. This was not just another fake thing in her life's cheap chain of events, leading up to this day of sneaking around in someone's thrown-away boots. Here that ended. Unearthly beauty had appeared to her, a vision of glory to stop her in the road. For her alone these orange boughs lifted, these long shadows became a brightness rising. It looked like the inside of joy, if a person could see that. A valley of lights, an ethereal wind. It had to mean something."
-Excerpt by Barbara Kingsolver, "Flight Behavior." 1st ed. New York: Harper Collins, 2012 13-16. Print (http://www.kingsolver.com/books/flight-behavior.html)
This piece would work in a space that is light green, blue, yellow, beige or on wood.
For more information or custom order, please visit:
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Lavender In Provence
Lavender In Provence, 2014
oil pastel on paper
10" x 8"
Collection of Laura Holmes
© copyright Mike Kraus
Please visit I've Gotta Pack at http://contentqueens.net/1103/1424 or https://www.facebook.com/GottaPack to read true tales that will get YOU planning a trip!
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Faces In the Crowd
Faces In the Crowd, 2003ish
pen and ink
© copyright Mike Kraus
I wonder how many people know that I've captured them in my sketchbook? Here's a sampling from hanging out in Millennium Park in downtown Chicago. Lots of characters makes for interesting people watching. You can tell who is a tourist because they look up at all the skyscrapers. I don't know about the people looking down or about the guy in the top hat.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Stupid Bills. Lost Again. Wait... They Won? How Could That Happen?
"NO!"
Smart little cheerleaders raising money at everyone's tailgate parties.
Now for some other business...
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
That Snape Is Such A Jerk!
SNAPE KILLED DUMBLEDORE! Why did he ever trust him?!?! Just more evidence that I remain 12 years old (and my wife encourages it)...
So, Megan is out of town and I'm left to my own devices. I didn't intend to buy this for dinner, but when I saw that Hamburger Helper had Beef Stroganoff and ULTIMATE Beef Stroganoff, the decision made itself. What makes it "ultimate;" not sure...
Another "perk" of Megan being out town is watching terrible movies like Omega Man starring Charlton Heston. Classic zombie flick.
And speaking of my blushing bride, here she is! Who knew when I made these for our wedding that it was going to be a decoration for the house?
And, Megan's idiot husband...
So dreary. I think this is as bright as it got all day today. At least it wasn't a foot of snow or another ice storm.
That's about it. I've been pretty boring lately being sick and all. Waiting to hear if Megan's flights will even make it in tonight. Blah, blah, blah, etc...
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Ty Cobb
He dominated baseball and, apparently, my week.
If you like baseball, history, and crazy antics I suggest reading Cobb by Al Stump
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
"Nothing is something I'm use to working with!" -Mr. Jellineck
So, Megan went to New York and took the camera with her. What does that mean for you? It means you get to look at some of the odd artwork I've made while at home.
Evidence of Megan in New York partying with her friends and being all business-like at her conference.
So, many of these are illustrations I've created based on a book about weird stuff in Michigan. Many of the stories I've forgotten, but the drawings remain. This is titled "They've Kilt Me!" I remember it's about some haunted house from the 1800's. My favorite part of this drawing is his hand. He's so scared that his fingers bend back very unnaturally. Maybe he hit it with the hammer?
"What Burned Billy?" A story about spontaneous human combustion. Look at poor Socrates helplessly trying to aid his son...
"The Paw Paw Fire Breather." Some guy who could breath fire in Paw Paw, Michigan. For more information on this story, go to: http://istina.rin.ru/eng/ufo/text/310.html
"Interplanetary Radio From Intermediate Lake," which is about a man who started his own radio station that broadcasts to possible aliens.
"Carolyn Drown's Trip To Walhala In the Trunk" is about a murder. I can't remember the rest of the details.
"Feeling Blue" If I remember correctly, it's about a lady with ESP. So, she could tell you things about stuff she touched.
This was going to be used for some project. It never was. But, it's an industrial scene overlooking Detroit. Why they are assembling a car at a dock on the Canadian side of the Detroit River is up for debate...
"The Big Three" is about three guys laid off from the auto industry.
This wasn't suppose to be creepy. But, it turned out that way. So, Megan suggested that I give him laser eyes, which I did, but it's easy to see.
ka-BOOM! Really don't have much to say about this than "colored pencils..."
Here's Moxie, my former desk cat at Lollypop Farm, where I've been volunteering. Here's she his headbutting my hand for attention. As many of you will be excited to hear, she has a new home. My new desk cat use to weigh 24 lbs. and is named "Mini" or "Minnie."
That's it from the land of cold and snow. Lots and lots of stuff coming up in the next week. I had another interview a couple days ago, family dinner, volunteering tomorrow, Amerk's hockey game on Friday, a gala on Saturday, and probably a lot of other stuff not worth mentioning. YEAH!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Children's Memorial Hospital and 101.9 The Mix Plus BETTER DEALS!
It's that time of year again. Children's Memorial Hospital and 101.9 The Mix are doing the annual radiothon, which I will be working on this weekend. So donate early and often! http://www.wtmx.com/microfeatures/radiothon.php
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
MIKE'S BARGAIN BIN OF GOODS!
Look at this beautiful floral patterned couch. Wonderful for any apartment. $75
Did I mention that it comes with a FREE slip cover?!?!
A stylish, comfy chair with matching ottoman. From the Pearson Co. $50
Hand painted Nightstand for only $15!
FREE! A random assortment of junk. Take one; take all! We have books like In Cold Blood, Sin In the Second City, and The Quran. There are some movies on VHS and DVD. Do you love candles? How about a gong? Maybe an angel figurine without a face? Let me know and it could be yours for FREE!
Again, please support the Eric & Kathy 101.9 The Mix radiothon benefiting Children's Memorial Hospital! http://www.wtmx.com/microfeatures/radiothon.php
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