“Aspen Vista Trail, Summer” ©2013 Niki Gulley
16″ x 20” textured oil painting on canvas
On our Santa Fe Art Trek last year, the temperature started rising in the afternoon, so we headed up into the mountains for cooler breezes to paint the beautiful aspen trees. We were attracted to the brilliant white trunks with their unique peeling bark and dark protruding knots. I liked how the soft dappled light came through the trees and illuminated the path, leading into the distance. Becoming totally lost in the moment, I set out to capture the peacefulness and contentment of being immersed in nature.
For more information on my textured aspen tree and birch palette knife oil paintings, please e-mail
Niki Gulley.
Or, visit
NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.
Niki's Blog
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“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.
Niki's Blog
aspen tree art, birch tree painting, contemporary impressionist, expressionist landscape, Niki Gulley textured oil painting, palette knife trees, Texas artist
“Golden Aura” ©2012 Niki Gulley
48″ x 60″ textured oil painting on wrap around canvas
Painted with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives so that this canvas is loaded with texture and bursting with color, flickering autumn leaves seem to almost dance in a gentle breeze. I wanted this scene to be filled with movement and energy, so I incorporated a lot of diagonal and curving shapes in the design to suggest that feeling. While combining short staccato strokes along with long sweeping passes with my palette knives also increase that sense of motion. I hope you, too, can feel the excitement of walking through the woods on a beautiful fall day, letting your cares slip away and your spirit being invigorated.
Niki's Blog
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“Autumn Gems” ©2012 Niki Gulley
36” x 60” textured oil painting on wrap around canvas
I wanted this painting to be about the power and energy in nature to invigorate your spirit, so I chose to use warm vivid colors and thick staccato strokes to add to that feeling. I placed the foliage in diagonal sweeping shapes to create a sense of movement, and so that you can feel the wind gently rustling the leaves and causing them to dance.
E-mail
Niki Gulley for more information on her textured oil paintings of aspen and birch trees.
Niki's Blog
autumn trees, birch tree painting, birches oil, contemporary landscape painting, fall foliage, large scale art red, Niki Gulley paintings, palette knife aspens, textured oils nature

“Autumn Splendor” ©2011 Niki Gulley
36” x 48” textured oil on wrap around canvas
Shimmering colors of autumn: Aspen trees quiver, their light graceful leaves tremble and quake, silver and gold, silver and gold with each light breeze. There is the quiet energy of change coming and vibrant color charges the woods. Crisp fall mountain air, clean bright skies overhead, a band of slender straight trunks cut bright strokes of white against a dazzling tumble of green, crimson and gold.
You may see this painting and more of my textured oil paintings at my booth this weekend at Art in the Square, Booth #J5, in Southlake, TX. Visit artinthesquare.com/default.aspx for details.
E-mail
Niki Gulley for more information on my aspen and birch tree paintings.
Niki's Blog
aspen tree oil painting, aspens art, birch tree painting, Colorado landscape, contemporary landscape painting, Dallas art fair, DFW festivals, fall foliage, Niki Gulley paintings, palette knife painting autumn, Southlake art fair in the square, Texas art shows, textured oils

“Aqua Dreams” ©2011 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.
For more information on this painting, e-mail
Niki Gulley
or to see more of my textured palette knife paintings,
Niki's Blog
aspen art, aspen tree oil painting, birch tree painting, contemporary water painting, expressionist lake scene, Niki Gulley paintings, palette knife painting, textured oil painting landscapes

“Scarlet Emergence” ©2011 Niki Gulley
36″ x 60″ oil painting
I wanted this painting to be about the power and energy in nature to invigorate your spirit more so than an exact replica of the forest, so I chose to use warm vivid colors and thick staccato strokes to add to that feeling. I placed the foliage in diagonal sweeping shapes to create a sense of movement, so that you can feel the wind gently rustling the leaves and causing them to dance.
If you’d like to see this aspen painting in person, stop by my booth at “Art in the Square” in Frisco, Texas this weekend. See friscosquare.com/AITS for more details.
And, I’ve just released a limited edition stretched canvas print of
“Scarlet Emergence” in two sizes:
18″ x 30″ for $295
26″ x 40″ for $595
With only 100 signed and numbered prints in the series, these canvases are sure to go quickly so e-mail me at
Niki Gulley if you are interested in purchasing.
Niki's Blog
aspen tree oil painting, aspens art, autumn birches, birch tree painting, Colorado painting, contemporary landscape canvas print, Dallas art shows, dfw art festivals, Frisco art in the Square, Niki Gulley paintings, palette knife painting trees, Texas artist Niki Gulley

“Vertical Aspirations” ©2011 Niki Gulley
oil on canvas • 48″ x 36″
In “Vertical Aspirations” 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’d like to see this aspen tree painting in person, stop by my booth at “Art in the Square” in Frisco, Texas next weekend (March 5-6). See
friscosquare.com/AITS for more details.
And, I’ve just released a limited edition stretched canvas print of
“Vertical Aspirations” in two sizes:
18″ x 30″ for $295
26″ x 40″ for $595
With only 100 signed and numbered prints in the series, these canvases are sure to go quickly so
e-mail me at
Niki Gulley if you are interested in purchasing.
Niki's Blog
apsen tree oil painting, aspen canvas print, aspens art, birch tree painting, Colorado painting, Dallas art shows, Frisco art in the Square, limited edition prints contemporary landscape, Niki Gulley paintings, Texas artist 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. I wanted to capture that brief beautiful moment in “Climbing Trees” 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. Using extremely thick oil paint and palette knives allowed me to recreate the various textures of the birches and ice-encrusted branches.
For information on this birch tree painting,
e-mail
Niki Gulley or to see more of my three-dimensional oil paintings,
Niki's Blog
aspens oil painting, birch tree painting, impressionist winter art, Niki Gulley paintings, palette knife art, snow scene, textured oil painting, winter landscape painting
7″ x 5″ oil painting by Niki Gulley
Another chunky sculpted oil painting with 1/4 inch thick paint.
E-mail me for more information about this painting or other similar chunky oil sketches at Niki@NikiGulley.com.
Niki's Blog
aspen oil painting, birch tree painting, Niki Gulley paintings, palette knife painting, Texas artist Niki Gulley