May 2014

“Aqua Dreams” Palette Knife Aspen Tree Oil Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

May 30, 2014

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.

To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.

For more information on my textured palette knife birch and aspen tree oil paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Just Sold! “Snake Crossing” Oil Painting by Texas Artist Niki Gulley

May 28, 2014

SOLD • 20″ x 24″ • textured oil on canvas

We spend a lot of time in the car, between driving across country for art shows, exploring new places for inspiration, and traveling while teaching painting and photography workshops, so in this new series I’ve felt compelled to capture my views from the passenger seat. This particular painting was inspired by one of our trips out west. Not only do I love the various rock formations in the distance and the dramatic sunset, but I relish the sense of open space after living in a city. Looking out on the expansive horizon, I get the feeling that anything is possible and a new discovery is just ahead. All lines are designed to beckon you into the distance, and an upcoming snake crossing road sign hints that you have escaped city life and are immersed in a vast unspoiled landscape. This low angle of the road combined with energetic diagonal strokes is designed to give you the feeling of freedom while driving cross country in search for whatever your journey holds next.

To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com or if you are in Chicago, IL this weekend, please stop by my booth at the 57th Street Art Fair.

57th Street Art Fair

Sat. June 7 • 11am – 6pm

Sun. June 8 • 10am – 5pm

Booth #706

Chicago, IL • on 57th St.,

between Kenwood and Kimbark Ave.

57thStreetArtFair.org

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E-mail – Niki Gulley

“Heightened Awareness V” Palette Knife Aspen Tree Painting by Texas Artist Niki Gulley

May 26, 2014

48” x 30” textured mixed media on canvas

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 contrasted against a vivid 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’re in Chicago this weekend, and you’d like to see more of Niki’s aspen and birch paintings, please visit her booth at the 57th Street Art Fair.

57th Street Art Fair

Sat. June 7 • 11am – 6pm

Sun. June 8 • 10am – 5pm

Booth #706

Chicago, IL • on 57th St.,

between Kenwood and Kimbark Ave.

57thStreetArtFair.org

E-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information about my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings.

NikiGulley.com

“Aqua Dreams” Palette Knife Aspen Tree Oil Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

May 23, 2014

36” x 60” textured oil on canvas

To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.

For more information on my textured palette knife birch and aspen tree oil paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

New Textured Birch Painting by Niki Gulley

May 21, 2014

textured 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 first thin transparent layers and then thick textured layers of oil paint also add to a certain glow and magic in the final piece.

E-mail – Niki Gulley for more information.

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

Just Sold! “Purple Perspective” New Lavender Field painting by Niki Gulley

May 19, 2014

SOLD • 24″ x 12″ textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

pictured in espresso floater frame

This lavender painting was inspired from our trip to Provence last summer, when our timing was perfect and we caught both the lavender and poppies in full bloom! I loved how in this photo that I took, the lavender really draws your eye back into the distance and invites you to walk down the purple rows and enjoy the heavenly aromas. I also liked the contrast in color of the poppies planted at the start of the rows against the violet and how the crimson blooms break up the long vertical format of the canvas.

To find out more about upcoming Plein Air Painting Workshops and Art Treks, including a trip to Provence this summer and again in 2015, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

E-mail – Niki Gulley

“Surrounded by Sunshine” Palette Knife Sunflower Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

May 16, 2014

24″ x 12″ textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

Inspired by our travels to Provence, I painted these cheerful sunflowers with extremely thick oil paint and palette knife so that the resulting image leaps off the canvas and is loaded with energy, color and texture.

“Surrounded by Sunshine” and several of my contemporary impressionistic landscapes are also on display at the Good Art Company Gallery in Fredericksburg, TX. For more information, please contact http://www.goodartcompany.com/gac/.

For more information on my plein air paintings and workshops in Italy and France, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

“Dancing on Water” Palette Knife Water Lily Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

May 14, 2014

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.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

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

Just Sold! “Autumn Crescendo” Birch Impasto painting by Niki Gulley

May 12, 2014

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 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.

To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.

For more information on palette knife birch and aspen tree paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Just Sold! “Coming Together” Palette Knife Aspen Tree painting by Niki Gulley

May 9, 2014

Textured oil painting on gallery wrap canvas • 40″ x 30″

In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing calming greens against a lavender-blue peaceful sky and arranging the two main aspens so that they meet in the middle, suggests a feeling of togetherness. While organizing the outlying trees in a circular pattern and using thick, curving, bold orange brushstrokes, creates a joyful, playful mood.

For more information on my palette knife birch and aspen tree oil paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.

Or if you are in the Dallas area this weekend, please stop by my booth at the Allen Arts Festival.

Allen Arts Festival
May 9 – 4pm – 8pm
May 10 – 10am – 8pm
May 11 – Noon – 7pm
Watters Creek • 970 Garden Park Dr., Allen, TX
allenartsalliance.org