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

Day 6, Greece Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

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

On the last day of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop in Greece, some folks shopped, some relaxed by the pool, others continued photographing. For our last painting, we just had to paint one of the white churches with its iconic blue dome. Sparkling dappled light danced along the textured ivory stucco, which was so much fun to capture in palette knife. Once again this beautiful sycamore framed the scene and I had to capture its beauty, too.

To cap off the evening, we treated ourselves to a delicious seafood dinner with another gorgeous view of the ocean, catching up with new friends and savoring our last night. A perfect ending to a perfect trip!

Dinner with an amazing view on our last night. 

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Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist paintings.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

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If you've always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing Art Treks! 

Switzerland Art Trek 
July 26 – August 2, 2025
Full

Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek 
September 27 - October 4, 2025
2 Spots Left!

https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

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/

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

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

 

Day 4 - Greece Art Trek:  Imerovigli and Oia

9" x 12" textured acrylic painting by Niki Gulley

On day 4, we visited the town next door. So many interesting white washed buildings with unique shapes framing the beautiful ocean views! Today was definitely a study in whites and greys. It's amazing how even though the buildings look white, when you start really looking and painting them, only a few reflected edges were pure white and everything else was shades of grey. With palette knife, I was able to capture the texture and subtleties in the shading so as to create interest in the rather monochromatic scene. A fantastic learning day for my painters!

Enjoying a delicious lunch, fueling up in between painting and photography sessions!

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If you've always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing Art Treks! 

Switzerland Art Trek 
July 26 – August 2, 2025
Full

Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek 
September 27 - October 4, 2025
2 Spots Left!

https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

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/

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

***

Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist paintings.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

New "Simple Life IV" Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

 

"Simple Life IV" ©2022 Niki Gulley

textured oil paint on canvas • framed in natural wood floater frame • 16" x 20"

My husband and I were on a road trip when we came across a couple of these white house glowing on the horizon. Set among vibrant green gently rolling hills with the intense blue ocean in the distance, something beckoned us to stop. Maybe it was the quiet beauty of the scene, or the nostalgic tug at a simpler life, but we were both moved to capture the moment. To convey that feeling of a less congested life, I accentuated the the basic shapes of the homes against the simple repetive curves of the hills. Meanwhile a few wispy clouds drift by adding to the tranquility of the moment. I hope you are transported to this memory of our past, before modern life got so complicated.

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

E-mail - Niki Gulley

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If you're interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly! For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.

****

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 "Simple Life IV" Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

"Simple Life IV" ©2019 Niki Gulley

textured oil paint on canvas • 16" x 20"

My husband and I were on a road trip when we came across a couple of these white house glowing on the horizon. Set among vibrant green gently rolling hills with the intense blue ocean in the distance, something beckoned us to stop. Maybe it was the quiet beauty of the scene, or the nostalgic tug at a simpler life, but we were both moved to capture the moment. To convey that feeling of a less congested life, I accentuated the the basic shapes of the homes against the simple repetive curves of the hills. Meanwhile a few wispy clouds drift by adding to the tranquility of the moment. I hope you are transported to this memory of our past, before modern life got so complicated.

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

E-mail - Niki Gulley

***

If you're interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to Iceland or Tuscany, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

Iceland - Aug. 2020

Foodie Trek - Tuscany - Oct. 2020

Paris - May 2021

Portugal - Sept. 2021

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

****

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 "Simple Life II" Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

"Simple Life II" ©2019 Niki Gulley

textured oil paint on canvas • 16" x 20"

My husband and I were on a road trip when we came across a couple of these white house glowing on the horizon. Set amongst vibrant green gently rolling hills with the intense blue ocean in the distance, something beckoned us to stop. Maybe it was the quiet beauty of the scene, or the nostalgic tug at a simpler life, but we were both moved to capture the moment. To convey that feeling of a less congested life, I accentuarted the the basic shapes of the homes against the simple repetive curves of the hills. Meanwhile a few wispy clouds drift by adding to the tranquility of the moment. I hope you are transported to this memory of our past, before modern life got so complicated.

***

If you're interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to Iceland or Tuscany, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

Iceland - Aug. 2020

Foodie Trek - Tuscany - Oct. 2020

Paris - May 2021

Portugal - Sept. 2021

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

****

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.

"Painting Outside the Lines" Workshop with Niki Gulley

"Heightened Awareness” ©2012 Niki Gulley

Sold • 48” x 36” textured oil on canvas

Just Sold at the Good Art Company! In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing vibrant, cheerful yellows contrasted against a crystal blue sky and arranging the aspens in a circular pattern heightened by thick, curving paint strokes, both add to that joyful, playful feeling of hope and discovery.

If you would like to paint with more freedom, color and energy in your work, join me on Nov. 2nd - 4th when I'll be teaching a "Painting Outside the Lines" workshop sponsored by the Good Art Company in Fredericksburg, TX. For more information, visit goodartcompany.com/gacart/index.php?.

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If you'd like more information about my upcoming workshops in the US and Europe, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

Or, e-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.

NikiGulley.com

Feb. 18th Painting Workshop with Niki Gulley

“Turquoise Vortex” ©2012 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 30” x 30” textured oil on canvas

Growing up in Chicago, our brutally cold winters would feel like they lasted forever so my family tried to vacation along our tropical coasts whenever possible. I loved this week we spent together – the cathartic rhythm of the ocean waves lapping against the shore as dad and I tried to ride each crest as close to the beach as possible, feeling the cool sand squish between my toes and fingers while building sand castles together, and enjoying the peacefulness at sunset as the gorgeous fireball dropped down from the sky and cast diamond-like reflections across the ocean’s surface.

If you'd like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I'm teaching on "Loosening Up," at my studio in Dallas, TX. See nikigulley.com/art-classes for more details and to register.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

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

"Vertical Aspirations" textured aspen oil painting by NIki Gulley

“Vertical Aspirations” ©2012 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 48” x 36” textured oil painting

In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing vibrant, cheerful yellows and reds contrasted against a deep violet sky and arranging the aspens in a circular pattern heightened by thick, curving paint strokes, all add to that joyful, playful feeling of hope and discovery.

If you'd like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I'm teaching on "Loosening Up." 

"Loosening Up" Painting Workshop

Feb. 18 and / or Feb. 19

Dallas, TX

See nikigulley.com/art-classes for details and to register.

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If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

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

Tuscany Painting Workshop with Niki Gulley

"Under the Tuscan Sun" ©2010 Niki Gulley

24" x 36" pastel

After my husband, Scott Williams, and I finished teaching our painting/photography workshop in Venice last May, we headed south to my next favorite part of Italy, Tuscany. I thoroughly enjoy the beauty of the rolling hills and the peacefulness (especially when compared to Venice) in this region. On this night, we lucked out with a gorgeous sunset, so we pulled over to capture the exploding colors in the sky behind this typical Tuscan stone farmhouse. When I finished the painting, I thought it needed a little more warmth, so I turned a light on in the villa and that provided the life I was looking for!

If you'd like to join us in picturesque Tuscany this September for our next Painting & Photography Workshop,

e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com,

Or visit my website at nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13.

Color Explosion Workshop with Niki Gulley

"Afternoon in Taos" by Niki Gulley
14" x 11" oil painting • SOLD

I just finished teaching my Color Explosion workshop and it turned out great! Here is one of the paintings I completed, which demonstrated one of the color schemes we talked about – how two sets of complementary colors work together. Starting with a black and white photo so that I could invent my own colors and not to be married to my photographic reference, I selected orange and blue for my dominant colors to suggest later afternoon sun on the adobe building and adding to a sense of it glowing in the sun. For my second pair of complimentary colors, I chose red and green for the hollyhocks, giving the overall scene a warm, summery feel.

To see more paintings, visit my website at NikiGulley.com

Or e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

Venice Painting Workshop

Venice oil painting • 10" x 8" • by Niki Gulley • SOLD

This is one of my favorite paintings I completed during our Venice workshop last spring. I found us the perfect quiet spot to paint with almost no onlookers, however it turned out to be a major thoroughfare for the gondolas. We were serenaded the whole time by various baritone gondolier voices breaking into "Amoré" and curious passengers craning to see what we were painting. It only added to the ambience!

Once I blocked in the background of this piece I started painting the gondola, which was quite a challenge since they didn't stay still for more than a few seconds. Luckily there was a constant stream of boats so if I waited a little bit, another one would come floating into the scene. Painting moving gondoliers also proved to be difficult, and I was struggling with his hair when right at that moment, a new driver came into view with this great hat and navy scarf wrapped around it. Voilà! Problem solved.

If you'd like to join us for our next painting / photography adventure in Venice this May, e-mail me Niki@NikiGulley.com. There are only 2 days left to sign up for this amazing workshop!

Visit NikiGulley.com for more information.

Tuscany Painting by Niki Gulley

12" x 12" oil painting • Tuscany • by Niki Gulley

The NLAPW invited me to demonstrate my technique and approach to oil painting this weekend. With only 30 minutes for the demo, I thought about what I could actually paint that quickly when it usually takes me a lot longer to finish an oil painting in the studio or on location, and often times I have to complete the final layers a couple of days later when the earlier paint has dried. So I thought if I stuck with a small canvas, started with squeezing out more paint that I'd need, premixing my colors, having the underpainting and drawing completed, and stuck with a subject I was familiar with, I could accomplish enough for the group to take away a nugget or two of information.

Having visited Tuscany a couple of times and painted numerous scenes plein air and from photos and memories, I chose this Tuscan landscape with the lone clump of cypress. I love the rolling hills, wildflowers in the foreground, and especially that bizarre grouping of trees in the distance. Why are they planted that way? How come they are the only trees for a mile around? The site intrigues me, so I was excited about sharing it with the group. Thank you for having me as your guest, ladies! I hope you enjoyed the demo.

For more information about my paintings from Italy or about upcoming painting/photography workshops in Tuscany and Venice, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

Details are soon to come on my website, www.nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13.

Painting Venice with Niki Gulley

"Afterglow," Venice, Italy by Niki Gulley

14" x 11" pastel

As we're approaching the deadline for our plein air painting and photography workshop that my husband and I are teaching in Venice this May, I'm getting more and more excited about the trip. Venice is such a fascinating place with its architecture being 100s of years old, and the only modes of transportation being by foot or boat, that it really feels like you've stepped back in time. It's difficult not to see a painting opportunity around every corner.

In "Afterglow" I wanted to capture the beautiful sunset that night over the main lagoon. The buildings in the background were kind of hazy with the sun setting, and the gondolas in front of me had just finished dropping off then final love-struck passengers and were being put away for the night. I felt like I could be in the middle of one of Claude Monet's paintings!

If interested in other paintings from Venice or in more information about our upcoming workshops in Italy, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com or visit NikiGulley.com. Jan. 30th is the cut off for the Venetian workshop, and space is limited to only 12 participants, so sign up today and join us for this amazing opportunity!