James Krauss

A Passion for Pasta . . . and Art
What do Michelangelo and James Krauss have in common? Both have designed religious works of art for the Catholic Church.

Over the course of my life, I’ve created hundreds, if not thousands of paintings, including abstracts, still life, and landscapes. However, there are two pieces that stand out most: Ascension and Trinity. These two large-scale paintings, created with acrylics, were six-feet wide and 10-feet high and they were displayed at opposite ends of Holy Spirit Community Church in Naperville for more than six years. While working on these religious paintings, I couldn’t help but feel like Michelangelo. It was quite the honor!

As long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for art. Growing up, I would use my hands to make things like models. My parents encouraged me to pursue my talents by sending me to private art lessons until I was in high school. While I was getting my master’s degree, I studied for a year in Italy. In the classroom, teachers would show slides of famous works of art and then we would travel to Venice, Pisa, Padua, and all over Italy to view them at local museums. Talk about a great learning experience – I was so inspired by my time there!

While I was in Italy, I set two goals for myself. The first was to eat pasta at least once a day. The second was to eventually create at least one large-scale drawing. I’m happy to say that I have accomplished both objectives!

James A. Krauss
Art Department Chair and Professor of Art