August 2023 – Page 2

“Bundle of Sunshine” Sunflower Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

August 17, 2023

“Bundle of Sunshine” ©2023 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 24″ x 12″ textured oil painting on wrap around canvas, framed in an espresso floater frame

Just sold! I was awestruck by these massive fields of sunflowers blooming in Provence. 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. Exaggerating the tile-roofed house in the distance also adds to that cheerful, whimsical mood of feeling content and like you’ve found your home. Created with palette knife and oil paint, “Bundle of Sunshine” practically leaps off the canvas and comes to life with its vibrant yellow petals and extremely thick three-dimensional oil paint.

For more details on my other floral paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

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If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.

New “Cypress Serenade II” Art from the Tuscan Countryside by Niki Gulley

August 16, 2023

20″ x 10″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

My husband and I lead a Foodie Trek to Tuscany almost every year, and I’ve always been attracted to this lone grouping of cypress trees. I love trying to capture it in different ways, and mother nature had her hand in me choosing this location today. You see, there was a strong possibility of rain and this is one of the few locations I’ve found in the entire Tuscan countryside with a covered area that could keep me and my painting dry in the case of that liquid sunshine arriving mid-stroke. Fortunately because of the weather, the clouds in the sky were voluminous, beautiful and full of drama. Poppies blooming in the foreground just added to the excitement and energy of the moment. And, luckily I was able to capture the majority of the scene before the storms hit!

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Next summer we will be leading a Foodie Trek to Spain and Tuscany, and an Art Trek to Iceland, so if you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing trips! Details are available on ArtTreks.org.

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Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my impressionistic palette knife paintings.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her contemporary Italy and European paintings.

New Lavender Field Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

August 15, 2023

20″ x 10″ textured acrylic painting on canvas by Niki Gulley

I painted “Radiating Aromas II” on location while my husband and I were visiting Provence, searching for the perfect lavender field to capture on film and canvas. I loved how these beautiful rows led to the stone farm house with its terra cotta roof in the distance, so typical of the French countryside. The sky was a little hazy that morning, but I thought this was the perfect setting to channel my inner Van Gogh and have some fun with my strokes around the sun. After all, I was near the area that inspired Starry Night! Repeating those circular patterns in the tree line and emphasizing the curve of the purple plantings, help tie background and foreground together to create a harmony and uplifting feeling to the finished painting.

Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist palette knife paintings.

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

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Painting Poppy Fields in Provence with Niki Gulley

August 14, 2023

20″ x 10″ textured acrylic painting on canvas by Niki Gulley

What my husband and I didn’t expect to find in Provence this summer were miles of poppy fields! We thought we were there much later than when these beauties usually bloom, but it turns out a lot of rain in early spring delayed their growth (and unfortunately the sunflowers, too, which were no where ready to bloom). So instead of painting and photographing sunflowers like we thought, mother nature had other ideas. So, going with the flow, these bright, vibrant stretches of uplifting crimson blooms were tugging on my heartstrings and I just had to capture them. I loved every minute of it, and I hope you can feel that joy, too!

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her textured poppy, sunflower and lavender field paintings.

Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my European travel paintings.

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New “Purple Harvest III” Gorgeous Flower Field in Provence by Niki Gulley

August 11, 2023

16″ x 20″ textured acrylic painting on canvas by Niki Gulley

My husband and I recently were teaching and leading an Art Trek in Provence, and we were able to spend a couple of extra days exploring the area before everyone joined us. While in pursuit of the perfect lavender field to paint and photograph, we came across this gorgeous field of purple / pink blooms, which we found out later was Clary Sage. The flowers were just breathtaking and stretched for what seemed like miles. Finding a tiny bit of shade, I set up my easel and went to work capturing all of that royal glory. And, it was a good thing I painted it when I did because the following week, my shade tree was roped off! I hope you, too, can experience the beauty of this joyful place.

Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist oil paintings.

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

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Painting in Provence with Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

August 10, 2023

SOLD • 16″ x 20″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Just sold! Right before we started leading our Provence Art Trek, we had a few days to scout the landscape and paint and photograph the beautiful countryside. This morning I set up my easel to paint this peaceful, pastoral scene filled with poppies, lavender and golden wheat. What a treat!

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her Provence and lavender field paintings.

Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist oil paintings.

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Next year we will be leading a Foodie Trek to Spain and Tuscany, and an Art Trek to Iceland, so if you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing trips! Details are available on ArtTreks.org.

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Aromatic Lavender Field Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

August 9, 2023

16″ x 20″ textured acrylic painting on canvas by Niki Gulley

On a trip to Provence this summer, I set up my easel by this gorgeous lavender field. The color and aroma explosion were out of this world – a painter’s and photographer’s dream come true. Words can’t even describe how special that moment was! I wanted to focus on the perfectly planted purple rows, as perspective lines converge, leading you to this joyful spot. I hope you can smell the amazing scents and feel your spirits lifted while gazing into this scene.

Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist oil paintings.

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

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New “Cypress Serenade” Art from the Tuscan Countryside by Niki Gulley

August 8, 2023

9″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

I painted “Cypress Serenade” recently on location in Tuscany. I’ve always been attracted to this lone grouping of cypress trees and on this day the clouds in the sky were so fascinating. Hugging so close to the ground, soft and voluminous, acting as the perfect backdrop behind the cypress grove, I had to capture their drama before they disappeared. Wildflowers blooming in the foreground set the stage and I decided to have fun by repeating those colors throughout the scene, adding to the excitement and energy of the moment.

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Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my impressionistic palette knife paintings.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her contemporary Italy and European paintings.

New Tuscany Poppy Field Painting by Palette Knife Artist Niki Gulley

August 8, 2023

10″ x 20″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Before we started teaching in Provence, we first took a direct flight to Rome and explored more of Tuscany for a few days before we flew onto France. Remembering from the past that May is usually a perfect time to find poppy fields, we thought we’d find the ruby beauties everywhere. Wrong! Thus began our crazy quest in search of the elusive poppy. And, after a week of scouring the countryside, we finally found them! Of course, they were right next to our b and b, but in a direction we hadn’t explored all week.

But, once we did finally discover them, the vibrant pops of red just lifted my spirits. Combined with gorgeous skies and dramatic lighting, it was truly inspiring and so much fun to paint after 2 solid rainy days. Hope you can feel and experience all of that joy, too!

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E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my poppy and wildflower field paintings.

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

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If you’d like to join us on one of our Euorpean Art Treks and learn to paint or photograph, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org for more information.

“Coming Home” New Palette Knife Painting from Tuscany by Niki Gulley

August 4, 2023

20″ x 10″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Inspired by our travels to Italy, cypress trees rise out of the vast open landscape signaling that you have arrived in Tuscany! Perched on a hilltop with the best views of the surrounding valleys, this villa is set against the perfect backdrop for a romantic escape. The long curving driveway and undulating wheatfields draw your eye back through the rolling hills. Beautiful, billowing clouds drift overhead. Early morning light casts dramatic shadows creating a rhythm beckoning you to journey up the drive, guiding you to your new getaway you can call home.

To see more of my travel location paintings, visit nikigulley.com.

Or, E-mail Niki Gulley for more details.

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For more information on Art / Foodie Treks, visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.

If you’re interested in joining us, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

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