New Tuscany Sunflower Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“Flowing with Sunshine,” Tuscany ©2014 Niki Gulley
10″ x 30″ textured oil painting
I chose to paint this view of our villa that we stay in during our Tuscany Art Treks, since I’d been admiring it for years. I like how the old stone farmhouse sits high on its hilltop with amazing 360 degree views of the rolling valleys and hill towns. The clouds have been gorgeous every trip we’ve taken, so I also wanted to convey that beauty in this panorama. Taking a few liberties and adding the sunflowers in place of the pool, “Flowing with Sunshine” is loaded with texture, color and uplifting energy!
If you’d like to join us in Tuscany for our next Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Sept. 5th-13th, please let me know. For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014
Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!
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E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.
 

Pastel Demonstration by Texas Artist Niki Gulley for the Mid Cities Art League

“Tuscan Dreams” ©2014  Niki Gulley
14″ x 11″ pastel
Inspired from one of our Art Treks to Tuscany, I chose to paint this cypress grove for my pastel demonstration for the Mid Cities Art League last week. First creating an underpainting in the complimentary reds and oranges, I then layered and cross hatched my pastels allowing some of the underneath layers to show through. The resulting image is loaded with uplifting color, energy and movement!

If you’d like to join us in Tuscany for our next Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Sept. 5th-13th, please let me know. For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014



Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

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E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.

“Autumn Morning,” Tuscany Plein Air Painting by Niki Gulley

“Autumn Morning,” Tuscany ©2014 Niki Gulley
9″ x 12″ textured oil painting

Created on our Tuscany Art Trek in September, I decided to paint this view from villa, since I’d been admiring it every day of the trip. It was a gorgeous morning with beautiful puffy white clouds that gave the landscape a beautiful soft filtered light. Working with palette knife, this Tuscan landscape is loaded with texture, color and movement!
For lunch that afternoon, we feasted on fresh local fruit and vegees, pecorinos, cured meats and a little wine and prosecco at the villa. Bon appetito!

If you’d like to join us in Tuscany for our next Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Sept. 5th-13th, please let me know. The final registration deadline of Jan. 25th is quickly approaching! For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014



Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

***

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.

Lake Como Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9″ x 12″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley
Day 7, Lake Como – Varenna and Como Town
 CINQUE TERRE / LAKE COMO ART TREK
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the last day of our Cinque Terre / Lake Como plein air painting and photography workshop, we broke into two groups. Most of the photographers chose to visit the largest town on the lake, Como, while us painters and a couple of others decided to stay right in Varenna and soak up that view and the peacefulness of town one last day. Since the scenery from our hotel was so incredible, we set up our easels right there and either painted the colorful town below or the misty mountains and lake in the distance.
If you’d like to join us in Cinque Terre / Lake Como for our next Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Sept. 12th-21st, please let me know.  For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014



Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Workshops fill up fast, so don’t wait to register!

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.
***
To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings and plein air oil paintings, please visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

Lake Como Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9″ x 12″ oil painting by Niki Gulley
Day 4, Lake Como:  CINQUE TERRE / LAKE COMO ART TREK
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

The next day, we loaded everyone into the van and headed to the beautiful, peaceful town of Varenna on Lake Como. After checking into our hotel with incredible views of the lake and town below, we visited the lush Italian garden of Villa Monastero. It was a perfect afternoon and while the photographers strolled the gardens, we set up our easels by this gorgeous colorful flower bed and the ornate villa behind it. I loved the lion statues adorning the entry and set out to capture the scene before we lost our light. Finishing a little early, we grabbed a glass of prosecco and took in the tranquil views across the lake. For dinner that night, we sampled the local fish and pastas, washed down with a delicious red wine.
If you’d like to join us in Cinque Terre / Lake Como for our next Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Sept. 12th-21st, please let me know. The workshop is already half full and a final registration deadline of next Saturday is quickly approaching, so sign up soon! For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014



Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Registration Deadline: Saturday Nov. 2nd

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.
***
To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings and plein air oil paintings, please visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

Day 3, Cinque Terre Plein-Air Painting / Photo Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9″ x 12″ pastel by Niki Gulley
Day 3, Manarola:  CINQUE TERRE / LAKE COMO ART TREK
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On our third day in the Cinque Terre, us painters set up our easels from the hiking trail to look back at the town of Manarola while the photographers hiked around the town of Cornelia in the morning and joined us in Manarola in the afternoon. Since we had more time today, we all decide to paint the intricate stacked buildings in front of us and once again, listen to the sound of the waves crashing below us.

For dinner, we dined al fresco along the waterfront with a fantastic meal of fresh seafood and grilled fish and a little red wine to wash it down! A perfect ending to our Cinque Terre portion of our Art Trek.
If you’d like to join us in Cinque Terre / Lake Como for our next Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Sept. 12th-21st, please let me know. The workshop is already half full and a final registration deadline of Nov. 2nd is quickly approaching, so sign up soon! For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014



Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.
***
To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings and plein air oil paintings, please visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

Tuscany, Cinque Terre Lake Como Art Treks with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

8″ x 10″ textured oil by Niki Gulley • SOLD

Day 7, Transitional Day:  TUSCANY / CINQUE TERRE / LAKE COMO ART TREK
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

The next day, some of our group left to go back to the states and a few stayed with us another week to be a part of our Cinque Terre / Lake Como Art Trek. For those staying on the second week, we had a leisurely morning at the villa to relax, swim in the pool, pack, etc. I had time to work on one last painting, a view that I had been admiring for the week from the back of our villa. I was attracted to this stone house with its window awning casting the diagonal shadows across its facade, nestled in between cypress, and the rolling countryside as a backdrop behind it.

That afternoon we headed to the airport to collect the rest of our group and drive to the Cinque Terre, five hill towns that are connected by a hiking trail on the west coast of Italy. After we checked into our hotel, we looked around Monterosso and grabbed a delicious seafood dinner that night.


If you’d like to join us in Tuscany for our next Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Sept. 5th-13th, please let me know. Early registration deadline of Nov. 16th for a $600 savings is quickly approaching! And, the final deadline to register for our Cinque Terre / Lake Como Art Treck, Sept. 12th-21st is Nov. 2nd. For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014



Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.
***
To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings and plein air oil paintings, please visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

Visiting Siena, Italy – Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

12″ x 9″ oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 3:  TUSCANY ART TREK – Siena
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
On the third day of our Tuscany Art Trek, we visited the Medieval hill town of Siena, with its incredible marble Duomo, great people-watching plaza, and interesting alleyways radiating out from the campo with something new to discover around every turn. While some of our group shopped, some photographed and others relaxed on the square, I set up in one of the quiet cobble streets to capture the textures of these ancient walls and mood of this unique city. For dinner that night, we treated ourselves to a delicious home-made Italian meal of pastas, truffles, pecorino cheese and some amazing red wine!

A mid-afternoon gelato break!
If you’d like to join us in Tuscany for our next Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Sept. 5th-13th, please let me know. Early registration deadline of Nov. 16th for a $600 savings is quickly approaching! For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014

Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014



Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

E-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.
***
To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings and plein air oil paintings, please visit my booth
at the Cottonwood Art Festival in Richardson, TX this weekend.
Cottonwood Art Festival
Sat. Oct. 5th • 10am – 7pm
Sun. Oct. 6th • 10am – 6pm

 Cottonwood Park at Beltline Rd. and Coit • Richardson, TX

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