Painting on Location in North Carolina with Impressionist Niki Gulley

  

"Nature's Curves" ©2026 Niki Gulley

12" x 9" textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Painted on location in Western North Carolina, I fell in love with this gorgeous tree. Gnarly, voluminous and full of curves, it almost reminded me a beautiful Rubinesque figure! Dappled light illuminated its shape, bringing dimension to life, which I had fun capturing with layers of textured paint and my palette knife. Arching over the river, she greets you with much needed shade for respite on this warm, summer day.

For details on more of wildflower or North Carolina paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

 

Painting on Location in North Carolina with Impressionist Niki Gulley

  

"Nature's Curves" ©2025 Niki Gulley

12" x 9" textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Painted on location in Western North Carolina, I fell in love with this gorgeous tree. Gnarly, voluminous and full of curves, it almost reminded me a beautiful Rubinesque figure! Dappled light illuminated its shape, bringing dimension to life, which I had fun capturing with layers of textured paint and my palette knife. Arching over the river, she greets you with much needed shade for respite on this warm, summer day.

For details on more of wildflower or North Carolina paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

 

New "Freedom II" Palette Knife Oil Painting by Niki Gulley

“Freedom II" ©2019 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 20" x 30" textured oil painting

Just Delivered! I was recently asked to create this whimsical girl on the swing for a commission by someone who had scene a similar painting of a little boy that I had painted hanging in one of my collector's homes. I was so thrilled to paint this for her! Filled with joy and movement, I hope "Freedom II" captures the spirit of swinging from sturdy branches on a lazy summer day. Using swirling shapes and strokes, in addition to the circular composition, all help to create the energy of the moment while fun pops of color add to the excitement. Life-size bare feet swing toward you adding to the fun of the moment. Set against rolling hills with home in the distance, you can fly high and soar on a dream.

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

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com.

New "Freedom" Palette Knife Oil Painting by Niki Gulley

“Freedom" ©2016 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 24" x 48" textured mixed media painting on wrap around canvas

Just Sold! Filled with whimsy and movement, I hope "Freedom" captures the joy of swinging from sturdy branches on a lazy summer day. Using swirling shapes and strokes, in addition to the circular composition, all help to create the energy of the moment while fun pops of color add to the excitement. Life-size bare feet swing toward you adding to the fun of the moment. Set against rolling hills with home in the distance, you can fly high and soar on a dream.

If you are interested in a canvas print of "Freedom," please e-mail me for details.

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

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com.

New "Momentum" Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

“Momentum" ©2016 Niki Gulley

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

Remember the days of running through piles of raked leaves, hearing the sounds of soft crunching underfoot as leaves go flying all around? A beautiful kaleidoscope of reds, golds and oranges on a crisp fall day! I painted Momentum to bring back those memories of a carefree time and place, when life was simple and playing with friends and siblings was the highlight of your day. Painted with thick oil paint and palette knives, I've left staccato strokes and diagonal lines to add to the feeling of motion, joy and energy while the three dimensionality of the paint, bring the scene to life.

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

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com.

Just Sold - "Branching Out" New Textured Palette Knife Barn painting by Niki Gulley

“Branching Out” ©2013 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 18" x 24” textured oil painting

Having grown up in Chicago, my husband and I return to the Midwest every summer, driving through miles of farmland between Texas and Illinois. While sometimes stark, I also find a peacefulness in the wide open countryside, a nostalgic tug on a simpler time from my childhood, and a fascination with the rustic beauty of each barn. I find it inspiring that so many of the structures were built by the farmers themselves from nearby trees, cut down and fashioned by hand. Each one has its unique personality, both pragmatic and aesthetic, a symbol that's stood the test of time despite a disappearing way of life. In "Branching Out," I wanted to juxtapose this sturdy oak framing an iconic red barn in the background, inviting you to climb its branches and relive childhood memories.

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

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

New Plein Air Painting from the Dallas Arboretum by Niki Gulley

“Water Wall," Dallas Arboretum ©2013 Niki Gulley

9" x 12" Plein Air Oil Painting

I painted this oil of the "Water Wall" at the Dallas Arboretum a couple of weeks ago as part of my demonstration during my plein-air painting workshop. I loved the golden light hitting the stucco and the interesting shadows that were created from the trellis above. Working with a combination of brush and palette knife, the final painting is full of color and texture.

If you'd like to join me for one of our Plein Air Painting / Photography Art Trek Workshops in Europe, please let me know and I can send you a brochure. Upcoming trips include Carnival in Venice, Paris, Provence during lavender season, Tuscany and Cinque Terre/ Lake Como, Italy. For more details, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

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

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

"Branching Out" New Textured Palette Knife Barn painting by Niki Gulley

“Branching Out” ©2013 Niki Gulley

18" x 24” textured oil painting

Having grown up in Chicago, my husband and I return to the Midwest every summer, driving through miles of farmland between Texas and Illinois. While sometimes stark, I also find a peacefulness in the wide open countryside, a nostalgic tug on a simpler time from my childhood, and a fascination with the rustic beauty of each barn. I find it inspiring that so many of the structures were built by the farmers themselves from nearby trees, cut down and fashioned by hand. Each one has its unique personality, both pragmatic and aesthetic, a symbol that's stood the test of time despite a disappearing way of life. In "Branching Out," I wanted to juxtapose this sturdy oak framing an iconic red barn in the background, inviting you to climb its branches and relive childhood memories.

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

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

"Fire and Gold" Contemporary birch oil painting by Niki Gulley

"Fire and Gold" ©2012 Niki Gulley

oil on canvas • 36" x 48"

I love the first signs of fall – the crisp feel in the air, the crunching of leaves underfoot, the beautiful autumn colors, and being totally immersed in nature in the middle of a forest without a care in the world. In Fire and Gold I wanted to recreate that joyful feeling, choosing warm reds and yellows of autumn and using energetic strokes with my paint to heighten that mood. Building up first thin transparent layers and then thick textured layers of oil paint also add to a certain glow and magic in the final piece.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

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

Passage of Illumination by Niki Gulley

“Passage of Illumination” ©2011 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 48” x 60” textured oil on canvas

Just Sold! Wander down this path that beckons you and lift your eyes heavenward to that cobalt vault lined by a rainbow of vivid greens and golds and gleaming crimson, purposely choosing these warm vibrant colors to suggest a hopeful future. Like an ancient chorus these joyful trees sing with dazzling colors, a call and respond to each other across the enticing path that traces verses of light and dark, hue and color, an alluring siren song leading you into the depths of this radiant, vanishing horizon. A painting rich in color and light, joy and energy its double bowed composition gently leads gently you into this magical, blissful destination.

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

"Kaleidoscope of Dreams" - Large aspen tree painting by Niki Gulley

"Kaleidoscope of Dreams" ©2012 by Niki Gulley

textured oil painting
Four 36" x 36" canvases to form a 72" x 72" quadriptych

In this painting, I wanted you to feel like a little kid again – laying on the ground and staring up into the treetops without a care in the world. I hope you experience the joy of being surrounded by nature and the beauty in this autumn kaleidoscope of colors.

If you are in Madison, WI this weekend, please stop by my booth at Art Fair on the Square to see more of my textured birch and aspen tree paintings.

Art Fair on the Square

Sat. July 14 • 9am – 6pm

Sun. July 15 • 10am – 5pm

Madison, WI • 227 State. St.

Booth # 826, 828

on Mifflin St. between State St. and Wisconsin Ave.

mmoca.org

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Passage of Illumination oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Passage of Illumination” ©2011 Niki Gulley

48” x 60” textured oil on canvas

Wander down this path that beckons you and lift your eyes heavenward to that cobalt vault lined by a rainbow of vivid greens and golds and gleaming crimson, purposely choosing these warm vibrant colors to suggest a hopeful future. Like an ancient chorus these joyful trees sing with dazzling colors, a call and respond to each other across the enticing path that traces verses of light and dark, hue and color, an alluring siren song leading you into the depths of this radiant, vanishing horizon. A painting rich in color and light, joy and energy its double bowed composition gently leads gently you into this magical, blissful destination.

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

"Aqua Dreams" textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Aqua Dreams” ©2011 Niki Gulley

36” x 60” textured oil on canvas

When we arrived at this tranquil spot, the early morning light was very cool in color, but as the sun began to rise from the horizon, it shone this beautiful warm light that shimmered on the water’s surface and cast its hope of what was to come from the brand new day. I remember the peacefulness I felt in that moment, and a sense that anything was possible. In Aqua Dreams, by showing the contrast in the cool aqua/blues in the foreground waters against the warm golden glow on the distant pond’s edge, I wanted to share that feeling of hope and promise communicated by nature.

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

Or, to see more of her artwork, go to NikiGulley.com.

Chicago Skyline commission by Niki Gulley

SOLD • 20" x 30" pastel by Niki Gulley

Just completed – a commissioned pastel of the Chicago skyline, seen from the city cruise on Lake Michigan as the sun is setting and causing the water to sparkle.

If you're interested in commissioning a painting of a special location or memory, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley for more information on my contemporary landscape paintings.

See NikiGulley.com

Sunflower Field oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Harvesting Sunshine” ©2011 Niki Gullley

SOLD • Oil Painting 30” x 48”

Painted with extremely thick oil paint & palette knife, I love how these sunflowers leap off the canvas and are filled with energy.

If you’d like to see more of my textured oil paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

Or, e-mail Niki Gulley for more information.