Artreks

Painting on Murano, Italy with Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

August 15, 2025

9″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Venice Carnivalé Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams – Day 4

Finding a place to paint on Murano is somewhat challenging. With shop after shop, it is mostly geared up to promote its famous glass to visitors. So, I find it lacks some of the charm of Venice and Murano. But, I did really like this ornate bridge near the glass factory. Beautiful afternoon light raked across the scene and highlighted one lone boat parked underneath. Then, I just had to hope that no one decided to row it away, which is always one of the challenges when you are plein-air painting. But, the boat gods worked in my favor today and I was able to capture everything just in time!

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We are excited to announce a new Art Trek for next year, where you will feel like you’ve stepped into a different time and world, like right out of a movie set. We’re elated to be returning to Venice, Italy in February 2026 for the costumed fantasy that occurs during Carnival. We’re already about half full, so let us know if you’d like to come along.

And, while our Switzerland Trek is completely booked this month, we actually have 2 spots open in our Tuscany Foodie Trek this coming September. Always everyone’s favorite trip, please let us know if you would like to join us on that delicious gastronomic journey!

Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek
September 27 – October 4, 2025
2 Spots Left!

https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

Carnivalé Art Trek – Venice, Italy 2026
Feb. 8-14, 2026
Early Registration Deadline for $600 savings – Aug. 9th

https://www.arttreks.org/carnival-2026/

Tuscany Foodie Trek 2026
September 26 – October 3, 2026
Only 4 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2026/

Cinque Terre & Lake Como, Italy
October 4-11, 2026
Only 6 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/cinque-terre-2026/

If you have any questions or would like to register, please contact Scott at photoguy@blind-squirrel.org or 214-289-8512.

Visit ArtTreks.org for more details on all of our trips.

Check out our review page on TripAdvisor and feel free to leave one of your own.

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To see more of Niki Gulley’s contemporary textured landscape paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.

For more information, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Painting Venice Canals with Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

August 14, 2025

12″ x 9″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Venice Art Trek – Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Day 2, Doge’s Palace and Painting the back canals

On the second 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 I took my painters to one of the back canals in Venice. With it being Carnival, there was a steady stream of gondolas rowing past us. At one point, a live violinist drifted by playing the most beautiful tune that echoed off the buildings. What a magical moment! I tried to capture it on video for you, but it gets lost in the ambient noise. I feel like we were able to capture that feeling in our paintings, though!

Check out the video here: https://www.facebook.com/niki.gulley/videos/925363725488223.

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

For more information on my Venice and other travel paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek
September 27 – October 4, 2025
2 Spots Left!

https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

Carnivalé Art Trek – Venice, Italy 2026
Feb. 8-14, 2026
Early Registration Deadline for $600 savings – Aug. 9th

https://www.arttreks.org/carnival-2026/

Tuscany Foodie Trek 2026
September 26 – October 3, 2026
Only 4 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2026/

Cinque Terre & Lake Como, Italy
October 4-11, 2026
Only 6 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/cinque-terre-2026/

If you have any questions or would like to register, please contact Scott at photoguy@blind-squirrel.org or 214-289-8512.

Visit ArtTreks.org for more details on all of our trips.

Check out our review page on TripAdvisor and feel free to leave one of your own.

Painting in Venice with Painting Teacher Niki Gulley

August 11, 2025

5″ x 7″ textured oil painting on panel

On the second day of our Venice Art Trek, we headed to the islands of Burano and Murano. Burano is known as a fishing community (and for the homemade lace that they make there), and to help the fisherman find their houses while coming back from sea, they painted their homes every color of the rainbow. With the picturesque canals and so many great colored buildings to choose from, it’s hard to pick a single subject matter! We were drawn to this quiet location, however, and the vibrant yellow stucco wall with that morning’s laundry being hung out to dry and the bicycle waiting for a ride. Today I chose to work with thick oil paint and palette knife to capture the rough surface of the walls, resulting in a final painting which is loaded with texture and color.

www.NikiGulley.com

E-mail – Niki Gulley

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Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek
September 27 – October 4, 2025
2 Spots Left!

https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

Carnivalé Art Trek – Venice, Italy 2026
Feb. 8-14, 2026
Early Registration Deadline for $600 savings – Aug. 9th

https://www.arttreks.org/carnival-2026/

Tuscany Foodie Trek 2026
September 26 – October 3, 2026
Only 4 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2026/

Cinque Terre & Lake Como, Italy
October 4-11, 2026
Only 6 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/cinque-terre-2026/

If you have any questions or would like to register, please contact Scott at photoguy@blind-squirrel.org or 214-289-8512.

Visit ArtTreks.org for more details on all of our trips.

Check out our review page on TripAdvisor and feel free to leave one of your own.

***

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

June 13, 2025

Day 1, Greece Art Trek: The Acropolis, Athens
9″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel by Niki Gulley

On the first full day of our plein air painting and photography workshop in Greece, we visited the Acropolis in Athens along with several other ancient sites. It was truly awe inspiring to see a part of history from the fifth century BC and to imagine what life must have been like as democracy was beginning. In the afternoon, the painters set up their easels on top of the balcony at our hotel to paint this beautiful view of the Parthenon while the photographers continued touring the city. In this painting, I wanted to capture a sense of scale with the Acropolis, and suggest how it rises above the city on this massive mound, towering majestically over the city, kissed by the clouds above.

Breakfast from the terrace of our hotel. What a view of the Acropolis!

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If you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing Art Treks!

Switzerland Art Trek
July 26 – August 2, 2025
Full

Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek
September 27 – October 4, 2025
2 Spots Left!

https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

Tuscany Foodie Trek 2026
September 26 – October 3, 2026
Only 4 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2026/

Cinque Terre & Lake Como, Italy
October 4-11, 2026
Only 6 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/cinque-terre-2026/

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

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Painting on Murano, Italy with Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

March 20, 2023

9″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Venice Carnivalé Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams – Day 4

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

Upcoming Art and Foodie Treks

Provence, France – June / July 2023 – wait list only

Spain Foodie Trek – March 2024

Portugal Art Trek – Mar. 2024

Iceland Art Trek – Aug. 2024

Tuscany, Italy Foodie Trek – Oct. 2023

These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

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To see more of Niki Gulley’s contemporary textured landscape paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.

For more information, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

March 17, 2023

SOLD • 9″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Venice Carnivalé Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams – Day 4

Just Sold! On the fourth day of our Venice Art Trek, we headed to the islands of Burano and Murano. Burano is known as a fishing community (and for the homemade lace that they make there), and to help the fisherman find their houses while coming back from sea, they painted their homes every color of the rainbow. With the picturesque canals and so many great colored buildings to choose from, it’s hard to pick a single subject matter!

If only we painted with that much color here, we might feel a little more joy each day! I also loved the morning light as the laundry was hanging out to dry. Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate the convenience of my dryer, but there is something nostalgic about clotheslines. Helping grandma hang laundry on the line brings back such fond memories!

To see more of my travel paintings, visit nikigulley.com.
 
Or, E-mail Niki Gulley for more details.
 
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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 Art Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 
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Painting Venice Canals with Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

March 14, 2023

12″ x 9″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Venice Art Trek – Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Day 2, Doge’s Palace and Painting the back canals

That afternoon we chose a canal to paint near our hotel 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. With it being Carnival, luckily there was a steady stream of them rowing past us. At one point, a live violinist drifted by playing the most beautiful tune that echoed off the buildings. What a magical moment!

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

For more information on my Venice and other travel paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

***

If you’d like to join us on one of upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

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

Plein Air Painting in Venice with Niki Gulley

March 10, 2023

SOLD • 12″ x 9″ textured oil on canvas panel by Niki Gulley

Venice Carnivalé Art Trek – Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Day 1: Venice

We just got back from teaching our latest Painting and Photography Art Trek in Venice during Carnivalé and had the most amazing time! The weather was ideal our first day there, and we found our way to this picturesque spot. Normally this is one of my favorite places to paint in Venice. It’s quiet with almost no onlookers for my students, and yet gondolas frequently row by to entertain us. However, today during Carnival, it was like experiencing rush hour on water! There was a constant barrage of boats making deliveries at our dock, construction barges across the way and about 100 gondolas forming a serious traffic jam. The good news is we had a steady stream of gondolas to paint into our scene and they certainly weren’t moving very fast or at all.

Since the whole city is on water, I love how their “garage doors” are actually for their boats. And, in this painting, I wanted to focus on this beautiful entrance and the textures of the buildings as morning light cast its glow. Even with the slow parade, it wasn’t enough time to fully capture the gondolier so I added those finishing touches and some sparkle to the scene back in my studio. I hope you can hear the baritones breaking into “Amoré” as they drift by us.

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

For more information on my Venice and other travel paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

***

If you’d like to join us on one of upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

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

Painting in Venice with Painting Teacher Niki Gulley

March 9, 2023

5″ x 7″ • textured oil painting on panel

If you’d like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know.

For more details, E-mail Niki Gulley or go to ArtTreks.org.

***

www.NikiGulley.com

“Dreamlike Journey” Pastel from Venice by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

March 2, 2023

12” x 9” pastel

I created this pastel during a workshop my husband and I taught in Venice. We love the city, and there is so much inspiration there between the art, architecture, canals and magical light that it’s really hard to narrow down what to paint! On this day, we decided to stick with a classic view of the canals. I like the way light peeks through the narrow passageway and leads your eye from building to building, and the gondola that happened into the scene created the perfect finishing detail.

If you’d also like to experience the beauty, history and culture of Italy, join me and my husband / travel photographer, Scott Williams, for our Plein Air Painting and Photography Art Treks.. Our unique Art Treks afford you the option to choose which aspects interest you, whether it is painting, photography, both or neither, thereby giving you an opportunity to make the most of your experience. Our trips are designed to hone your skills and expand your creativity, all while you further your artistic voice and immerse yourself in the region’s culture and lifestyle. Non-participating partners are encouraged to join us for a reduced price, and we’ll help with travel arrangements, tours, transportation, etc. while we’re painting and photographing.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information or go to ArtTreks.org.

NikiGulley.com