Painting in Montepulciano with Niki Gulley

12x9 textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 2, Montepulciano - Tuscany Art Trek

With a little more time before our afternoon winery tour, we decided to work on another painting. I chose this view of the tile rooftops below spreading out in front of the valley. I loved the puzzle piece feel of the buildings, zigzagging in all different directions, clinging to the steep drop below with the fields of crops also adding their criss crossing patterns to the jigsaw puzzle.

If you'd like to join us for next year's Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.

If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

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US Classes and Workshops - nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops - nikigulley.com/artreks/

Available Paintings - NikiGulley.com

Day 2, Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley

12x9 oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 2, Montepulciano - Tuscany Art Trek

We woke up the next morning to beautiful blue skies with gorgeous puffy white clouds. We set up our easels at this amazing overlook in Montepulciano, with the whole valley spreading out before us. With so much to choose from for our subject, we decided to focus in on the church below. Our light was constantly changing from the beautiful clouds above so we had to paint quickly, and consequently each of our reactions to the scene came out differently on our canvases. I loved the variety in each artist's work!

Pat Lautner and Sheri Jones painting at the gorgeous Montepulciano overloook.

If you'd like to join us for next year's Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.

If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

***

US Classes and Workshops - nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops - nikigulley.com/artreks/

Available Paintings - NikiGulley.com

Plein Air Painting in Tuscany with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9x12 textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 1, afternoon location - Tuscany Art Trek

That afternoon it started to drizzle, so we picked a location that was covered where we could still paint and photograph. With the sky fairly overcast and the hues rather dull that afternoon, we used the cypress as our subject, but had fun playing with color. I think the results were even better than had it been a sunny day! Everyone's paintings turned out beautiful, and that evening we treated ourselves to a fabulous tuscan dinner of pastas, pecorinos, meats and a little vino to treat ourselves. A great end to a fun filled day!

One of our photographers getting into the shot!

An amazing dinner with new friends.

If you'd like to join us for next year's Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.

If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

***

US Classes and Workshops - nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops - nikigulley.com/artreks/

Available Paintings - NikiGulley.com

Tuscany Plein-Air Painting / Photo Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9x12 textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 1 - Tuscany Art Trek

We had so much fun painting at the villa in the morning, that we decided to paint another farmhouse in a different direction next. With so much to choose from, it was had to pick just one subject! This time, we all decided to work with palette knife and thick juicy oil paint, enjoying creating texture and the exciting color combinations that occur while working wet in wet with the paint. As a treat when we were finished, we met up with the others in the group for a delicious lunch of local proscuittos, pecorino cheeses, fruits and vegees, and of course, a little vino for afternoon fuel!

Two of our painters, Sheri Jones (above) and Pat (below) also working with palette knife in Tuscany.

If you'd like to join us for next year's Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.

If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

***

US Classes and Workshops - nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops - nikigulley.com/artreks/

Available Paintings - NikiGulley.com

Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9x12 oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 1, Morning Location - Tuscany Art Trek

On the first full day of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop in Tuscany, we painted right outside the door of the villa where we were staying. The scenery was so amazing, with 360 degree views of the rolling hills and valleys, that we wanted to stay there and take it all in. With so many interesting vistas, it was hard to choose what to paint, but I decided to narrow my focus to this red roofed home and the sunlit hills leading up to it. I began my demo by quickly sketching out the scene and then blocking in my major colors and values. Once the canvas was filled, I concentrated on the focal point, adding details, highlights and shadows to the building and cypress trees. Next I started giving the hills dimension and defined the lone cypress on the right to break up the foreground and increase the sense of depth. A perfect morning to start out the trip!

After our flight, we finally arrived at our villa in Tuscany where the owners had put out a delicious spread of locally grown fruits and vegees – so delicious and a welcome treat!

If you'd like to join us for next year's Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.

If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

***

US Classes and Workshops - nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops - nikigulley.com/artreks/

Available Paintings - NikiGulley.com

New Painting Workshop, "Coloring Outside the Lines" with Niki Gulley

"Colorful Transformation" ©2012 Niki Gulley

36" x 48" textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

With "Colorful Transformation," I wanted to focus on brilliant color and simple shapes to see if I could communicate the excitement I feel when surrounded by nature. Using energetic diagonal strokes and thick, textured paint, I hope you get a sense of the motion in the leaves and the power of nature to invigorate your spirit. I just love how this piece captured that essence!

I'm excited to announce that I will be teaching a 3 day workshop, "Coloring Outside the Lines" at my gallery in Fredericksburg, TX Nov. 2-4. So if you would like to learn how to paint with more freedom and color, please join me for this fun-filled workshop!

“Coloring Outside the Lines”

Painting workshop with Niki Gulley

9am to 4 pm daily • Nov. 2, 3, 4

The Good Art Company • Fredericksburg, TX

Registration Deadline • Oct. 16th

Contact 830-997-1111 or goodartcompany.com/gacart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=39_47&products_id=215 for info and to register.

Contact niki@nikigulley.com for more details on her workshops 

or for more information on her birch painting, "Colorful Transformation."

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US Classes and Workshops - nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops - nikigulley.com/artreks/

Available Paintings - NikiGulley.com

New "Plein Air Painting Landscapes" Class sponsored by the Dallas Arboretum

"Golden Moment" ©2012 Niki Gulley

12" x 24" pastel

I painted this pastel at the Dallas Arboretum last fall to capture the gorgeous fall colors, and the mysterious long shadows cast by the sun as it was nearing sunset. I loved the vivid reds and oranges of the foliage, and the way the sun was causing those colors to glow along with the highlights on the path.

If you 'd like to learn how to paint on location, or just improve your skills, please join me at the Dallas Arboretum for my upcoming Plein Air Painting class on Oct. 24th. To register, go to dallasarboretum.org/AdultEducation/CreativeArts.htm.

Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

For new classes and workshops in Texas this fall, see nikigulley.com/art-classes.

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NikiGulley.com

Last Day of the Santa Fe Art Trek w/ Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

SANTA FE ART TREK:  Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams  

Day 5, afternoon critique & dinner

We finished our Santa Fe Art Trek with a final critique, sharing our work from the various locations. Above you can see each student's interpretation of the Rio Chama. I love how every painter's personality comes through in their work and how uniquely each one saw the same scene. Below are a few more examples of our paintings and pastels from the day we painted in Santa Fe.

To complete the week, those who could make it to dinner enjoyed some delicious red and green chile dishes at La Choza, as we reminisced about the trip and enjoyed our last night together before driving home the next day. A perfect week in Santa Fe!

Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

For new classes and workshops in Texas this fall, see nikigulley.com/art-classes.

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NikiGulley.com

Day 5, Santa Fe Art Trek with Niki Gulley

SANTA FE ART TREK:  Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams  

Day 5, morning location, Canyoncito

12" x 24" textured oil by Niki Gulley

On the final day of our Santa Fe Art Trek, we headed to this quiet dead end road to paint the church at Canyoncito. The only traffic we saw all morning was one car and 2 bicyclists, which allowed us to really concentrate on the scene. The church is so charming that I decided to paint it in the setting around it to add to that idyllic feel. I loved how the brilliant white of the stucco and the red roof made the church stand out against all of the greenery and blue sky.

Niki Gulley painting along side Terri at Canyoncito.

Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

For new classes and workshops in Texas this fall, see nikigulley.com/art-classes.

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NikiGulley.com

Plein Air Painting taught by Niki Gulley, Santa Fe

SANTA FE ART TREK:  Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams  

Day 4, afternoon location - Red Rocks

9" x 12" textured oil by Niki Gulley

That afternoon, we moved on to this fascinating rock outcropping that seems to rise out of nowhere with intense red hues and hundreds of cracks and crevices that actually look hand-sculpted rather than naturally made. Again, each painter picked a different vantage point, with some capturing the whole formation, while others cropped in tight on a close-up of the cliffs, and I chose to just include the edge of them contrasted against the distant purple mountain and a sliver of the road cutting through the rocky terrain.

Painting at the red rocks formation.

Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

For new classes and workshops in Texas this fall, see nikigulley.com/art-classes.

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NikiGulley.com

Santa Fe Art Trek, Day 4

SANTA FE ART TREK:  Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams  

Day 4, morning location - Rio Chama

8" x 10" oil by Niki Gulley

A quick study of the rock formations and road cutting through them.

One of our students painting at the Rio Chama.

Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

For new classes and workshops in Texas this fall, see nikigulley.com/art-classes.

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NikiGulley.com

Plein-Air Painting in Santa Fe with Niki Gulley, Day 4

SANTA FE ART TREK:  Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams  

Day 4, morning location - Rio Chama

9" x 12" oil by Niki Gulley

Today we headed back towards Abiquiu and set up our easels at the edge of this scenic overlook to capture the Rio Chama below. While the whole landscape is gorgeous, it is way too much information to capture on a small canvas, not too mention being able to paint the light quick enough before it changes in the afternoon. So we simplified the composition, breaking the hills and foliage into simple shapes and blocks of color. I loved the curving lines the various elevations and river formed, so I focused on that flow and movement, accentuating the energy of nature with my strokes.

Students painting at the Rio Chama.

Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

For new classes and workshops in Texas this fall, see nikigulley.com/art-classes.

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NikiGulley.com