Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Reflections in Time oil painting by Niki Gulley


“Reflections in Time” ©2010 Niki Gulley
Oil on canvas • 24” x 36”

This painting is inspired by one of my favorite spots just ten minutes from our home in Dallas. It was a perfect autumn day – about 70° with a slight breeze and the peaking autumn colors were more vibrant than usual. With such a gentle wind, the vivid foliage and gorgeous fluffy clouds were reflected fairly clearly in the water and yet at the same time, I chose to create fluid moving strokes to suggest the peaceful energy in that moment.

To see this painting in person, visit my booth at the Cottonwood Art Festival in Richardson, TX this weekend, CottonwoodArtFestival.com.

Or, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.

My website - NikiGulley.com

Monday, September 27, 2010

Dallas skyline pastel by Niki Gulley


“Crimson Sky” ©2010 Niki Gulley
Pastel 25” x 19”

At long last our summer journeys are coming to an end and we are headed back to Dallas. While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the mid-west, the east coast and Europe, there’s nothing quite like home. I look forward to riding my bike again around White Rock Lake, enjoying the peacefulness of the water and greenery while watching families reveling in the early days of fall. Then, after watching a beautiful sunset over the lake with the Dallas skyline silhouetted, turning back and heading home.

If interested in purchasing “Crimson Sky,” e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Plein Air Painting the Greek Isles with Niki Gulley



“Walking on Water” © 2010 Niki Gulley
Oil painting • 12” x 9”

The crystal-clear turquoise and cobalt waters in Greece are an endless source of inspiration. I felt liked we’d stepped right into the set of Mama Mia and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants! It’s hard to believe someplace so beautiful actually exists. We can’t wait to take painters and photographers with us on next year’s workshop to share in the beauty and serenity of the Greek Isles.

Plein Air Painting & Photography Workshop
Tuscany, Italy – September 2010 & 2011
Athens & Santorini, Greece – May 2011

Led by Niki Gulley & Scott Williams

Our trip to Tuscany for this year is full, but please join us next September in Tuscany or May 2011 in Greece.

Visit nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13 for more details.

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Painting Workshops in Greece with Niki Gulley


“Rooftop View” © 2010 Niki Gulley
Oil painting • 10” x 20”

Journeying on from Rome, we next flew to the gorgeous island of Santorini to complete the research for our next workshop we’re teaching in Greece, May 2011. The Aegean didn’t disappoint. It was just as we remembered from our honeymoon, with gorgeous blue waters contrasting with the brilliant white-washed Greek homes stacked along the Caldera. With the breath-taking views, all you can do is simply relax and soak in all that beauty.

Plein Air Painting & Photography Workshop
Tuscany, Italy – September 2010 & 2011
Athens & Santorini, Greece – May 2011

Led by Niki Gulley & Scott Williams

Our trip to Tuscany for this year is full, but please join us next September in Tuscany or May 2011 in Greece.

Visit nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13 for more details.

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com

Monday, September 20, 2010

Painting Florence, Italy with Niki Gulley


“Evening Stroll” © 2010 Niki Gulley
Pastel 25” x 19”

Sadly our Tuscany workshop has come to an end. Everyone had a wonderful time, and I thank you guys for making this such a memorable trip! From the amazing Tuscan vistas dotted with cypress, wildflowers and grape-vines, to the cobbled medieval hill towns, to the world-class museums & history-filled architecture, to the mouth-watering pastas, cheeses, meats & of course, wines, we will treasure the memories forever.

Plein Air Painting & Photography Workshop
Tuscany, Italy – September 2010 & 2011
Athens & Santorini, Greece – May 2011

Led by Niki Gulley & Scott Williams

Our trip to Tuscany for this year is full, but please join us next September in Tuscany or May 2011 in Greece.

Visit nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13 for more details.

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com

Friday, September 17, 2010

Painting Tuscany with Niki Gulley


“Crimson Waves” © 2010 Niki Gulley
Oil on canvas • 18” x 48”

Yesterday we painted the beautiful rolling hills that make Tuscany so picturesque, after a leisurely morning of hill town touring and wine sampling. Being in Tuscany right at harvest time makes the grapes taste even better! It was a perfect 78 degrees and so peaceful in this perfect spot where we set up our easels. I find the cypress trees really fascinating and unique, creating such a striking contrast to the otherwise flat surroundings. A very inspirational day!


Plein Air Painting & Photography Workshop
Tuscany, Italy – September 2010 & 2011
Athens & Santorini, Greece – May 2011

Led by Niki Gulley & Scott Williams

Our trip to Tuscany for this year is full, but please join us next September in Tuscany or May 2011 in Greece.

Visit nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13 for more details.


E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Tuscan Hill Town Pastel by Niki Gulley


“Sienna Passageway” © 2010 Niki Gulley
Pastel 12” x 9”

Yesterday we visited the medieval walled city of Sienna in Italy. I love the cobbled streets and stone architecture of the buildings, and watching the world go by in the town square with a gelato just like the locals. Pastels are the perfect medium for capturing a quick sketch of the cobbled alleyway filled with dramatic light and unique shadows.

Plein Air Painting & Photography Workshop
Tuscany, Italy – September 2010 & 2011
Athens & Santorini, Greece – May 2011

Led by Niki Gulley & Scott Williams

Our trip to Tuscany for this year is full, but please join us next September in Tuscany or May 2011 in Greece.

Visit nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13 for more details.


E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com

Monday, September 13, 2010

Tuscany Plein Air Painting Workshop with Niki Gulley


“Under the Tuscan Sun” ©2010 Niki Gulley
Pastel 24” x 36”

Italy here we come! Scott Williams and I are off to teach our photography & painting workshop in Tuscany. Our path will take our group to the medieval towns, cypress tree-lined roads and glorious sun drenched splendor of the rolling hills that are Tuscany. Whether you are a painter or photographer, this unique workshop has been designed to allow you to hone your skills and expand your creativity, all while furthering your artistic voice. Choosing which aspects interest you, we will help guide you to capture the architecture and breathtaking vistas flooded with their extraordinary quality of light, on either canvas or film.

Plein Air Painting & Photography Workshop
Tuscany, Italy – September 2010 & 2011
Athens & Santorini, Greece – May 2011

Led by Niki Gulley & Scott Williams

Our trip to Tuscany for this year is full, but please join us next September in Tuscany or May 2011 in Greece.

Visit nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13 for more details.

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com

Friday, September 10, 2010

Adult Art Classes with Niki Gulley


“Scenic Route” ©2010 Niki Gulley
Oil on canvas • 20” x 60”

My husband and I love exploring the back roads whenever we’re en route somewhere. We always discover such interesting places and the scenery is so much more picturesque than along the highway. It’s fun to slow down and enjoy the journey with no agenda, which is what I had in mind when I painted “Scenic Route,” a leisurely drive down memory lane.

If interested in purchasing this painting, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com

If you’d like to learn how to paint and draw, join me this fall in my adult art classes, “Playing with Color.” Most of the spaces are full, but I still have room for a couple more in the Wednesday 12:30-2:30 class starting Oct. 13th. Visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13 for more information.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Top Award Winners exhibit in Frisco, TX


“Deep in the Woods” ©2010 Niki Gulley
oil on canvas • 36" x 36"

I am absolutely crazy about aspen trees. I love their textured peeling bark, the sound of their tinkling leaves blowing in the breeze, the way the light illuminates their yellow leaves and makes them glow, and the repetition of the trunks packed so tightly together. The first time I saw them was on a trip with my family to Colorado and I fell in love with the beautiful scenery and peacefulness I found immersed in the forest and surrounded by mountains. I wanted to share my love of nature in “Deep in the Woods” so that you, too, could enjoy that calm and the beauty of the aspens.

“Deep in the Woods” and several of my other new paintings will be hanging at the Frisco Municipal Complex in Frisco, TX as part of a two man show featuring my paintings and Josh Trefehen’s photographs, in honor of us winning best in show and the top award at Frisco’s Art in the Square Festival in March. The exhibit will be on display through Oct. 1st at 6101 Frisco Square Blvd., Frisco, TX 75034. For more information, see the August article of Frisco Style Magazine, friscostyle.com/index.php/component/content/article/43/189-august-2010-issue,
.

Or, visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

E-mail - Niki@NikiGulley.com

Monday, September 6, 2010

Plein Air Painting & Photography Workshops with Niki Gulley


“Rolling Hills,” Tuscany ©2010 Niki Gulley
Pastel • 7” x 5”

With our upcoming Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop that me and my husband, Scott Williams, are teaching in Tuscany, I started thinking about how much I love the region. The rolling countryside is breathtaking, the people are so warm & friendly, the food and wine are to die for, and the architecture and medieval walled cities are filled with history. In this little pastel, I hope you can take a moment to pause and soak in the beautiful Tuscan hillsides bathed in their mysterious soft light.

Our Tuscany workshop is full for this September, but if you would be interested in joining us next September in Tuscany or next May in the gorgeous Greek Isles, visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13 or e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Afternoon Shadows pastel by Niki Gulley


“Afternoon Shadows” Gilson Park, Chicago, IL ©2010 Niki Gulley
Pastel • 10” x 8”

I used to love going for a Sunday drive with my family when I was a kid. Sometimes we’d head to this park, which ran along Lake Michigan on a perfect autumn afternoon. We’d park and walk along the beach until we got to where the boats were docked, and then we’d wander onto the Bahaii Temple, with its amazing architecture and intricate carved ivory details, before we’d double back. In Afternoon Shadows, I wanted to depict a beautiful autumn day when the leaves are turning, there’s a slight chill in the air, the afternoon sun is casting mysterious long shadows and you can just make out the top of the temple in the distance, all while reminiscing about a simpler time and place.

To see “Afternoon Shadows” in person, stop by my booth at the Oakbrook Fine Art Invitational this weekend in Oakbrook, II. For more information on the show, go to oakbrookcenter.com/events/48th-annual-invitational-fine-art-exhibition.

Or, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Sounds of Autumn pastel by Niki Gulley

“Sounds of Autumn” ©2010 Niki Gulley
Pastel • 14” x 11”

The Chicago Botanic Garden is always beautiful, but in this pastel I wanted to capture it on a perfect autumn day when the native grasses and fall foliage have turned their vibrant autumn colors. I like this view looking across the peaceful lake towards the carillon chiming in the distance, playing in time with the trickling sounds of the wind flickering the fall leaves.

If you’re in the Chicago area, stop by my booth at the Oakbrook Fine Art Invitational to see “Sounds of Autumn” and more of my recent paintings. oakbrookcenter.com

To learn how to paint with pastels, join me in my Adult Art Lessons, Playing with Color, this fall. Classes fill up quickly, so visit NikiGulley.com for more information.

Or, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com to register or with any questions.