New "Over the Hills" Bluebonnet Painting by Texas Artist Niki Gulley

"Over the Hills" ©2018 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 24" x 12" textured oil painting

Just Sold! Recently we loaded up the car and headed south to visit the Texas Hill Country to see the wildflowers in bloom. While not as prolific as some years, the thick patches we found did not disappoint. It's so exciting to see a massive carpet of blue across our usually green hills, and I love how the bluebonnets signal that spring has arrived!

Our second stop on our Texas adventure was again north of Austin, along this striking hillside. I was drawn to the one lone tree on the horizon and the patterns the bluebonnets formed leading your eye into the distance. Adding pops of color where the rainbow of wildflowers danced in between the blue also keeps your focus moving from foreground to background and back again. I hope you can feel the joy and energy of springtime in Texas!

I painted these Texas Bluebonnets and wildflowers with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives to achieve depth and texture. The resulting image comes to life and is loaded with color and movement.

For information on my Texas hill country landscape paintings, please check out NikiGulley.com,

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her palette knife contemporary impressionistic landscape paintings.

Lake Como Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

"Villa with a View" ©2018 Niki Gulley 

SOLD • 12" x 9" oil painting

Cinque Terre and Lake Como Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Day 6, afternoon location: Villa Babianello

Just Sold! In the afternoon, we visited the impressive Villa Babianello, made famous in both the James Bond and Star Wars films. It lives up to its reputation, perched atop lush formal gardens with a gorgeous scenic overlook of the water. After such beautiful views of the lake that day, we treated ourselves to an elegant dinner with another breathtaking panorama of Lake Como below. Dinner was amazing with red pepper prawn soup, scallops in pumpkin risotto, caprese salad and delicious wine to wash it down!

If you're interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. 

Spaces are filling up quickly, so don't wait!

Vermont Fall Foliage - Oct. 2018

Spain - May 2019

Ireland Foodie Trek - Aug. 2019

Scotland Art Trek - Aug. 2019

For more information on upcoming Art Treks, please visit http://www.arttreks.org

***

E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions.

To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.

New "Sunny Greetings" Palette Knife Sunflower Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“Sunny Greetings" ©2018 Niki Gulley

30" x 48" textured mixed media painting on wrap around canvas

Festive blossoms dance in the gentle breeze, filling this field with sweet fragrance.  Voluminous clouds drift by overhead as sun's late light casts its golden glow. This textured oil painting captures a carefree summer day with sunflowers overflowing the foreground, filling up the landscape with color, texture and joy.

For more information on textured sunflower and floral paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at: nikigulley.com.

"Ruby Smiles" Palette Knife Poppy Painting by Niki Gulley

"Ruby Smiles" ©2018 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 10" x 16" textured oil painting

Just Sold! I painted these cheerful poppies with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives to achieve depth and texture. The resulting image comes to life and is loaded with uplifting color, energy and movement.

To see more of Niki Gulley's textured floral paintings, please check out NikiGulley.com,

Or, e-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Visiting Montepulciano and Wine Tasting in Tuscany with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

SOLD • 12" x 9" oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 2:  TUSCANY ART TREK - Montepulciano

Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Just Sold! On the second day of our Tuscany Art Trek, we set up our easels at a scenic overlook in Montepulciano while the photographers went exploring. The view of the valley below is gorgeous with miles of olive groves and vineyards stretching to the horizon. I chose to paint the blue-domed duomo below set amid the rolling hills and perfectly planted rows about to be harvested. In the afternoon, we visited two wineries and sampled some amazing red wines and the region's prized Vin Santo. Another fantastic day in Tuscany!

If you'd like to join us on one of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops or Foodie Treks, please let me know. Check out ArtTreks.org for details.

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.

***

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

Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley Receives "Best in Show"

©2018 Niki Gulley • textured oil paintings

I'm so excited and honored to have received "Best in Show" at Webster Groves Art Fair this summer!

In my work I strive to capture the vibrant energy and intrinsic beauty of our natural surroundings so as to uplift one's spirits and suggest childlike wonder. In order to achieve the desired mood for my work, I combine an impressionistic flair for painting with a sculptor-like technique by applying paint thickly using palette knives, thereby creating multi-dimensional images. The resulting style achieves a richness of depth that explodes with color, flows with light, and evokes an emotional response. By utilizing vivid hues and contrasting the play of light and shadow to create drama, my broad energetic strokes add to a sense of vitality and motion, bringing my landscapes to life.  

For more information on contemporary impressionistic palette knife paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at: nikigulley.com.

New "Sunny Horizon" Palette Knife Sunflower Painting by Niki Gulley

“Sunny Horizon" ©2018 Niki Gulley

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

Inspired by a trip through the Midwest, I was filled with joy seeing this solid field of gold! At the same time, the clouds above were so voluminous and dramatic that I had to recreate the scene. The horizon stretches out before us as festive blossoms dance in the early evening glow. Leaving my strokes loose and free and working with palette knife to create volume and texture, all add to the energy of the painting. I hope you, too, can feel the peace and happiness of being surrounded by nature in all of its glory, staring into the clouds while soaking in the moment.

For more information on textured sunflower and poppy paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at: nikigulley.com.

"Fall Carnival" Palette Knife Aspen Tree Oil Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

Fall Carnival ©2018 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 30" x 40" textured oil painting on gallery wrap canvas

Just Sold! Painted with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives so that this canvas is loaded with texture and bursting with color, flickering autumn leaves seem to almost dance in a gentle breeze. I wanted this landscape to be filled with movement and vivacity, so I incorporated a lot of diagonal and curving shapes in the design to suggest that feeling. Contrasting short staccato strokes against blended passages with my palette knives, also increase that sense of motion. One zig zag passage of crimson foliage creates a focal point in the tangle of leaves and turnks while adding energy to the scene. I hope you, too, can feel the excitement of walking through the woods on a beautiful fall day, letting your cares slip away and your spirit being invigorated.

To see more of my contemporary impressionistic landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my palette knife aspen tree and birch paintings.

"Reflective Radiance" textured oil painting of Monet's Garden by Niki Gulley

"Reflective Radiance" ©2018 Niki Gulley

Two 48" x 18" canvases with one 48" x 30" canvas in the middle to form a 48" x 66" triptych

Textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

I decided it would be a fun challenge to create an extremely large painting, and I wanted the final piece to be very uplifting, colorful and full of energy. Opting for warm colors and working with extremely thick paint and palette knives, I chose this lily pond reference from our visit to Monet's Gardens in Giverny, France. The grounds were breathtaking and I could actually see his paintings come to life. I was drawn to the energetic flow and yet calming serenity in this view, and I positioned the water lilies and my paint strokes in a curving pattern to add to that mood. The morning light peeking through the distant foliage added to a sense of mystery and promise that I wanted to capture in paint, and share with you that feeling of hope.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Visit NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.

"X Marks the Spot" Fall Foliage Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

"X Marks the Spot" ©2018 by Niki Gulley

SOLD • 16" x 20" original textured oil painting

Just Sold! I painted this piece on location when the fall colors were starting to peak in all of their glory.  I was drawn to how the autumn leaves glowed when back lit by the sun and the water’s surface reflected brilliantly where the light raked across it. Off in the distance, two trees criss crossed almost like they were marking this spot for me to paint! There was a peacefulness created by the rhythmic sounds of the trickling water, and I hope you are transported to this place where all of your cares drift away.

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her aspen and birch tree palette knife paintings.

"Autumn Serenade II" Palette Knife Aspen Tree Painting by Niki Gulley

"Autumn Serenade II" ©2018 by Niki Gulley

30" x 40" original textured oil painting

Flickering autumn leaves seem to almost dance in a gentle breeze. I wanted this scene to be filled with movement and energy, so I incorporated a lot of diagonal and curving shapes in the design to suggest that feeling. Contrasting short staccato strokes against blended passages with my palette knives, also increase that sense of motion. I hope you, too, can feel the excitement of walking through the woods on a beautiful fall day, letting your cares slip away and your spirit being invigorated.

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her aspen and birch tree palette knife paintings.

Painting and Photographing Don Quixote's Windmills with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Day 2 - La Mancha, Spain: Andalusia Art Trek

SOLD • 9" x 12" textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Just Sold! After a day and half in Toledo, we headed to La Mancha, following in Don Quixote's footsteps. Larger than life and perched on this steep cliff overlooking the surrounding farmland, everyone had a great time trying to capture the giants on canvas or film. After finishing, we drove onto our next destination, Granada, and checked into our hotel. That evening we dined on an 18 course authentic Andalusian dinner while our host taught us all about Spanish foods, customs, wines and sherries. Another fun-filled day and a great way to end the evening!

Painting windmills in La Mancha

Next summer we will be leading three different Art Treks to Spain, England and Ireland. So if you've always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing trips! See details at ArtTreks.org.

Please check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist landscape oil paintings.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Winter Aspen Tree Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

“Climbing Trees” ©2018 Niki Gulley

40” x 30” oil on canvas

Growing up in the midwest, I loved the first snowfall of the year when everything would get a beautiful dusting of pristine white powder, including even the tiniest of branches in the treetops above. If you caught that moment early enough in the morning before anything had disturbed the intricate frosted web, it was just magical. Then the sun would start rising and peeking through the limbs, and everything would sparkle like diamonds. In Climbing Trees, I wanted to capture that beautiful moment when the sunlight dances through the icing on the treetops and you can feel yourself looking up in wonderment just like you did when you were a kid.

***

E-mail - Niki Gulley for more information on Climbing Trees.

To see more of Niki Gulley's Palette knife birch and aspen tree paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.

"Embrace" textured birch oil painting by Niki Gulley

"Embrace" ©2018 Niki Gulley

SOLD • textured oil painting • 36" x 36" on wrap around canvas

Just Sold! I like to play with blurring the lines between realism and abstraction so that some things are left up to the viewer’s imagination. In the case of “Embrace,” I chose this unusual, asymmetrical heart-shaped composition and teased your eye with foreground and background emerging and disappearing to create a more abstract scene. Choosing fiery reds contrasted against turquoise blues cause the colors to dance and vibrate. While diagonal strokes and a circular composition combined with the vibrant hues, create a sense of energy, movement and harmony. Using all of these elements, I wanted to create an uplifting, whimsical, passionate painting filled with youthful hope and discovery.

To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.

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