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!

***

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

Upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop in Tuscany with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

“Standing Tall, Tuscany”©2014 Niki Gulley
10″ x 8″ textured oil painting 

On our last Tuscany Art Trek, we chose these perfectly planted cypress trees so characteristic of Tuscany for our subject that day. Set against a bright blue sky and peaceful sweeping clouds, the setting was so serene and uplifting. For dinner that night, we treated ourselves to the “truffle tasting menu,” melted pecorino and honey, Florentine steak and a little vino nobile and vin santo to wash them down. Delicious food and great company with new friends!

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.

“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.

First Day of the Cinque Terre / Lake Como Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

10″ x 8″ pastel by Niki Gulley

Day 1, Monterosso: CINQUE TERRE / LAKE COMO ART TREK
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Our first morning in the Cinque Terre, we ended up painting right at the courtyard of our hotel since it was raining and we had a perfect covered patio there. The colored buildings of Monterosso proved to be the ideal backdrop for this three-tiered Italian fountain.

In the afternoon, we visited a lovely winery in the terraced hills that put out an amazing spread of wines, cheeses, tomatoes and desserts. Later that afternoon, the sun even came out and gave us a rainbow, and we ended the day with another delicious Mediterranean meal.

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.

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

10″ x 8″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 4, afternoon:  TUSCANY ART TREK
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

After we were fortified from a delicious lunch, we headed to La Foce, a beautiful Italian villa and formal gardens set in the middle of the rolling Tuscan hills. The perfectly planted cypress are so unique to Tuscany that we chose them for our subject today set against a bright blue sky and peaceful sweeping clouds. For dinner that night, we treated ourselves to the “truffle tasting menu,” melted pecorino and honey, Florentine steak and a little vino nobile and vin santo to wash them down. Delicious food and great company with new friends!

Our photographers getting into shooting one of the cypress lined roads in Tuscany!



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 website at NikiGulley.com.

Tuscany Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9″ x 12″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 4:  TUSCANY ART TREK
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the next day of our Tuscany Art Trek, we took it easy and painted right at the villa while the photographers and the rest of the group went exploring in Montalcino. I decided to paint this view from our breakfast table, 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 rolling hills scene is loaded with texture, color and movement!
For lunch 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. 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





***

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

***


Visiting Montepulciano and Wine Tasting in Tuscany with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

12″ x 9″ oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 2:  TUSCANY ART TREK – Montepulciano
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
On the second day of our Tuscany Art Trek, we set up our easels at a scenic overlook in Montepulciano while the photographers went exploring. The view of the valley below is gorgeous with miles of olive groves and vineyards stretching to the horizon. I chose to paint the blue-domed duomo below set amid the rolling hills and perfectly planted rows about to be harvested. In the afternoon, we visited two wineries and sampled some amazing red wines and the region’s prized Vin Santo. Another fantastic day in Tuscany!

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

***

NikiGulley.com

Day 1, Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

12″ x 9″ oil painting by Niki Gulley • SOLD

Day 1:  TUSCANY ART TREK
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
On the first day of our Tuscany Art Trek, we set up and painted right at the villa where we were staying. The views are incredible of the surrounding valleys and hill towns, and I chose to paint this ancient well on the back of the property framing Pienza in the distance. For lunch we dined al fresco at the farmhouse on local meats, cheeses and amazing fruits and vegetables, and in the afternoon we went exploring in the countryside. A perfect first day in Tuscany!

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 Italy and plein air oil paintings, please visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop in Paris with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Notre Dame, Rose Window • 10″ x 8″ oil painting by Niki Gulley
Paris Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Last year on our plein air painting and photography workshop that we taught in Paris, we staked out this quiet, picturesque view of Notre Dame along the Siene. Some painters chose to include the whole scene with river, church and boats, while myself and a couple of others selected this tighter view on just the intricate stained glass of the rose window. After painting the whites and grays of the cathedral in the morning light, I decided to have a little fun with the colors in the afternoon – after all we were in the home of French Impressionism! Working with complimentary purples and oranges created vibrant highlights, cool shadows and contrasting colors that cause your eye to dance across the canvas.
Photo of us painting at Notre Dame taken by one of our budding photographers.

If you would like join us on our next Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop to Paris June 19-27, 2014, please check out nikigulley.com/artreks for more information. Register by Sept. 28th for a $600 savings!
Other upcoming Art Treks include:
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

***
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.
Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.