"Coming Up Sunshine" New Sunflower Palette Knife painting by Niki Gulley

“Coming Up Sunshine" ©2014 Niki Gulley

24" x 12" textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

Inspired by our travels to Provence, I painted these cheerful sunflowers with extremely thick oil paint and palette knife so that the resulting image leaps off the canvas and is loaded with energy, color and texture.

To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com or if you are in the Dallas area this weekend, please stop by my booth at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival.

Deep Ellum Art Festival (TX)
Fri. April 4 • 11pm – 9pm
Sat. April 5 • 11am – 9pm
Sun. April 6 • 11am – 7pm
Dallas • booth #39 on Main @Walton
DeepEllumArtsFestival.com

For more information on my plein air paintings and workshops in Italy and France, please e-mail Niki Gulley

or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

"Spring's Majesty," Texas Hill Country - New Bluebonnet painting by Niki Gulley

"Spring's Majesty, Texas Hill Country" ©2014 Niki Gulley

18" x 36" textured painting

"Spring's Majesty" was inspired by a trip to the Texas Hill Country when the bluebonnets were in full splendor. While we were near Fredericksburg, we took a scenic drive along the Willow City Look and as we approached the top of a hill about half way around, we were greeted by this gorgeous view of the rolling hills colored with bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush in full bloom. Then, to top it off the sun was setting in the distance casting its golden glow and backlighting the wildflowers. I had to capture the magical moment, enhancing the kaleidoscope of colors in the sky and along the ground. Arranging clouds, the road and rows of bluebonnets in rhythmic sweeping shapes, create a harmonious landscape that flows with light, texture and color, and suggest a feeling of optimism about what's to come.

"Spring's Majesty" is available through the Good Art Company gallery, goodartcompany.com/gac/.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her Texas bluebonnet paintings.

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

"Reclining Thoughts II" New Textured Aspen Tree painting by Niki Gulley

“Reclining Thoughts II” ©2014 Niki Gulley

40" x 30” textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

In this painting, I wanted you to you to experience the wonderment of looking up into the treetops – just like you did when you were a kid. Lying on the ground, not a care in the world, you gaze in wonderment as the clouds drift by. Choosing warm yellows, reds and greens and utilizing thick chunky staccato strokes add to that childlike whimsy and I hope you are transported back to a happy, carefree time and place.

"Reclining Thoughts" is available through the Good Art Company gallery, goodartcompany.com/gac/.

For more information on my textured palette knife birch and aspen tree oil paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

"Purple Perspective" New Lavender Field painting by Niki Gulley

"Purple Perspective," Provence ©2014 Niki Gulley

24" x 12" textured oil painting on wrap around canvas
pictured in espresso floater frame

This lavender painting was inspired from our trip to Provence last summer, when our timing was perfect and we caught both the lavender and poppies in full bloom! I loved how in this photo that I took, the lavender really draws your eye back into the distance and invites you to walk down the purple rows and enjoy the heavenly aromas. I also liked the contrast in color of the poppies planted at the start of the rows against the violet and how the crimson blooms break up the long vertical format of the canvas.

To see more of Gulley's palette knife landscape paintings, check out NikiGulley.com.

To find out more about upcoming Plein Air Painting Workshops and Art Treks, including a trip to Provence this summer and again in 2015, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

E-mail - Niki Gulley

"Spring's Approach" New Texas Bluebonnet painting by Niki Gulley

"Spring's Approach," Texas Hill Country ©2014 Niki Gulley

24" x 12" textured oil painting on wrap around canvas
Pictured in espresso floater frame

These Texas bluebonnets were inspired from a trip to the Willow City Loop outside of Fredericksburg one spring when the fields were particularly colorful and beautiful. Painted with palette knife and thick oil paint, the finished painting is loaded with color, texture and energy!

For more information on my Texas bluebonnet and wildflower paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of Gulley's palette knife landscape paintings, check out NikiGulley.com.

To find out more about upcoming Plein Air Painting Workshops and Art Treks, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

Day 4, Venice Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Venice Art Trek, Day 4, Doge's Palace and Painting the back canals

12" x 9" textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

On our fourth day of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop, we visited the Doge's Palace, in all of its glory and were awed by its impressive art collection by Italian masters. Taking the "Secret Tour" we learned about parts of the Palace that you can't normally see, including the prisons, the torture room and stories of Casanova.

That afternoon we chose another back canal to paint while the photographers covered off the beaten path parts of the island. I liked the way the sunlight reflected across the water's surface, and I really wanted to capture a gondola in the distance, but since they move so quickly that was no easy task! Luckily there was a steady stream of gondolas passing by our location late in the day. I found myself painting as quickly as I could while one came into my composition, and if I didn't capture it in time, fortunately another vessel would come into view shortly afterwards, and I was pleased with the results.

A delicious home-made Italian meal to end the day with new friends!

If you'd like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know. For more details, E-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks

Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014

 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014 - wait list only

Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014

Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 2015

French Riviera - June 2015

Provence, France - June 2015

Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops

Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

***

www.NikiGulley.com

Painting the Back Canals of Venice with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Venice Art Trek, Day 3, Afternoon Location: Back Canals

7" x 5" textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

After pizza fortifications for lunch, we set up our easels on a back canal near our hotel while the photographers went off in search of more costumes and scenery to photograph. The architecture in Venice is fascinating and in every direction there is so much ornate detail, that I wanted to capture all of the unusual elements in this one little doorway.

For dinner that night, we went to a local recommendation with amazing seafood pasta. Yum!

If you'd like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know. For more details, E-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks

Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014

 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014 - wait list only

Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014

Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 2015

French Riviera - June 2015

Provence, France - June 2015

Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops

Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

***

www.NikiGulley.com

Venice Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams - Day 3, Rialto Market

Venice Art Trek, Day 3: Rialto Market

9" x 12" textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

On the third day of our Venice Art Trek, we took a vaporetto tour of the island and got off at the Rialto bridge where we wandered the fruit, vegetable and fish markets. We left the photographers there to shoot while we set up our easels in this quiet spot marking the oldest restaurant in Venice. This bridge had so much character being made completely of wood, decorated in plantings and flanked by red and white poles that we just had to paint it!

If you'd like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know. For more details, E-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks

Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014

 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014 - wait list only

Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014

Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 2015

French Riviera - June 2015

Provence, France - June 2015

Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops

Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

***

www.NikiGulley.com

Day 2, Burano - Venice Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Venice Art Trek, Day 2: Murano and Burano

7" x 5" • textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

On the second day of our Venice Art Trek, we headed to the islands of Murano and Burano. First Murano, famous for its beautiful glass, to see a glass blowing demonstration and tour the museum. Then, onto Burano which is known as a fishing community (and for the homemade lace that they make there), and to help the fisherman find their houses while coming back from sea, they painted their homes every color of the rainbow. With the picturesque canals and so many great colored buildings to choose from, it's hard to pick a single subject matter! We were drawn to this quiet location, however, and the vibrant blue stucco wall with that morning's laundry being hung out to dry screamed to be painted. Today I chose to work with thick oil paint and palette knife to capture the rough surface of the walls, resulting in a final painting which is loaded with texture and color.

Painting and photographing in Burano.

If you'd like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know. For more details, E-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks

Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014

 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014 - wait list only

Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014

Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 2015

French Riviera - June 2015

Provence, France - June 2015

Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops

Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

***

www.NikiGulley.com

Watching Sunset, Venice Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Venice Art Trek 2014
8" x 12" pastel by Niki Gulley

After we finished painting that morning, the photographers joined us for lunch when they were done shooting. We enjoyed a delicious pizza al fresco and afterwards the photographers kept shooting, the painters had some down time, and we reconnected late that afternoon to take the ferry across the canal to San Giorgio Island where a full masquerade of characters were gathered for sunset. We chose this quiet location looking back at Venice framed by the docked boats for our paintings. That night we dined on delicious seafood pasta, fresh fish and a delicious local red wine. A great first day!

Scott Williams photograph of one of the costumes during Carnivalé.

If you'd like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know. For more details, E-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks

Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014

 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014 - wait list only

Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014

Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 2015

French Riviera - June 2015

Provence, France - June 2015

Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops

Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

***

www.NikiGulley.com

Venice Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Venice Art Trek 2014
9" x 12" pastel by Niki Gulley

We just got back from teaching our latest Plein Air Painting and Photography Art Trek in Venice during Carnivalé and had the most amazing time! The weather was ideal, and we found our way to this quiet landing to paint a typical Venetian canal on our first morning. I liked the way the sunlight raked across the colorful buildings and emphasized all of the texture in the stucco and brickwork. We had to paint quickly since boats kept entering and leaving our scene, all part of the morning hustle and bustle in Venice. Luckily I loosely got the red boat in right before it took off!

If you'd like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know. For more details, E-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

***

www.NikiGulley.com

"Blue Morning" New Texas Bluebonnet painting by Niki Gulley

"Blue Morning" ©2014 Niki Gulley

9" x 12" textured oil painting

I painted these Texas bluebonnets on location with palette knife and thick oil paint, so the finished painting is loaded with color, texture and energy!

For more information on my Texas bluebonnet and wildflower paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of Gulley's palette knife landscape paintings, check out NikiGulley.com.

To find out more about upcoming Plein Air Painting Workshops and Art Treks, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

"Hill Country Retreat" Texas Bluebonnet oil painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

"Hill Country Retreat" ©2014 Niki Gulley

9" x 12" textured oil painting

I painted these Texas bluebonnets at a plein air painting workshop I was leading in Fredericksburg, TX. I loved the pop of red on the flag flying off this cabin's back porch in contrast to the vibrant cobalt bluebonnets. Working with palette knife and thick oil paint, this Texas landscape is loaded with texture, color and movement!

For more information on my Texas bluebonnet and wildflower paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of Gulley's palette knife landscape paintings please check out NikiGulley.com.

To find out more about upcoming Plein Air Painting Classes and Art Treks, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.