The Holladay Arts Council has selected Fred Kraut as the Artist of the Month for October 2025, honoring his talent and creativity in photography. As the vice chair of the Council, he plays a significant role in promoting arts and culture in the city of Holladay through his expertise and dedication.

It was a high school master art teacher in Greenwich, Connecticut, who played a significant role in changing the trajectory of Kraut's life. Recognizing Kraut's potential and passion for art, the teacher recommended him for a year-long art program at the esteemed Silvermine Arts Center, a renowned institution known for its award-winning art school and nationally recognized artist guild. From this experience he decided he wanted to pursue art further.

“I discovered Wichita State University by chance; the educational institution has a phenomenal fine arts department,” Kraut said. “I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, but ironically, I stepped away from the creative process for a considerable time. Instead, I pursued the account management side of the advertising industry."

Kraut's advertising career took him to various parts of the U.S. and Europe before he finally retired and settled in Utah with his family.

"We love living in Holladay. It’s a fascinating little town," Kraut said. "When I was transferred to Utah, I thought we would stay for only a couple of years, but I ended up retiring here."

After retiring, Kraut worked in consulting for over a decade where he served as the head of marketing. In 2000, the desire to create resurfaced. He experimented with various artistic mediums, including sculpture and pottery, but it was photography that captured his heart.

To work on photography skills, he enrolled in Santa Fe Workshops, which offers photography instruction led by world-renowned professional photographers.

Kraut continued his study of photography with James Kay, a local master photographer. Through Kay's travel workshops, Kraut developed his ability to immerse viewers in the landscape and enable them to experience the world—both literally and figuratively—through the lens of a camera.

“Jim organizes small group workshops, and I have attended six of them—one was held in Canada and another in New Zealand,” Kraut said. “I have learned more about photography from him than anyone else. He is an excellent teacher who has fostered my interest in landscape photography. He taught me the importance of not just capturing an image but also conveying the feeling so when someone views the photo, they can experience it both visually and emotionally.      There’s nothing extremely complex about landscape photography. It’s about being at the right place at the right time and capturing a rare moment.” 

Kraut has dedicated considerable time to capturing natural images without enhancement using his Nikon D300 camera of the "Mighty 5": Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Zion, all renowned for their striking red-rock formations and diverse landscapes.

“The natural world, to me, is the ultimate form of creativity,” Kraut said. “My ongoing challenge with every capture is to honor that creativity by filling the canvas with light, color, composition, form and shadow-balancing both the factual and abstract.”

Encouraged by a good friend, Wendy Frank, Kraut decided to join the Holladay Arts Council. He said, “I’m fortunate to work with such exceptionally gifted people on the Arts Council. Every member is so dedicated to promoting the arts in Holladay. Serving on the council has probably been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life.”

Kraut’s debut photography exhibit will be on display at Holladay City Hall through October.