Plein Air Painting in Santa Fe, New Mexico with Niki Gulley

"Rio Chama" ©2012 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 9" x 12" textured oil

Santa Fe is the muse of many famous artists and photographers, and that could be you, too! Join us for our Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop this August in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We will transport you to different picturesque locations, where you will be painting and (or) photographing scenes that inspired Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams. Santa Fe offers breathtaking vistas; sunny, dry weather, world class restaurants, galleries and shopping ensconced in a charming, 400 year old Spanish Colonial city that welcomes the new and exciting and never grows old. This is a not to be missed workshop in “The Land of Enchantment.” 

Santa Fe Art Trek
Plein Air Painting and/or photography workshop taught by Scott Williams and Niki Gulley
Santa Fe, New Mexico
August 12 -18, 2012
Early discount registration deadline today!
See nikigulley.com/art-classes for more details 
or e-mail Niki Gulley with any questions and to register.

Above: Our students painting this scenic overlook of the Rio Chama from last year's Santa Fe Art Trek.

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To see more of Niki Gulley's textured oil paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

Niki Gulley at the 57th Street Art Fair in Chicago, IL this weekend

"Sun Drenched IV" ©2012 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 36" x 48" textured painting on wrap around canvas

Sun Drenched IV was inspired by our trip to Provence, France last summer. Our timing was perfect and the sunflowers and lavender were in full bloom. While we came across many fields of lavender, we had to search a little harder for sunflowers. Of course that meant sampling more of the local cuisine and wines for much needed fuel as we looked! (My husband likes to say we have to suffer four our art.)

When we eventually came across these sunflowers, I knew immediately they would make a perfect painting. Their bright, smiling faces as big as dinner plates, the sun dappled path leading you deep into the golden field to the quaint stone farmhouse in the distance, and a beautiful summer day with a few peaceful clouds drifting by made for the ideal subject. The resulting painting is so full of color and texture, and my hope is that when you gaze into it, this piece immediately lifts your spirits and brightens up any spot in your home.

If you're in Chicago this weekend, please stop by my booth at the 57th Street Art Fair where I will be exhibiting more of my sunflower and contemporary landscape paintings, or if you're in the Dallas area, American Fine Art will have about a dozen of my works on display.

57th Street Art Festival 

Sat. June 2 • 11am - 6pm

Sun. June 3 • 10am - 5pm

Chicago, IL • on 57th St., between Kenwood and Kimbark Ave.

57thstreetartfair.org

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"Sun Drenched II" textured sunflower painting by Niki Gulley

"Sun Drenched II" ©2012 Niki Gulley

30" x 48" • textured oil on cavan

Inspired by our trip to Provence last summer, I was awestruck by these massive fields of sunflowers blooming. Seeing this brilliant carpet of gold, with its sea of faces smiling towards the sun, just made me feel happy and I wanted you to experience that joy, too. In person “Sun Drenched II” practically leaps off the canvas with its vibrant yellow petals and extremely thick three-dimensional oil paint.

This painting and more of Niki Gulley's textured landscape paintings are on exhibit at American Fine Art Gallery in Dallas. See americanfineart.com for details.

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"Aqua Dreams" textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Aqua Dreams” ©2012 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.

This painting and more of Niki Gulley's textured landscape paintings are on exhibit at American Fine Art Gallery in Dallas. See americanfineart.com for details.

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"Culmination" textured water lily triptych by Niki Gulley

"Culmination" ©2012 Niki Gulley

Three 48" x 30" canvases to form a 48" x 90" triptych

textured mixed media on wrap around canvas

I decided it would be a fun challenge to create an extremely large painting, and I wanted the final piece to be very uplifting, colorful and full of energy. Opting for warm colors and working with extremely thick paint and palette knives, I chose this lily pond reference from our visit to Monet's Gardens in Giverny, France. The grounds were breathtaking and I could actually see his paintings come to life. I was drawn to the energetic flow and yet calming serenity in this view, and I positioned the water lilies and my paint strokes in a circular pattern to add to that mood. The morning light peeking through the distant foliage added to a sense of mystery and promise that I wanted to capture in paint, and share with you that feeling of hope.

This painting and more of Niki Gulley's textured landscape paintings are on exhibit at American Fine Art Gallery in Dallas. See americanfineart.com for details.

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Web - NikiGulley.com • E-mail - Niki Gulley

"Heightened Awareness" textured aspen painting by Niki Gulley

"Heightened Awareness” ©2012 Niki Gulley

48” x 36” textured oil on canvas

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.

This painting, along with several more of Gulley's textured aspen and birch tree paintings are hanging at the Good Art Company in Fredericksburg, TX. Visit goodartcompany.com/gac/ for more details.

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Textured birch oil painting by Niki Gulley

"Passionate Embrace" ©2012 Niki Gulley

textured oil painting • 36" x 36"

I wanted this birch painting to be very colorful and whimsical, like through the eyes of a child looking into the treetops with fascination. Painted with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives, the resulting painting is loaded with color, energy, movement and texture.

This painting, along with several more of my textured aspen and birch tree paintings are hanging at the Good Art Company in Fredericksburg, TX. Visit goodartcompany.com/gac/ for more details.

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Web - NikiGulley.com • E-mail - Niki Gulley