Day 3, French Riviera Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Day 3, Villefranche and Monte Carlo – French Riviera Art Trek
12″ x 9″ oil by Niki Gulley
On the next morning of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop that my husband, Scott Williams, and I led in the French Riviera we all went in different directions. I took the painters to this beautiful scenic overlook while Scott drove the photographers along the corniches in search of the best vantages and photographs, while others relaxed at the pool at the hotel.
That afternoon, we explored the bustling old city of Monaco and later that evening tried our hand at the casinos. One person in our group even won $336 on the slot machines! That evening we dined al fresco on a delicious three course meal, enjoying the company of new friends.
A delicious dinner in Monaco.
Next summer we will be leading an Art Trek to Spain and the following year we will be headed to Tuscany, England and Ireland, so if you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing trip! Details will be coming soon on nikigulley.com/artreks.
Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist oil paintings.

Day 2, French Riviera Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Day 2, Eze and Villefranche – French Riviera Art Trek
9″ x 12″ pastel by Niki Gulley
On the second day of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop that my husband, Scott Williams, and I led in the French Riviera we spent the morning exploring the Medieval town of Eze perched on the mountainside high about the Mediterranean. With amazing views below, a massive other-worldly succulent garden, twisty stone passages and fascinating shops, there was something for everyone to see and do.
Bougainvillea in Eze – Photo by Scott Williams
That afternoon, we headed back to the hotel and while some of our group relaxed, my painters and I set up our easels in front of this beautiful ocean view, framed by tile rooftops and luscious palm and cypress trees. Our treat that evening was a boat cruise along Villefranche and the surrounding harbors. A perfect end to the relaxing day!
Enjoying the boat cruise along Villefranche harbor.
 
Next summer we will be leading an Art Trek to Spain and the following year we will be headed to Tuscany, England and Ireland, so if you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing trip! Details will be coming soon on nikigulley.com/artreks.
Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist oil paintings.

French Riviera Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Day 1, Rothschild Estate and Beaulieu – French Riviera Art Trek
9″ x 12″ pastel by Niki Gulley
On the first day of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop that my husband, Scott Williams, and I led in the French Riviera we spent the morning touring the gorgeous grounds and estate of Beatrice Rothschild. Composed of nine different themed gardens, each one managed to be even more beautiful than the one before with jaw-dropping views of the ocean below.
That afternoon, my painters set up their easels in the pictureasque nearby harbor or Beaulieu while the photographers and tourists joined Scott at another impressive villa and for a walking tour along the harbor. The beach was alive with activity and we set out to capture that energy with the colorful umbrellas and clear turquoise water set against the lush vegetation and unique stately homes in the background. A great day!
The gorgeous Rothschild villa and gardens.
Next summer we will be leading an Art Trek to Spain and the following year we will be headed to Tuscany, England and Ireland, so if you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing trip! Details will be coming soon on nikigulley.com/artreks.
Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist oil paintings.

“Hill Country Retreat” Texas Bluebonnet Painting by Niki Gulley

“Hill Country Retreat” ©2015 Niki Gulley
9″ x 12″ textured oil painting

I painted these Texas bluebonnets at a plein air painting workshop I was leading in Fredericksburg, TX. I loved the pop of red on the flag flying off this cabin’s back porch in contrast to the vibrant cobalt bluebonnets. Working with palette knife and thick oil paint, this Texas landscape is loaded with texture, color and movement!

“Hill Country Retreat” 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 goodartcompany.com/gac/.
To see more of Gulley’s palette knife landscape paintings please check out NikiGulley.com.

To find out more about upcoming Plein Air Painting Classes and Art Treks, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

For more information on my Texas bluebonnet and wildflower paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.


“Spring’s Rewards” New Poppy Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

“Spring’s Rewards” ©2015 Niki Gulley
24″ x 12″ textured mixed media on canvas 

Red headed poppies nod and wave, basking in summer sunshine, nestling amidst green pastures and soon to be harvested crops. It’s Provence: fertile, fruitful and filled with stunning vistas in every direction.
I hope you, too, feel an uplifting sense of peacefulness and the beauty of the countryside looking into Spring’s Rewards.

“Spring’s Rewards” 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/.

To see more of my poppy and palette knife floral paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.

E-mail – Niki Gulley

“Santorini Sunset” Pastel Landscape by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“Santorini Sunset” ©2014 Niki Gulley
12″ x 24″ pastel

My husband and I honeymooned in Greece and fell in love with everything about it. Definitely one of our favorite spots was the island of Santorini for its beautiful views of the Caldera, its white-washed architecture with the signature blue domes, the laid back attitude and the warmth of the people. Here is a view at the far end of the island in the town of Oia. I wanted to capture the “skyline,” ocean view and the gorgeous sunset that night.

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If you’d also like to experience the beauty, history and culture of Greece, join me and travel photographer, Scott Williams, for our Plein Air Painting and Photography Art Trek to Athens and Santorini, Greece May 8-16, 2015. We’d love to have you join us! E-mail Niki Gulley for more information or go to nikigulley.com/artreks for more details on France, Greece, or our Italy Art Treks.
For more information on “Santorini Sunset,” please e-mail Niki Gulley.
Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionistic landscape paintings and pastels.

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

“Purple Perspective,” Provence ©2014 Niki Gulley
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

 

“Purple Perspective” New Lavender Field painting by Niki Gulley

“Purple Perspective,” Provence ©2014 Niki Gulley
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 see more of Gulley’s palette knife landscape paintings, check out NikiGulley.com.

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

Day 4, Venice Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Venice Art Trek, Day 4, Doge’s Palace and Painting the back canals
12″ x 9″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley
On our fourth day of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop, we visited the Doge’s Palace, in all of its glory and were awed by its impressive art collection by Italian masters. Taking the “Secret Tour” we learned about parts of the Palace that you can’t normally see, including the prisons, the torture room and stories of Casanova.

That afternoon we chose another back canal to paint while the photographers covered off the beaten path parts of the island. I liked the way the sunlight reflected across the water’s surface, and I really wanted to capture a gondola in the distance, but since they move so quickly that was no easy task! Luckily there was a steady stream of gondolas passing by our location late in the day. I found myself painting as quickly as I could while one came into my composition, and if I didn’t capture it in time, fortunately another vessel would come into view shortly afterwards, and I was pleased with the results.

A delicious home-made Italian meal to end the day with new friends!

If you’d like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know. For more details, E-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014 – wait list only
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014
Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 2015
French Riviera – June 2015
Provence, France – June 2015

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!

“Hill Country Retreat” Texas Bluebonnet oil painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“Hill Country Retreat” ©2014 Niki Gulley
9″ x 12″ textured oil painting

I painted these Texas bluebonnets at a plein air painting workshop I was leading in Fredericksburg, TX. I loved the pop of red on the flag flying off this cabin’s back porch in contrast to the vibrant cobalt bluebonnets. Working with palette knife and thick oil paint, this Texas landscape is loaded with texture, color and movement!

For more information on my Texas bluebonnet and wildflower paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of Gulley’s palette knife landscape paintings please check out NikiGulley.com.

To find out more about upcoming Plein Air Painting Classes and Art Treks, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.