12" x 9" textured oil painting by Niki Gulley
Venice Art Trek - Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Day 2, Doge's Palace and Painting the back canals
On the second 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 I took my painters to one of the back canals in Venice. With it being Carnival, there was a steady stream of gondolas rowing past us. At one point, a live violinist drifted by playing the most beautiful tune that echoed off the buildings. What a magical moment! I tried to capture it on video for you, but it gets lost in the ambient noise. I feel like we were able to capture that feeling in our paintings, though!
Check out the video here: https://www.facebook.com/niki.gulley/videos/925363725488223.
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To see more of my contemporary textured landscape paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.
For more information on my Venice and other travel paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.
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We are excited to announce a new Art Trek for next year, where you will feel like you've stepped into a different time and world, like right out of a movie set. We're elated to be returning to Venice, Italy in February 2026 for the costumed fantasy that occurs during Carnival. We're already about half full, so let us know if you'd like to come along.
And, while our Switzerland Trek is completely booked this month, we actually have 2 spots open in our Tuscany Foodie Trek this coming September. Always everyone's favorite trip, please let us know if you would like to join us on that delicious gastronomic journey!
Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek
September 27 - October 4, 2025
2 Spots Left!
Carnivalé Art Trek - Venice, Italy 2026
Feb. 8-14, 2026
Early Registration Deadline for $600 savings - Aug. 9th
Feb. 8-14, 2026
Early Registration Deadline for $600 savings - Aug. 9th
Tuscany Foodie Trek 2026
September 26 - October 3, 2026
Only 4 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2026/
Cinque Terre & Lake Como, Italy
October 4-11, 2026
Only 6 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/cinque-terre-2026/
If you have any questions or would like to register, please contact Scott at photoguy@blind-squirrel.org or 214-289-8512.
Visit ArtTreks.org for more details on all of our trips.
Check out our review page on TripAdvisor and feel free to leave one of your own.
Visit ArtTreks.org for more details on all of our trips.
Check out our review page on TripAdvisor and feel free to leave one of your own.
