"Rhythm Reflections" Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

   

  

"Rhythm Reflections" ©2023 Niki Gulley

36" x 60" textured oil painting on canvas

I love being immersed in nature. After living in a city surrounded by concrete and noise, I find being surrounded by mother nature to be extremely cathartic, peaceful and rejuvenating. In Rhythm Reflections, I became fascinated with the mirror reflection on the aspen trees in the water below the horizon line. With the lake surface slightly blurring the individual leaves, patterns started emerging that created a sort of rhythm that I found mesmerizing. Working first with thin drippy paint, and then building up thick layers of oil paint with palette knives to achieve extreme dimension, this painting is loaded with movement, energy and color. Leaving the composition slightly abstracted gives you a chance to form your own contemplative narrative with nature.

For more information or to purchase "Rhythm Reflections," please visit nikigulley.com/rhythm-reflections/.

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

E-mail - Niki Gulley

"Fall Jamboree" Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

  

"Fall Jamboree" ©2023 Niki Gulley

36" x 60" textured oil painting on canvas

I love being immersed in nature. After living in a city surrounded by concrete and noise, I find being surrounded by mother nature to be extremely cathartic, peaceful and rejuvenating. In Fall Jamboree, I wanted to capture those feelings of happiness and tranquility. Working first with thin drippy paint, and then building up thick layers of oil paint with palette knives to achieve extreme dimension, this painting is loaded with movement, energy and color. I hope it lifts your spirits and recharges your batteries while bringing texture, joy and the outdoors inside your home.

To purchase "Fall Jamboree," go to https://www.nikigulley.com/fall-jamboree/.

E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions.

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

"Happy Expressions" Cheerful Sunflower Painting by Niki Gulley

 

"Happy Expressions" ©2023 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 20" x 30" textured mixed media painting on canvas

Just Sold! Painting these sunflowers full-sized helps to bring them to life and hopefully transport you to this happy location! Including surprising pops of vivid reds and purples and turquoises keep your eye moving throughout the scene, seeing new things each time you look at it, and adds to the joyful feeling.

For details on more of contemporary floral and sunflower paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my palette knife landscape paintings.

New Flower Market Painting from France by Impressionist Niki Gulley

  

Aix-en-Provence, France ©2023 Niki Gulley

12" x 12" textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Day 3, Provence Art Trek: Aix-en-Provence

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

Today we checked out of our hotel and headed to Provence's cultural hub and Cezanne's home, Aix-en-Provence. After visiting its famous Cours Mirabeau boulevard, lined with cafés and plane trees, we toured its morning produce and flower market. Buzzing with activity and bursting with color from all of the beautiful flower arrangements, I had to capture the energy and excitement on canvas!

If you'd like to learn how to paint in Europe, please join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks.

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

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E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions about my palette knife travel paintings.

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

New Uplifting Sunflower Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

 

“Happy Expressions III” ©2023 Niki Gulley

20" x 30” textured mixed media painting on wrap around canvas

I wanted this piece to be uplifting and full of color and energy, just like how I feel to be surrounded by a joyful field of sunflowers! Perky, circular faces smile at you as their golden petals dance across the canvas. Painting these blooms full-sized helps to bring them to life and hopefully transport you to this happy location. Including surprising pops of vivid reds, purples and turquoises keep your eye moving throughout the scene, seeing new things each time you look at it, and adds to the jubilant feeling.

E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions about Happy Expressions or my contemporary sunflower and floral paintings.

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

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New Abstract Texas Wildflower Painting by Palette Knife Artist Niki Gulley

“Spring Interlude III" ©2023 Niki Gulley

34" x 34" textured mixed media painting on wrap around canvas

With an aura of mystery, early morning light shimmers over the horizon illuminating the tops of the grasses, bluebonnets and Texas wildflowers, inviting you to take a stroll amongst the gorgeous blooms.  Enjoy the beautiful, cathartic sounds of mother nature as you get lost in the moment.

Leaving the landscape loose and free, your imagination can fill in your own story. Loaded with dreamy layers of paint and thick textured passages, this piece is full of so much energy, movement and joy!

The "Spring Interlude" series is currently exhibiting at the Good Art Company Gallery in Fredericksburg, TX. For more details, please go to goodartcompany.com/gacart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=25&sort=20a&page=1&zenid=417ih04llasuk7pl1h0qhj32k1.

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E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my Texas bluebonnet and wildflower paintings.

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

 

Abstract Bluebonnet Painting by Palette Knife Artist Niki Gulley

   

“Spring Interlude" ©2022 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 34" x 34" textured mixed media painting on wrap around canvas

Sold through the Good Art Company Gallery! With an aura of mystery, early morning light shimmers over the horizon illuminating the tops of the grasses, bluebonnets and Texas wildflowers, inviting you to take a stroll amongst the gorgeous blooms.  Enjoy the beautiful, cathartic sounds of mother nature as you get lost in the moment.

Leaving the landscape loose and free, your imagination can fill in your own story. Loaded with dreamy layers of paint and thick textured passages, this piece is full of so much energy, movement and joy!

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E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my Texas bluebonnet and wildflower paintings.

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

 

"Spring Interlude" Abstract Bluebonnet Painting Series by Niki Gulley

  

“Spring Interlude IV" ©2023 Niki Gulley

34" x 34" textured mixed media painting on wrap around canvas

I wanted to show Texas' spring landscape in a completely different way. With an aura of mystery and the promise of what tomorrow holds, late day light sparkles over the horizon casting its warm glow kissing everything it touches with glimmers of hope. Bluebonnets and colorful wildflowers peek through the dancing golden tangle, leaving the landscape loose and free so that your imagination can tell its story. May you relish the joy in the beauty of nature, bathing in the moment and looking forward to what tomorrow will bring.

This "Spring Interlude" series is currently exhibiting at the Good Art Company Gallery in Fredericksburg, TX. For more details, please go to goodartcompany.com/gacart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=25&sort=20a&page=1&zenid=417ih04llasuk7pl1h0qhj32k1.

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

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

New "Passage of Our Ancestors" Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

     

"Passage of Our Ancestors"  ©2023 Niki Gulley

28" x 16" textured mixed media painting on canvas

In “Passage of Our Ancestors,” I was remembering when we visited the catacombs in Paris. Miles of bones all stacked on top of one another had quite the profound overwhelming effect on me. What if there was a way to flip that underground darkness into a celebration of life and death? Hispanic culture embraces the Day of the Dead, so why couldn’t I see these lives lost in a diffrent light? Sorting through my photos, I was drawn to this section where the heads were arrranged in the shape of the cross. Femurs, tibias, etc. are stacked all around them, which I just hinted at in my painting. Painting the skulls in colorful technicolor starts to flip the narrative to a celebration of these precious souls. But, what I’m really looking forward to is hearing your interpretation.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on "Passage of Our Ancestors."

Or, to see more of my textured palette knife paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.

 

New "Full Circle" Seasons Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

    

"Full Circle"  ©2023 Niki Gulley

30" x 30" textured acrylic painting on circular board

In “Full Circle,” I started thinking about how everything has its life cycle. Trees evolve from season to season, sprouting buds, forming leaves, turning in the fall and eventually dying back in the winter. Time is a constant. In our lives, the idea of time is often in the back or our mind. How long will we be here and how are we going to spend it? So, here I used nature as a metaphor. I arranged the seasons in the pattern of a clock face, representing the cycle of life. Twelve main trunks act like the hours in a day, arranged in a circle as time ticks on. Gazing into the treetops like looking up to the heavens, light shines through as a reassuring beacon of hope and what’s beyond.

E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions about my palette knife fall foliage paintings.

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

 

"Autumn Hideaway" by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

   

"Autumn Hideaway"  ©2022 Niki Gulley

16" x 20" textured oil painting 

After we finished teaching our Art Trek to Vermont, my husband and I stayed another few days to try to capture the gorgeous scenery on canvas and film. This morning, we ventured up to the majestic overlook by the Von Trapp property to capture the spectacular scenery. I loved how this cabin was perfectly tucked into the mountainside surrounded by vibrant fall foliage. The slightly overcast day made the colors pop even more! I hope you, too, can enjoy the crisp autumn air and a peaceful escape from the bustle of city life.

To purchase "Autumn Hideaway," please visit https://www.nikigulley.com/autumn-hideaway/.

E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions about my palette knife fall foliage paintings.

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

 

"Autumn Waves" Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

   

"Autumn Waves"

SOLD • 20" x 30" textured mixed media painting on 1.5" stretched canvas

with painting continuing around the sides

I painted the sketch for this piece in the mountains and found it especially cathartic and peaceful. It was such a joy to be there surrounded by nature's fall glory, that it would lift my spirits every day. I feel so fortunate to be able to do this and I hope that you can feel the joy that I felt when you gaze into autumn's waves of color.

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E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions about my palette knife aspen tree paintings.

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

  

 

"Evolving Seasons" Large Scale Quad Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

  

"Evolving Seasons" ©2023 by Niki Gulley

Four 48" x 36" textured oil painting to form a 48" x 144" quadriptych

I wanted to create a large horizontal quadriptych, or four piece painting, that would flow from one season to the next to show the beauty of the forest throughout the year. Working on such a large scale invites you to step right into the scene and take a walk through the woods, enjoying all of the peace and joy that nature has to offer.

Here you can see all four paintings in a row, flowing from spring to summer and fall to winter. Rather than show the same exact scene at four different times of year, I decided I would rather show one long forest evolving from one season to the next to create a better harmony across the canvases. From the ground gently undulating underneath, to the pine trees flowing from canvas to canvas, to the rhythm created from aspens and oaks repeating, to the foliage and pops of color emerging and drifting into the distance, all elements are designed to add to the flowing symphony in "Evolving Seasons.

To see my "Evolving Seasons" series, please visit the Good Art Company Gallery in Fredericksburg, TX at https://www.goodartcompany.com/niki-gulley.

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For more details on my other aspen and birch paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

"Walk About" Palette Knife Aspen Painting by Niki Gulley

  

       

"Walk About" ©2023 Niki Gulley

12" x 24" textured mixed media painting 

on 1.5" wrap around canvas with the painting continuing around the edges

Follow the deep wood’s path and wander under a canopy of sheltering leaves, light shifts through each branch and twig. Long, late rays of sunlight pierce the dreaming autumn forest, as you enter shadows dapple your journey. You are walking down a loamy path, filled with color-drenched leaves that invite you into the purple shadows where you may seek your dreams. This painting of a tranquil wood’s trail inspires your journey and your dreams with lush colors and rich images of beauty ahead.

If interested in more details or purchasing "Walk About," check out https://www.nikigulley.com/walk-about/.

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

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

 

 

 

"Woodland Adventure" Palette Knife Aspen Tree Painting by Niki Gulley

   

  

"Woodland Adventure" ©2023 Niki Gulley

 18" x 24"" textured oil painting on board

I find being immersed in nature can have such an uplifting effect, and I wanted to share that feeling with you in Woodland Adventure. I chose pure, intense reds and yellows contrasted against autumn greens to create a fall forest that vibrates with color and energy.  I placed the vivid foliage in diagonal sweeping shapes to create a sense of movement, so that you can feel the wind gently rustling the leaves and causing them to dance on a beautiful fall day.

To purchase this highly textured oil painting, go to https://www.nikigulley.com/woodland-adventure/.

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

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

 

"Cacophony" Textured Autumn Aspen Painting Niki Gulley

         

“Cacophony" ©2023 Niki Gulley

30” x 30" textured mixed media painting 

on 1.5" wrap around canvas with the painting continuing around the edges

Enjoying the concert of aspen leaves rustling in the breeze and the beauty of fall ablaze with color, I felt invigorated as I began painting this aspen forest. The setting was so mesmerizing and rejuvenating that I wanted to communicate that joyful feeling of discovery. Filling the canvas with energetic staccato strokes and bold colors, in addition to gently arching the tree trunks reaching towards the sky, all add to that uplifting feeling of being immersed in nature's symphony. 

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For more details and to purchase "Cacophony," visit https://ao5gallery.com/collections/niki-gulley.

For more information on my textured palette knife paintings, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

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

 

"Soaring Dreams II" by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

   

 

"Soaring Dreams II" ©2022 Niki Gulley

SOLD • textured oil painting on canvas • 34" x 34"

In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up into the treetops and heavens above. Choosing uplifting golds and reds contrasted against a lavender-blue sky with gentle clouds drifting by, I've arranged the aspens in a circular pattern to give you a sense of laying on the ground, surrounded by the forest. Using diagonal leading lines with the tree trunks and limbs, your eye gazes into the focal point where all of the elements come together. Meanwhile, utilizing thick, curving paint strokes adds to that joyful, playful feeling of hope and discovery.

To see more of my impressionist palette knife paintings, please visit NikiGulley.com.

If you have any questions about my aspen and birch tree paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.