December 2010

Winter at White Rock Lake

December 30, 2010

pastel • 16″ x 20″

This pastel is inspired by one of our rare snowfalls in Dallas. Growing up in Chicago I always loved how pretty and magical the snow was after it first fell, but I really don’t miss shoveling since moving to Texas! So in “Winter’s Calm,” I combined the best of both worlds, capturing the beautiful white powder dusting across the ground and along the lacy intertwining branches above while knowing that the next day it would all be gone, making the moment even more fleeting and special.

If you’d like more information on Winter’s Calm, e-mail Niki Gulley.

Daybreak pastel

December 28, 2010

pastel • 16″ x 40″

Whenever I can actually wake up by dawn, I am always inspired by the magical light that casts its glow across the horizon and am rewarded by the peacefulness before society starts stirring. In Daybreak, I wanted to capture that magical morning light and the quiet mysterious mood created from the sun’s rays peeking through the trees, casting their long dramatic shadows and softening the distant landscape.

12″ x 12″ Seasonal Birch Tree oil painting series

December 26, 2010

“Transitional Tones” Series – Fall Birches & Aspen Tree oil paintings

by Niki Gulley • 12″ x 12″

I painted these birch trees with extremely thick oil paint and palette knife. With the painting continuing around the edges of the canvas, they almost look 3-dimensional and are filled with color, texture and energy adding to their joyful feel. My birch and aspen paintings can be hung as is or they look great in a series, too. To see more of my “chunky” oil paintings, check out nikigulley.com/?page_id=229.

Transitional Tones oil paintings

December 22, 2010

Transitional Tones – Fall Birches oil painting

by Niki Gulley • 12″ x 12″

Or, e-mail Niki Gulley with any questions.

Recently Sold “Skyward Bound” oil painting

December 20, 2010

SOLD • oil on canvas • 30″ x 40″

Recently sold to new collectors in Dallas! In “Skyward Bound,” I wanted you to feel like a little kid again looking up into the treetops, enjoying the beautiful sky and colors above. We forget to do that as adults – we’re so focused on straight ahead! Choosing vivid reds, yellows, blues and greens in addition to the perspective of the aspen trees and autumn forest from below adds to that playful mood.

Miniature Birch Tree oil paintings

December 17, 2010

7″ x 5″ Birch Trees – New oil paintings by Niki Gulley

I painted these miniature birches with palette knife and extremely thick oil paint so that the resulting paintings are filled with color, texture and movement. These miniature oils look great in pairs and threes, and the wide black frame really draws your eye into the artwork and sets each one apart. If you’d like additional information or would like to purchase any combination of my birch tree paintings above, e-mail Niki Gulley.

New Framed Aspen Tree oil paintings

December 15, 2010

5″ x 7″ Aspen oil paintings by Niki Gulley

I painted these miniature aspen trees with palette knife and extremely thick oil paint so that the resulting paintings are filled with color, texture and movement. These oils look great in pairs and threes, and the wide black frame really draws your eye into the artwork and sets each one apart. If you’d like additional information or would like to purchase my aspen tree paintings, e-mail Niki Gulley.

Mountain Hideaway oil painting – SOLD

December 13, 2010

SOLD • 18″ x 48″ oil on canvas

I just sold this painting to a collector in Chicago and it’s one of my favorites. A few years back, I visited Colorado to be inspired by the aspens turning color and to see the gorgeous mountains and scenery. I love it there! My husband and I ventured off the main roads and were exploring back in ranch land where there were hardly any signs of city life. At a couple of points, we even had to wait for the ranchers to round up their cattle herds out of the middle of the roads in order for us to drive in deeper – not something we witness in Dallas!

I wanted to capture that feeling of nostalgia in “Mountain Hideaway.” I particularly liked this one ranch – their barn and wood post fence had so much character. I liked how the mountains surrounded the property and created such a beautiful backdrop. The panorama format really worked well to give you a sense of scale and the sprawling landscape. I liked how the road zigged and zagged next to the property, too, leading you back to the house. Also, it was just slightly overcast and the sun would peak out once in a while, creating this beautiful dramatic lighting that I had to capture.

Painting in Santorini, Greece

December 10, 2010

10″ x 20″ oil painting

I painted this scene of Santorini right next to where we will be staying for our upcoming Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop that my husband and I will be teaching this May in Greece. Besides this being a gorgeous location, I chose the panorama format to show both the unique stacked white-washed houses and their amazing views of the sea. I like how the one or two colored buildings add a pop of contrast amongst all of the blue and white.

If you would like to paint with us in Greece this May, visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13 for more details.

Register by Dec. 15thand save $400 on the cost of the trip!

If you’d like more information, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

New Bluebonnet & Indian Paintbrush oil painting

December 8, 2010

New Bluebonnet and Indian Paintbrush Oil Painting

by Niki Gulley • 7″ x 5″

These Texas Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush are created with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives so that the final painting is loaded with texture and color.

If you’d like additional information on my bluebonnet paintings, e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.