"Climbing Trees" Winter Birch Trees oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Climbing Trees IV” ©2011 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 brief 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 me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information on Climbing Trees.

Or, visit my website at NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary birch and aspen tree oil paintings.

Winter's Passage oil painting by Niki Gulley

"Winter's Passage" ©2011 Niki Gulley

oil on canvas • 20" x 16"

"Winter's Passage" is from one of our rare days in Dallas where everything was covered in ice and even though it was the middle of winter, there was still a warmth to the landscape. So I chose a bold yellow/orange to tone the canvas and to add a glow to the final piece. While painting this White Rock scene, I really liked the contrast between the golden underpainting and the deep indigo blues in the shadows and branches, so I decided to leave the underpainting showing through. The finished painting has such an unusual light and I really love the dramatic mood that resulted.

For more information on this painting, e-mail Niki Gulley

or to see more of my artwork, visit NikiGulley.com.

Crystal Mill, Colorado oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Crystal Mill,” Crystal, Colorado ©2011 Niki Gulley

Oil painting • 14” x 11”

My husband and I absolutely love the scenery in Colorado, so we planned our trip to see the aspens turning color in September, and that just happened to coincide with their earliest snowfall on record! In order to capture both the beautiful foliage and the snow before it melted we hiked as quickly as we could up the mountain, and were rewarded with a gorgeous view. I chose this vantage because I liked how the aspen trees perfectly framed the mill and stream in the distance. Then, the sun emerged and made everything sparkle. The colors came alive and dramatic cool shadows were cast in the snow, and I just had to create the scene in paint.

For more information on this painting, e-mail Niki Gulley or to see more of my artwork, visit NikiGulley.com.

Winter's Calm pastel by Niki Gulley

"Winter's Calm" ©2010 Niki Gulley

pastel • 16" x 20"

This pastel is inspired by one of our rare snowfalls in Dallas. Growing up in Chicago I always loved how pretty and magical the snow was after it first fell, but I really don't miss shoveling since moving to Texas! So in "Winter's Calm," I combined the best of both worlds, capturing the beautiful white powder dusting across the ground and along the lacy intertwining branches above while knowing that the next day it would all be gone, making the moment even more fleeting and special.

If you'd like more information on Winter's Calm, e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or to see more of my pastels and oil paintings, visit my website at NikiGulley.com.