New Textured Aspen Painting by Niki Gulley

“Jeweled Forest” ©2010 Niki Gulley
oil on canvas • 30″ x 30″
In “Jeweled Forest,” I wanted you to feel like you were deep in the middle of the woods surrounding by nature in all of its beautiful autumn glory. I painted these aspen trees with extremely thick oil paint so that the texture and colors leap off the canvas. For more information on “Jeweled Forest,” e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

Last Chicago art show this weekend

“Afternoon Shadows” Gilson Park, Chicago, IL ©2010 Niki Gulley
Pastel • 10” x 8”

I used to love going for a Sunday drive with my family when I was a kid. Sometimes we’d head to this park, which ran along Lake Michigan on a perfect autumn afternoon. We’d park and walk along the beach until we got to where the boats were docked, and then we’d wander onto the Bahaii Temple, with its amazing architecture and intricate carved ivory details, before we’d double back. In Afternoon Shadows, I wanted to depict a beautiful autumn day when the leaves are turning, there’s a slight chill in the air, the afternoon sun is casting mysterious long shadows and you can just make out the top of the temple in the distance, all while reminiscing about a simpler time and place.

To see “Afternoon Shadows” in person, stop by my booth at the Oakbrook Fine Art Invitational this weekend in Oakbrook, II. For more information on the show, go to oakbrookcenter.com/events/48th-annual-invitational-fine-art-exhibition.