"Sun Drenched" textured sunflower oil painting by Niki Gulley

"Sun Drenched" ©2012 Niki Gulley

30" x 48" textured oil on canvas

Inspired by our trip to Provence last summer, I was awestruck by these massive fields of sunflowers blooming. Seeing this brilliant carpet of gold, with its sea of faces smiling towards the sun, just made me feel happy and I wanted you to experience that joy, too. In person "Sun Drenched" practically leaps off the canvas with its vibrant yellow petals and extremely thick three-dimensional oil paint.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her textured oil paintings.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary landscape paintings.

"Blue Tomorrow" textured bluebonnet painting by Niki Gulley

"Blue Tomorrow" ©2012 Niki Gulley

36" x 48" textured oil on canvas

Just Finished! Inspired by a trip to the hill country, I wanted you feel the warmth and beauty on this perfect spring day while out for a leisurely drive among the bluebonnets and Texas wildflowers. Painted with thick oil paint and palette knives to achieve extreme texture, the resulting image comes to life and is loaded with color and energy.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her textured oil paintings.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary bluebonnet and Texas landscape paintings.

Textured Bluebonnet Painting by Niki Gulley, "Blue Horizon"

"Blue Horizon" ©2012 Niki Gulley
SOLD  30" x 48" textured oil on canvas

SOLD - I love the rolling hills of the Texas hill country and when the bluebonnets are prolific, it feels like a carpet of blue stretches for miles. I painted this bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush scene with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives to achieve extreme texture.  The resulting image comes to life and is loaded with color and energy. I've painted the scene around the edges of the canvas on 1 and 1/2" deep stretcher bars so that the paintings can be hung without a frame for a unique sculptural effect.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her textured oil paintings.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary bluebonnet and Texas landscape paintings.

Last day for Two Woman Show, "Opposites Attract," at Jaycee Center for the Arts

"Fire and Gold" ©2012 Niki Gulley

oil on canvas • 36" x 48"

I love the first signs of fall – the crisp feel in the air, the crunching of leaves underfoot, the beautiful autumn colors, and being totally immersed in nature in the middle of a forest without a care in the world. In Fire and Gold I wanted to recreate that joyful feeling, choosing warm reds and yellows of autumn and using energetic strokes with my paint to heighten that mood. Building up thin transparent layers of oil paint also add to a certain glow and magic in the final piece.

To see "Fire and Gold" in person, stop by the Jaycee Center for the Arts in Irving, TX for this two woman show featuring the paintings of Niki Gulley and Elizabeth Padgett. Exhibit ends this Thursday, Feb. 23rd. 1975 Puritan Dr. between Story Rd. and MacArthur in Irving, TX.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary landscape paintings.

Dancing on Water textured water lilies by Niki Gulley

"Dancing on Water" ©2012 Niki Gulley

36” x 60” textured oil painting

Sunlight sparkles across aqua blue water,

diamonds of purple glitter the pond’s surface;

water lilies lift their faces toward the sun and gently dance across the water.

Golden sunlight filters through the brambles and ferns,

a touch of cardinal red peeks through purple and pink foliage

while azure skies reflect in the water.

To see "Dancing on Water" in person, stop by the Jaycee Center for the Arts in Irving, TX for this two woman show featuring the paintings of Niki Gulley and Elizabeth Padgett. Exhibit ends this Thursday, Feb. 23rd. 1975 Puritan Dr. between Story Rd. and MacArthur in Irving, TX.

***

If you would like to join us in May for our next ArtTrek to Paris, France, and paint Monet's Gardens in person, visit nikigulley.com/artreks, which goes into detail about our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops. 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary landscape paintings.

Plein Air Painting in Tuscany with Niki Gulley

"Magical Light, Tuscany" • 8" x 10" oil by Niki Gulley

ART TREKS: TUSCANY
 with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

During our plein air painting workshop in Tuscany last September, we finished a delicious antipasto lunch of prosciuttos, local pecorino, fresh fruits and vegetables, and we headed into the hills for our afternoon painting location. Starting fairly late in the day, we timed it so that the light would be soft and golden as we were putting the finishing details on our paintings. For this painting, we focused in on one of the tuscan farmhouses, with just a suggestion of the peaks and valleys in the background. Between the quiet surroundings, the quintessential Tuscan vineyard behind us and the perfect weather conditions, this proved to be a very inspiring afternoon.

If you would like to join us on future ART TREKS to Paris, France in May, Tuscany, Italy in September, or Cinque Terre / Lake Como, Italy in September visit nikigulley.com/artreks. Registration deadline is Fri. Feb. 17th.

***

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

To see more of my plein-air paintings, visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

Lake Como / Cinque Terre Plein Air Painting Workshop

"Peaceful Harbor," Lake Como, Italy ©2012 Niki Gulley

oil on canvas • 24" x 36"

Lake Como, Italy is probably my favorite spot from all of our travels. The vistas are simply breathtaking with the alps in the background, the gorgeous blue of the lake, the brightly colored unique buildings and the lush foliage dotting the magnificent gardens. I love this little laid back town of Varenna, which is so peaceful that all of your cares just melt away. 

If you'd like to join us in Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy this Sept. 7th - 16th for our next Plein-Air Painting / Photography Workshop, e-mail Niki Gulley for more information or visit nikigulley.com/artreks. Registration deadline Feb. 17th.

To see more of my paintings from Europe visit NikiGulley.com.

Tuscany Plein Air Painting Workshop with Niki Gulley

"Autumn Harvest," Tuscany ©2012 Niki Gulley

pastel • 24" x 36"

I was inspired to paint this pastel of the beautiful rolling Tuscan hills and vineyards after our last Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop that my husband and I taught in Tuscany. Not only were the views amazing, but the food and the wine were absolutely delicious, too!

From our last Tuscany workshop, our group during a wine tasting at this 300 year old family vineyard. A perfect afternoon!

***

If you'd like to join us Aug. 31 - Sept. 8 for our next Tuscany Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop, e-mail Niki Gulley for more information or visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

Registration Deadline - Feb. 17th.

To see more of my paintings from Italy, visit NikiGulley.com.

Feb. 18th Painting Workshop with Niki Gulley

“Turquoise Vortex” ©2012 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 30” x 30” textured oil on canvas

Growing up in Chicago, our brutally cold winters would feel like they lasted forever so my family tried to vacation along our tropical coasts whenever possible. I loved this week we spent together – the cathartic rhythm of the ocean waves lapping against the shore as dad and I tried to ride each crest as close to the beach as possible, feeling the cool sand squish between my toes and fingers while building sand castles together, and enjoying the peacefulness at sunset as the gorgeous fireball dropped down from the sky and cast diamond-like reflections across the ocean’s surface.

If you'd like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I'm teaching on "Loosening Up," at my studio in Dallas, TX. See nikigulley.com/art-classes for more details and to register.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

To see more of my contemporary landscape oil paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

"Vertical Aspirations" textured aspen oil painting by NIki Gulley

“Vertical Aspirations” ©2012 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 48” x 36” textured oil painting

In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing vibrant, cheerful yellows and reds contrasted against a deep violet sky and arranging the aspens in a circular pattern heightened by thick, curving paint strokes, all add to that joyful, playful feeling of hope and discovery.

If you'd like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I'm teaching on "Loosening Up." 

"Loosening Up" Painting Workshop

Feb. 18 and / or Feb. 19

Dallas, TX

See nikigulley.com/art-classes for details and to register.

***

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

To see more of my contemporary landscape oil paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

"Loosening Up" Painting workshop w/ Niki Gulley

“Flowing Radiance,” Monet's Gardens ©2012 Niki Gulley

12” x 24” textured oil on wrap around canvas

My initial study for a 48" x 90" triptych, but I love how this small oil turned out, too! Inspired by Monet's Gardens in Giverny, France, I wanted to paint a contemporary rendition of his lily pond, which would be flowing with color, light, warmth and energy.

If you'd like more information on this painting, please me at Niki Gulley. Or, if you'd like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I'm teaching on "Loosening Up." 

"Loosening Up" Painting Workshop

Feb. 18 and / or Feb. 19

Dallas, TX

See nikigulley.com/art-classes for details and to register.

Also, Scott Williams and I will be leading a plein air painting / photography workshop in Paris, France this May. If you join us, you too could paint Monet's Gardens in person! Visit nikigulley.com/artreks, which goes into detail on our Paris, Italy, and Santa Fe Art Treks. Paris and Tuscany are filling up quickly, so let us know if you would like to come along for one of these amazing trips!

***

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

To see more of my contemporary landscape oil paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

"Coming Together" textured aspen tree painting by Niki Gulley

"Coming Together" ©2012 Niki Gulley

textured oil painting • 40" x 30"

In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing calming greens against a lavender-blue peaceful sky and arranging the two main aspens so that they meet in the middle, suggests a feeling of togetherness. While organizing the outlying trees in a circular pattern and using thick, curving, bold orange brushstrokes, creates a joyful, playful mood.

To see this aspen tree painting in person, please join Dallas artists, Niki Gulley and Elizabeth Padgett, for an exciting Two Woman Show. "Opposites Attract" will feature their paintings from two different perspectives – realism and abstraction. Artist Reception is Sun. Feb. 5 from 2 to 4 pm at the Jaycee Center for the Arts, 1975 Puritan Dr. between Story Rd. and MacArthur in Irving, TX. Exhibit runs Jan. 29 - Feb 23, 2012.

If you have any questions, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of Niki Gulley's contemporary landscape paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

"Triple Passion" textured oil rose painting by Niki Gulley

"Triple Passion" ©2012 Niki Gulley

textured oil painting
Can be hung horizontally 24" x 48" or vertically 48" x 24"

I love the passion and energy in the color red, so I thought it would be fun to play with the still life I had set up of roses and make a painting where red was the dominant color.  In person, seeing these roses at life size, I wanted the viewer to be swept up in the movement and emotion of this piece. Utilizing flowing spirals, weaving back and forth, playful thick and thin paint in bold, loose strokes, ruby petals emerging and disappearing, all meant to tease and excite your senses.

To see Triple Passion in person, please join Dallas artists, Niki Gulley and Elizabeth Padgett, for an exciting Two Woman Show. "Opposites Attract" will feature their paintings from two different perspectives – realism and abstraction. Artist Reception is Sun. Feb. 5 from 2 to 4 pm at the Jaycee Center for the Arts, 1975 Puritan Dr. between Story Rd. and MacArthur in Irving, TX. Exhibit runs Jan. 29 - Feb 23, 2012.

If you have any questions, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of Niki Gulley's contemporary floral paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.