New Autumn Palette Knife Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“Exploring the Woods II" ©2016 Niki Gulley

12" x 18" textured oil painting

I created "Exploring the Woods II" on another beautiful day this fall at one of my favorite painting spots near our home. The kaleidoscope of autumn colors was ablaze, and I was attracted to the dappled light sneaking through small gaps in the forested canopy, illuminating the winding path and brilliant grasses below. Playing off of the diagonal shadows on the ground and the zig zag arrangement of the trunks, I feel like the patterns create a kind of rhythm, adding to the sounds in the woods in this canvas. Painted with palette knife and thick oil paint, this landscape is filled with color, movement and energy!

If you'd like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops, please let me know. This year's upcoming Art Trek to Spain is full, but we are taking reservations for the following year to Tuscany, England and Ireland. 
For more details, e-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

For more information on my textured contemporary landscape paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at: nikigulley.com.

New "Exploring the Woods" Palette Knife Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“Exploring the Woods" ©2016 Niki Gulley

12" x 18" textured oil painting

I painted "Exploring the Woods" on a beautiful fall day at one of my favorite spots near our home. The brilliant gold and tangerine leaves were glowing from the sun backlighting them, and the gnarly tree trunks were forming an intricate web that I just had to capture. Painted with palette knife and thick oil paint, this landscape is filled with color, movement and energy!

If you'd like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops, please let me know. This year's upcoming Art Trek to Spain is full, but we are taking reservations for the following year to Tuscany, England and Ireland. 
For more details, e-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

For more information on my textured contemporary landscape paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at: nikigulley.com.

New "Paradise Found" Palette Knife Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

"Paradise Found” ©2016 Niki Gulley

40" x 30"” textured oil painting

Dreaming of sitting on the beach watching a beautiful sunset, relaxing under a cool ocean breeze and listening to the cathartic sound of the ocean lapping against the shore, I hope Paradise Found transports you to a carefree time and place.

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.

"Purple Climbers" Plein Air oil painting by Niki Gulley

Purple Climbers ©2013 Niki Gulley

10" x 12" textured oil painting

Painted en plein air with thick oil paint and palette knife - a gorgeous day at the Dallas Arboretum!

If you'd like to join us on one of our upcoming European Art Treks, please let me know. Closer to home I'll be leading a Plein Air Painting Workshop sponsored through the Good Art Company gallery in Fredericksburg, TX, April 5-7 and this afternoon at the Dallas Arboretum.

ArtTreks
Tuscany, Italy - Sept. 6-14, 2013
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy - Sept. 13-22, 2013
Provence, France - June 2014
Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
For more details, E-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Plein Air Painting in the Texas Hill Country
During bluebonnet and wildflower season!

April 5-7, 2013

http://goodartcompany.com/gacart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=39_47&products_id=215

These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

***

www.NikiGulley.com

Last Day Venice Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Venice ©2013 Niki Gulley

8" x 10" oil painting

On the last day of our Venice Art Trek, St. Mark's Square was packed with tourists and people dressed up in costumes for Carnivalé which we loved seeing, but we were hoping to find a quieter spot to paint. So we left the photographers and headed back into the local neighborhoods where it was very peaceful and picturesque. I liked the ornamentation on this bridge and the way the light danced across the water and the under side of the structure.

If you'd like to join us on one of our upcoming European Art Treks, please let me know. Closer to home I'll be leading a Plein Air Painting Workshop sponsored through the Good Art Company gallery in Fredericksburg, TX, April 5-7.

ArtTreks
Tuscany, Italy - Sept. 6-14, 2013
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy - Sept. 13-22, 2013
Provence, France - June 2014
Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
For more details, E-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Plein Air Painting in the Texas Hill Country
During bluebonnet and wildflower season!

April 5-7, 2013

http://goodartcompany.com/gacart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=39_47&products_id=215

These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

***

www.NikiGulley.com

New Indian Paintbrush painting by Niki Gulley

"Texas Treats" ©2012 Niki Gulley

12" x 12" textured mixed media on canvas

I painted these Indian Paintbrush with extremely thick paint and palette knives to achieve depth and texture. The resulting image comes to life and is loaded with color and energy. In this wildflower series, I've painted the scene around the edges of the canvas on 1 and 1/2" deep stretcher bars so that the painting can be hung without a frame for a unique sculptural effect.

If you are interested in more information, e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of Niki Gulley's Texas inspired paintings or 

to find out about her upcoming workshop schedule, 

please check out 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.

Plein Air Painting at the Dallas Arboretum with Niki Gulley

Purple Clematis, 8" x 10" oil painting by Niki Gulley

Morning Location: the Dallas Arboretum, Poetry Garden

On the first morning of the Plein Air Painting Workshop I taught at the Dallas Arboretum last weekend, we found one of the most quiet locations we could on such a busy, beautiful morning at the Arboretum. While a little chilly at the start of the day, it quickly warmed up to a beautiful 68 degrees. The gardens were in full fall bloom, and it was difficult to narrow down just a single subject to paint, but each painter picked out something that spoke to them – from a single flower, to a sun-lit path framed by trees, to the architecture in the private garden or a quiet bench framed by flowering pots.

So that my students wouldn't miss out on the morning light, I started a quick demo that I had sketched out the previous day of these clematis. To save time, I had also laid out my palette colors, working with water-soluble oil paints, the night before and stored them in the freezer to keep them from drying out. Pre-mixing some of the purple values in the flowers, the greens of the leaves, and the stucco colors in the background so that I could just paint, and not have to stop and mix colors in the process, I quickly laid in a thin coat of the stucco wall and shadow colors so they could be drying.

Then, I established the darks in the flowers with brush and came on top with lighter colors and palette knife to give the flowers dimension. Normally I would work around the whole canvas, but with plein air painting, your time is so short between when your light changes, that at this stage, I went ahead and finish out the details in my focal point, the two main clematis. Lastly, if there is time left, I finish up the painting, in this case adding leaves, vines, and thick painter to the stucco wall to suggest the sun reflecting off its surface. At this point, it's best to stop and not overwork the spontaneity of the sketch - you can always go back and tweak things back in the studio later.

Check out some of my students' morning paintings. Even though we were set up within 20 feet of each other, I love how each painter sees things differently.

If you'd like more information about my upcoming workshops in the US and Europe, visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13.

Or, to see more of my local Dallas and travel paintings, please stop by the Bath House Cultural Center, for my last show of the year, Nov. 18th - 20th. dallasculture.org/bathhouseculturecenter/index.asp

E-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com.

NikiGulley.com

Rhythmic Waters oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Rhythmic Waters V” ©2010 Niki Gulley

12” x 12” oil on canvas

I created this ocean scene with palette knife and extremely thick oil paint to achieve texture and suggest the energy found in nature. I wanted to capture the movement and sounds of the ocean waves crashing against each other. The image is painted around the sides of the 1.5 inch deep gallery wrap canvas so that it looks three-dimensional and can be hung as is without a frame for a contemporary look. These chunky ocean paintings look great in pairs, threes and fours.

To see my “Rhythmic Waters” series in person, stop by my booth at the Art Street Green Bay art show this weekend in Green Bay, WI. For more information on the show, go to artseventsinc.com/artstreet.

If you'd like to learn how to create loose, vibrant paintings join us this fall in my Adult Art Classes in Dallas. Registration is open and classes fill up quickly, so visit NikiGulley.com

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

NikiGulley.com

New Hibiscus painting by Niki Gulley

“Rhapsody in Bloom” ©2010 Niki Gulley

12” x 12” acrylic on canvas

Created with extremely thick paint and mediums, applied with palette knives to achieve extreme texture and vibrant colors filled with life and energy. The image is painted around the sides of the 1.5 inch deep gallery wrap canvas so that it looks three-dimensional and can be hung as is without a frame for a contemporary look or with a floater frame for a more traditional decor. These chunky floral paintings look great in pairs and threes.

To see my “Rhapsody in Bloom” paintings in person, visit my booth #355 at the Gold Coast Art Show in Chicago, IL this weekend. For more information on the show, go to amdurproductions.com/f-goldcoast-public.html.

Or, if you’d like to learn how to paint vibrant florals, join me this fall in my Adult Art Classes. Thanks to the overwhelming response to my Tuesday session, I am adding two more classes on Wednesdays. If you’re interested in joining us, visit my website at NikiGulley.com for more information,

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

Adult Art Classes with Niki Gulley

“Peaceful Harbor” ©2010 Niki Gulley

24” x 36” oil on canvas

Out of the 16 countries that I’ve visited, Lake Como, Italy is definitely one of my favorites places in the world. When we stepped off the train and wandered down to the water’s edge, my eyes started filling with tears being overwhelmed by the stunning scenery. Between the beautiful, peaceful lake, the awesome snow-capped alps in the distance, and the brightly colored stacked houses, we relished every minute we spent in this sleepy Lake Como town.

To see “Peaceful Harbor” in person along with my other most recent paintings, visit my booth #355 at the Gold Coast Art Show in Chicago, IL this weekend. For more information on the show, go to amdurproductions.com/f-goldcoast-public.html.

Or, if you’d like to learn how to paint luscious landscapes, join me this fall in my

Adult Art Classes. Thanks to the overwhelming response to my Tuesday session, I am adding two more classes on Wednesdays. If you’re interested in joining us, visit my website at NikiGulley.com for more information,

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