Tag: art classes DFW

“Dancing in the Breeze” Palette Knife Floral Painting by Niki Gulley

March 4, 2015
“Dancing in the Breeze” ©2015 Niki Gulley

10″ x 12″ textured oil painting 


I created this painting of purple Clematis on location at the Dallas Arboretum with palette knife and thick oil paint. It was so peaceful in the Poetry Garden, that it seemed like a perfect place to set up my easel. I liked the contrast of the cool purple in the flowers against the warm light of the textured wall behind them. Accentuating the circular design they were forming along with forming curving paint strokes, adds to a feeling of movement and energy, almost as if the petals are dancing in the breeze.
Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.

Niki Gulley is please to announce the opening of her new studio!!

January 30, 2015

I am super excited to announce the opening of my new studio. After years of working in a confined space, I now have more than enough room to work on several large paintings at a time, to teach my classes and display my artwork. It’s been a dream come true!

The studio is located just a mile south of my previous space, now in the White Rock Lake area.  The room has plenty of natural light, ventilation and easels. You can choose to paint standing or sitting down, whichever you prefer.  My goal is to make my students as comfortable as possible so they can really express themselves in their painting.

Please visit my website for more information about upcoming classes and Art Treks.  I’d love to have you in my next class. Or, drop me an e-mail if you’d like to view some of my most recent paintings and you’re in the DFW area.

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

E-mail – Niki Gulley

 

Plein Air Painting Class at the Arboretum with Niki Gulley

October 22, 2012
both

“Autumn Clematis” ©2012 Niki Gulley

10″ x 12″ textured oil painting 


I created this little painting of the purple Clematis at the Dallas Arboretum last fall with palette knife and thick oil paint. It was so peaceful in the Poetry Garden, that it seemed like a perfect place to set up my easel. I liked the contrast of the cool purple in the flowers against the warm light of the textured wall behind them. Accentuating the circular design they were forming along with forming curving paint strokes, adds to a feeling of movement and energy, almost as if the petals are dancing in the breeze.

If you, too, would like to paint outdoors, join me this Wednesday, Oct. 24th, when I’ll be teaching a Plein Air Painting Workshop sponsored by the Dallas Arboretum. It will be a great introduction to painting outdoors for beginning artists, as well as an opportunity for advanced artists to enhance their skills. For more information, visit dallasarboretum.org/AdultEducation/index.htm.

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

Santa Fe Plein Air Painting Workshop

August 22, 2012
SANTA FE ART TREK:  
Day 1, afternoon location – Echo Canyon
12″ x 9″ textured oil by Niki Gulley

That afternoon, we headed north to Echo Canyon, a natural stone amphitheater with beautiful rugged surroundings. After painting the entire landscape in the morning, we decided to focus in on a vignette in the afternoon and isolate our focal point. Some of my students chose trees, others rocks, and I picked this lone, persistent conifer growing out the top of the sandstone formation. I liked the dramatic shadows, the texture in the rocks, and the strong will of this one scraggly pine tree. The sky was amazing with dynamic clouds sweeping into our view from distant showers, and I had to capture some of that movement and energy in this scene, too. Luckily the storms stayed away and we had a lovely afternoon!
Above: Niki Gulley helping one of her students with her pastels.
Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

See NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary landscape paintings.

Santa Fe Art Trek w/ Niki Gulley and Scott Williams – Ghost Ranch

August 20, 2012
SANTA FE ART TREK:  
Day 1, morning location – Ghost Ranch, New Mexico
12″ x 9″ pastel by Niki Gulley

On the first day of our Santa Fe Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop, we headed to the gorgeous hills where Georgia O’Keefe resided, now understanding fully why she chose to live there. The rock formations were beautiful, the desert scenery had a rugged, uninhabited wild west feel, and the clouds were spectacular. I chose this location for my pastel demo, being attracted to the light on the distant mountain peaks, and the bushy sagebrush in the foreground.
I quickly drew my major shapes, then working with the sides of my pastels, blocked in my darks and simplified the scene into larger color passages. Tweaking the composition as I went so everything flowed together and kept your eye moving around the painting, I started developing my focal area in the distance, establishing more details in the cracks and crevices and accentuating the dramatic lights and darks with complimentary colors. Then, I moved into details on the sagebrush and suggested the deep shadow underneath. Last, I filled in the middle ground in between, making sure to keep soft edges and a closer color and value range there, so as not to take away from the other areas. A perfect morning in an amazing location!
Above: Some of our painters at Ghost Ranch.
Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Art Trek Paris with Niki Gulley & Scott Williams – Day 5

June 18, 2012
5″ x 7″ pastel by Niki Gulley
Day 5 – Art Trek Paris with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Day 5, we took everyone to the Palace of Versailles, 30 minutes outside of Paris. Decadent and opulent doesn’t begin to describe the castle and grounds where Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI bankrupted the country. It is really something to see! After touring the chateau, we staked out a quiet back corner of the gardens away from the tourist masses, and got out our sketchpads. This massive wisteria, the scale of a medium-szed tree caught our eye, and we had to capture its beautiful violet dripping blooms.
Part of our group in front of the Palace of Versailles.

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If you would like to come along on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops to
Santa Fe, NM Aug. 12 – 18 (see nikigulley.com/art-classes) or
 Tuscany, Italy Aug. 31 – Sept. 8 (visit nikigulley.com/artreks),
please e-mail Niki Gulley for more information. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching. We’d love to have you join us!
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To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings, please go to my website at NikiGulley.com.

White Rock Lake oil painting by Niki Gulley

October 28, 2011

9″ x 12″ oil painting by Niki Gulley at White Rock Lake

I painted this small oil painting at White Rock Lake earlier this week, getting ready for my Plein Air Workshop this weekend. It was a perfect morning – blue skies and a gentle breeze, with an ideal temperature. I was attracted to the multi-colored sailboats and the interesting pattern they formed. With so many boats, I sketched out my composition and then I had to paint very quickly before the light changed – a fun challenge and an enjoyable, peaceful morning.

For more information on this weekend’s painting workshop, visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13.

To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings and local Dallas scenes, visit my website at nikigulley.com/?page_id=33.

White Rock Lake painting with Niki Gulley

October 26, 2011
“Bridge to Tomorrow” ©2011 Niki Gulley
12″ x 24″ textured oil painting
On a peaceful autumn day last fall, I went out to White Rock Lake and captured this beautiful sunset behind the Dallas skyline. I liked the intricacy of the bridge and how it crossed through the composition, connecting the left and the right sides. The sunlight was peaking through the ironwork and various plants in the foreground were back lit, while the water’s surface was shimmering from the low light, spreading vivid colors in all directions. A perfect ending to the day!

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Please join me at the Dallas Arboretum and White Rock Lake this weekend for a 2-day painting workshop. I only have two spots left, so e-mail at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information and to register or visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13.
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To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings and local Dallas scenes, visit my website at NikiGulley.com.