February 2012

“Sun Drenched” textured sunflower oil painting

February 29, 2012

30″ x 48″ textured oil on canvas

Inspired by our trip to Provence last summer, I was awestruck by these massive fields of sunflowers blooming. Seeing this brilliant carpet of gold, with its sea of faces smiling towards the sun, just made me feel happy and I wanted you to experience that joy, too. In person “Sun Drenched” practically leaps off the canvas with its vibrant yellow petals and extremely thick three-dimensional oil paint.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her textured oil paintings.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary landscape paintings.

“Blue Tomorrow” textured bluebonnet painting by Niki Gulley

February 28, 2012

36″ x 48″ textured oil on canvas

Just Finished! Inspired by a trip to the hill country, I wanted you feel the warmth and beauty on this perfect spring day while out for a leisurely drive among the bluebonnets and Texas wildflowers. Painted with thick oil paint and palette knives to achieve extreme texture, the resulting image comes to life and is loaded with color and energy.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her textured oil paintings.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary bluebonnet and Texas landscape paintings.

Textured Bluebonnet Painting “Blue Horizon”

February 24, 2012

“Blue Horizon” ©2012 Niki Gulley
SOLD 30″ x 48″ textured oil on canvas

SOLD – I love the rolling hills of the Texas hill country and when the bluebonnets are prolific, it feels like a carpet of blue stretches for miles. I painted this bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush scene with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives to achieve extreme texture. The resulting image comes to life and is loaded with color and energy. I’ve painted the scene around the edges of the canvas on 1 and 1/2″ deep stretcher bars so that the paintings can be hung without a frame for a unique sculptural effect.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her textured oil paintings.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary bluebonnet and Texas landscape paintings.

Last day for Two Woman Show, “Opposites Attract,” at Jaycee Center for the Arts

February 22, 2012

oil on canvas • 36″ x 48″

I love the first signs of fall – the crisp feel in the air, the crunching of leaves underfoot, the beautiful autumn colors, and being totally immersed in nature in the middle of a forest without a care in the world. In Fire and Gold I wanted to recreate that joyful feeling, choosing warm reds and yellows of autumn and using energetic strokes with my paint to heighten that mood. Building up thin transparent layers of oil paint also add to a certain glow and magic in the final piece.

To see “Fire and Gold” in person, stop by the Jaycee Center for the Arts in Irving, TX for this two woman show featuring the paintings of Niki Gulley and Elizabeth Padgett. Exhibit ends this Thursday, Feb. 23rd. 1975 Puritan Dr. between Story Rd. and MacArthur in Irving, TX.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary landscape paintings.

Dancing on Water textured water lilies

February 20, 2012

36” x 60” textured oil painting

Sunlight sparkles across aqua blue water,

diamonds of purple glitter the pond’s surface;

water lilies lift their faces toward the sun and gently dance across the water.

Golden sunlight filters through the brambles and ferns,

a touch of cardinal red peeks through purple and pink foliage

while azure skies reflect in the water.

To see “Dancing on Water” in person, stop by the Jaycee Center for the Arts in Irving, TX for this two woman show featuring the paintings of Niki Gulley and Elizabeth Padgett. Exhibit ends this Thursday, Feb. 23rd. 1975 Puritan Dr. between Story Rd. and MacArthur in Irving, TX.

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If you would like to join us in May for our next ArtTrek to Paris, France, and paint Monet’s Gardens in person, visit nikigulley.com/artreks, which goes into detail about our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of her contemporary landscape paintings.

Plein Air Painting in Tuscany with Niki Gulley

February 17, 2012

“Magical Light, Tuscany” • 8” x 10″ oil by Niki Gulley

ART TREKS: TUSCANY
with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

During our plein air painting workshop in Tuscany last September, we finished a delicious antipasto lunch of prosciuttos, local pecorino, fresh fruits and vegetables, and we headed into the hills for our afternoon painting location. Starting fairly late in the day, we timed it so that the light would be soft and golden as we were putting the finishing details on our paintings. For this painting, we focused in on one of the tuscan farmhouses, with just a suggestion of the peaks and valleys in the background. Between the quiet surroundings, the quintessential Tuscan vineyard behind us and the perfect weather conditions, this proved to be a very inspiring afternoon.

If you would like to join us on future ART TREKS to Paris, France in May, Tuscany, Italy in September, or Cinque Terre / Lake Como, Italy in September visit nikigulley.com/artreks. Registration deadline is Fri. Feb. 17th.

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E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

To see more of my plein-air paintings, visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

Lake Como / Cinque Terre Plein Air Painting Workshop

February 15, 2012

oil on canvas • 24″ x 36″

Lake Como, Italy is probably my favorite spot from all of our travels. The vistas are simply breathtaking with the alps in the background, the gorgeous blue of the lake, the brightly colored unique buildings and the lush foliage dotting the magnificent gardens. I love this little laid back town of Varenna, which is so peaceful that all of your cares just melt away.

If you’d like to join us in Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy this Sept. 7th – 16th for our next Plein-Air Painting / Photography Workshop, e-mail Niki Gulley for more information or visit nikigulley.com/artreks. Registration deadline Feb. 17th.

To see more of my paintings from Europe visit NikiGulley.com.

Tuscany Plein Air Painting Workshop with Niki Gulley

February 13, 2012

pastel • 24″ x 36″

I was inspired to paint this pastel of the beautiful rolling Tuscan hills and vineyards after our last Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop that my husband and I taught in Tuscany. Not only were the views amazing, but the food and the wine were absolutely delicious, too!

From our last Tuscany workshop, our group during a wine tasting at this 300 year old family vineyard. A perfect afternoon!

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If you’d like to join us Aug. 31 – Sept. 8 for our next Tuscany Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop, e-mail Niki Gulley for more information or visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

Registration Deadline – Feb. 17th.

To see more of my paintings from Italy, visit NikiGulley.com.

Feb. 18th Painting Workshop

February 10, 2012

SOLD • 30” x 30” textured oil on canvas

Growing up in Chicago, our brutally cold winters would feel like they lasted forever so my family tried to vacation along our tropical coasts whenever possible. I loved this week we spent together – the cathartic rhythm of the ocean waves lapping against the shore as dad and I tried to ride each crest as close to the beach as possible, feeling the cool sand squish between my toes and fingers while building sand castles together, and enjoying the peacefulness at sunset as the gorgeous fireball dropped down from the sky and cast diamond-like reflections across the ocean’s surface.

If you’d like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I’m teaching on “Loosening Up,” at my studio in Dallas, TX. See nikigulley.com/?page_id=13 for more details and to register.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

To see more of my contemporary landscape oil paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

“Vertical Aspirations” textured aspen oil painting

February 8, 2012

SOLD • 48” x 36” textured oil painting

In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing vibrant, cheerful yellows and reds contrasted against a deep violet sky and arranging the aspens in a circular pattern heightened by thick, curving paint strokes, all add to that joyful, playful feeling of hope and discovery.

If you’d like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I’m teaching on “Loosening Up.”

“Loosening Up” Painting Workshop

Feb. 18 and / or Feb. 19

Dallas, TX

See nikigulley.com/?page_id=13 for details and to register.

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If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

To see more of my contemporary landscape oil paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.