New Summer Aspen Tree Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

“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.
“Aspen Vista Trail” is available through the Good Art Company Gallery in Fredericksburg, TX. For more information, please contact goodartcompany.com/gac/.

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.

“Autumn Carnival” birch tree oil painting by Niki Gulley – Just Sold

“Autumn Carnival” ©2013 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 36″ x 48″ textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

Just Sold at the Fredericksburg Good Art Company Gallery! 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. Contrasting short staccato strokes against blended passages 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.

To see more of my textured landscape oil paintings from my one woman show, “Nature’s Kaleidscope,” at the Good Art Company in Fredericksburg, TX, visit goodartcompany.com/gac/.

“Climbing Trees IV” – Winter Birch tree painting

“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 my contemporary birch and aspen tree oil paintings.

“Vertical Prism” aspen tree oil painting

“Vertical Prism” ©2011 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 30″ x 40″ oil on canvas
Sold to a collector in Madison, WI. These playful aspen trees were created with palette knife and gallons of oil paint to achieve texture, movement and colors that explode off the canvas, all while capturing the childlike wonder of staring into the treetops.

Art Street Green Bay this weekend

“Climbing Trees IV” ©2010 Niki Gulley
40” x 30” oil on canvas

Growing up in Chicago, 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.

To see “Climbing Trees” 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.

Fountain Square Art Festival – Evanston, IL – this weekend


“Transitional Tones II” ©2010 Niki Gulley
12” x 12” oil painting

I created these birch trees with palette knife and extremely thick oil paint to achieve texture and suggest the energy found in nature. 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 birch paintings look great in pairs and threes.

See NikiGulley.com/?page_id=229 for companion paintings or visit my art booth at the Fountain Square Art Festival this weekend in Evanston, IL to see more of my textured palette knife paintings in person. For details on the show, go to chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=123.
Or, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com with any questions or comments.

Transitional Tones at Stone Arch Art Festival, MN

“Transitional Tones” ©2010 Niki Gulley
12” x 12” oil painting

I created these birch trees with palette knife and extremely thick oil paint to achieve texture and suggest the energy found in nature. 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 birch paintings look great in pairs and threes.

See NikiGulley.com/?page_id=229 for companion paintings or visit my art booth at the Stone Arch Art Festival in Minneapolis this weekend to see more of my textured palette knife paintings in person. For details, go to StoneArchFestival.com.

Or, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com with any questions or comments.

Stone Arch Art Festival – this weekend

“Natural Rhythms” ©2010 Niki Gulley
36″ x 48″ oil painting

I find being immersed in nature can have such an uplifting effect, and I wanted to share that feeling with you in Natural Rhythms so I chose pure, intense colors to create a vibrant autumn scene that just makes you feel happy and alive when you look at it. The repetition in the birch trunks and fallen leaves, combined with the flickering sounds of the breeze rustling the foliage reminded me of a symphony in the forest so I titled this painting Natural Rhythms.

If you’re in the Minneapolis area this weekend, visit my art booth at the Stone Arch Art Festival. See StoneArchFestival.com for details on the art show.

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

Autumn Birch Study

7″ x 5″ oil by Niki Gulley

I painted this fall birch study with extremely thick oil paint and a palette knife. I love the movement in the strokes which contribute to the feeling of the leaves blowing in the breeze and the energy found in nature.

Climbing Trees at Cottonwood this weekend

“Climbing Trees II” ©2010 Niki Gulley
48″ x 36″ oil on canvas
In this painting, I wanted you to you to experience the wonderment of looking up into the treetops – just like you did when you were a kid. Choosing playful colors and thick chunky staccato strokes adds to that childlike whimsy and I hope you are transported back to a happy, carefree time and place.

Stop by my booth at the Cottonwood Art Festival in Richardson, Texas this weekend and see “Climbing Trees” along with several other new paintings I’ve created this winter. Visit cottonwoodartfestival.com for details.

E-mail me for more information at Niki@NikiGulley.com.