My name is Scott Kraynak and I'm from Cleveland, Ohio (Go Browns!!). For as long as I can remember, nature and art have always been a big part of my life. Thankfully I had parents who fostered both of these interests by taking me camping, fishing, hiking, and canoeing while I was growing up, and enrolling me into art classes at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Most of my artwork is centered around the other passion in my life, the environment. I have been lucky that my career centers around my love of nature. I have been a Park Ranger for the past 8 years. I have worked all over this amazing country of ours, and every day my passion for nature (and protecting nature) grows. I have been a ranger in Ohio, North Carolina, Florida, North Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Florida again, Arizona, and California. I'm kind of a gypsy you might say. I originally went to school for art, switched to geology, but ulitmately majored in Parks and Recreation. Today, I could not be happier with my life. Being able to combine my love of nature, with my (hopefully) successful careeer in art brings together the two facets of this world that I treasure most. While I hope that everyone that views my work can see the joy (or anger, depending on the piece) that I felt while creating it, ultimately, the purpose of this artwork is to inspire people to get out and immerse themselves in nature and to appreciate this treasure that we take for granted all to often. Whether you visit a world famous National Park or just take a walk out in your backyard, get outside and relish what Mother Nature has given us. Enjoy the simple things like listening to birds sing, feeling the wind blow through your hair, laying under the shade of a tree. These are all theraputic (and free) ways we can escape our crazy, so-called "improved" way of life. Or visit some of our parks, national forests, etc and put your hand on a tree that is 7 times as old as this country, maybe catch a glimpse of a black bear, whale, or mountain lion in its natural habitat, or hike out into the wilderness and find yourself alone without the faintest sound, smell, or view of civilization. These powerful and unforgettable moments are out there for everyone to experience. But do it quickly. The incredible plants and animals that call these beautiful places home, are under constant attack from industries looking to permanently destroy these landscapes in exchange for a few years worth of riches. This leads me to another inspiration for my artwork.
You may notice some works that aren't exactly very peaceful and tranquil. There is much going on in today's world that is putting the environment at risk, and there is much going on that infuriates me. The fact that so many industries are still raping the Earth, even though technology is here today to begin a new era of clean energy, angers me to no end. And that our government supports this behavior is even more dispicable. Though there might be some serious change in the air. We'll see. The entire Earth as we know it is dying; and it is largely because of us. People. Industry. "Progression". We all can make small changes in our lives to help conserve resources and to help the environment. We all can stand up to the industries who are only out for themselves and their shareholders.
It is amazing to me that so many industries (automotive, logging, farming, livestock, energy, manufacturing, housing, real estate, etc., etc., etc.) are out there today operating in a way that is physically killing the Earth. It must be understood that everything that we have, everything that we do, everything is tied to a healthy environment. Even if the only thing you care about in life is money, if we don't have a healthy environment, you will not have your money. We need a healthy environment to survive, to have jobs, to have food, to exist. Since money is the only thing which these industries care about, the best way to fight these corporations is with your wallet. I have some ways in which you can do this under environmental activism.
Instead venting incessantly on my soapbox (this is MY website though), I made a page that you can visit which has links to some wonderful organizations and groups fighting to save the environment and improve living conditions worldwide, some ideas for conserving energy (and lowering your bills), some links to keep updated on whats going on in Washington D.C. that is related to the environment, and some links to current environmental happenings and events.
My first gallery exhibition is going to take place next spring in Miami, Florida at beautiful Biscayne National Park. Those pieces will be on this site after the exhibition has begun.
Thank you for visiting my website. If you have any questions, comments, or would like to place an order I can be reached at: clevelandranger@hotmail.com or by telephone: 701-226-3067
Personal check, money order and paypal is accepted.