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

5″ x 7″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley • SOLD

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

That afternoon, we all had free time. Some people stayed in Pienza to shop and explore the town, while others came back to the villa to chill out by the pool. I had enough time to complete one more small 5×7 oil painting of the villa itself. I loved this prolific rose bush in front of the unique terra cotta tile window offset against cypress trees, an olive grove and rolling hills in the distance.

Before dinner we gathered back at the villa for a slide from our photographers of the trip and to see the paintings we completed, accompanied by a little wine and Italian treats. That night we enjoyed a beautiful Terrace view with one last picture perfect sunset over dinner with amazing food and new friends. A perfect end to a perfect week! We were sad to see the night end.

 
 
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If you’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. The early registration deadline of Sept. 23rd for a $600 on most trips is quickly approaching, so don’t wait!
 
 
FULL – Fall in New England – Oct. 10-15, 2017
FULL – Croatia and Slovenia – May  9 – 17 (or with extended 4 days May 9 – 21 /2018
Venice, Italy (Carnival) – February 3 – 10 /2018
Tuscany, Italy – Sept 7-15, 2018
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – September  14 – 23 /2018   
 
For more information on upcoming Art Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 
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To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.

 
 
 

Painting and Photographing Pienza with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

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

Day 6, Pienza:  TUSCANY ART TREK
 
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the last day of our Tuscany Art Trek, we explored nearby Pienza to enjoy its picturesque alleyways and amazing views of the valleys below. Having been home to Pope Pius II, the town is filled with interesting historical sites, great shopping, delicious lunch spots and plenty of interesting corners to paint. I chose this doorway since I loved the texture of the stone walls, the potted plants around it, and the soft light raking across it.While some of our group explored Pienza, a few of the others stayed back at the villa to take a cooking class from a Tuscan mama chef. From hand rolled pici pasta, to roasted pork, to various pizzas and appetizers and finishing with a chocolate cherry ricotta torte, they shared their homemade creations with the rest of us. While they had a great time learning, we thoroughly enjoyed tasting their new found skills in the kitchen!

 
***
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. The early registration deadline of Sept. 23rd for a $600 on most trips is quickly approaching, so don’t wait!
 
 
FULL – Fall in New England – Oct. 10-15, 2017
FULL – Croatia and Slovenia – May  9 – 17 (or with extended 4 days May 9 – 21 /2018
Venice, Italy (Carnival) – February 3 – 10 /2018
Tuscany, Italy – Sept 7-15, 2018
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – September  14 – 23 /2018   
 
For more information on upcoming Art Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 
***
To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.

Day 3, Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

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

Day 3:  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 soft filtered light. Pienza sits atop the hillside in the distance with the Adirondack chair and rose bush blooms framing the foreground. A perfect place to sit and relax!
  
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’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. The early registration deadline of Sept. 23rd for a $600 on most trips is quickly approaching, so don’t wait!
 
 
FULL – Fall in New England – Oct. 10-15, 2017
FULL – Croatia and Slovenia – May  9 – 17 (or with extended 4 days May 9 – 21 /2018
Venice, Italy (Carnival) – February 3 – 10 /2018
Tuscany, Italy – Sept 7-15, 2018
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – September  14 – 23 /2018   
 
For more information on upcoming Art Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 
***
To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.
 
 
 

Visiting Montepulciano and Tuscan Wineries with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Montepulciano ©2017 Niki Gulley • 12″ x 9″ textured oil painting
Day 2, Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
 
The next morning of our Tuscany Art Trek, we headed to the wine town of Montepulciano. Perched atop a giant hill with beautiful views of the surrounding vineyards below, we set up our easels at this breathtaking overlook. We had to work quickly to capture the morning light before it disappeared, while the photographers and the others explored ancient wine cellars, quiet back alleys and even got in a little shopping.
 
After lunch, we visited two wineries nearby to sample their Rossos, Vino Nobiles and the delicious sweet dessert wine, Vin Santo. Full from the local meats and cheeses and tasty red wines, we headed back to the villa for a quiet night of relaxing and soaking in the evening scenery.
 
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. The early registration deadline of Sept. 23rd for a $600 on most trips is quickly approaching, so don’t wait!
 
 
FULL – Fall in New England – Oct. 10-15, 2017
FULL – Croatia & Slovenia – May  9 – 17 (or with extended 4 days May 9 – 21 /2018
Venice, Italy (Carnival) – February 3 – 10 /2018
Tuscany, Italy – Sept 7-15, 2018
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – September  14 – 23 /2018   
 
For more information on upcoming Art Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 
***
To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.
 
 
 

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

View from our Villa, Tuscany ©2017 Niki Gulley • 9″ x 12″ textured oil painting 
Day 1, Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
 
On the first morning of our Tuscany Art Trek, my husband went over camera functions and tips with his photography students while my painters set up to capture this gorgeous view of the distant hills and farmhouse that we see from our breakfast table each morning. With a few clouds drifting by, the sun kept illuminating the foreground Rapeseed and making the hills glow gold and chartreuse. I liked the single farmhouse set against the distant mountains and the one lone cypress growing in the middle of all that yellow. What a perfect morning!
 
 
That afternoon we continued painting at the villa while the photographers explored the scenic countryside, and we all gathered that evening for a delicious meal of melted pecorino and homemade rustic bread, pici (hand rolled pasta) with wild boar sauce or truffle ravioli for others, fresh organic vegetables and of course the local red wine to top it off!
 
***
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. The early registration deadline of Sept. 23rd for a $600 savings on most trips is quickly approaching, so don’t wait!
 
 
FULL – Fall in New England – Oct. 10-15, 2017
FULL – Croatia and Slovenia – May  9 – 17 (or with extended 4 days May 9 – 21 ) 2018
Venice, Italy (Carnival) – February 3 – 10 /2018
Tuscany, Italy – Sept 7-15, 2018
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – September  14 – 23 /2018   
 
For more information on upcoming Art Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 
***
To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.
 
 
 

New “Colorful Carousel” Palette Knife Aspen Tree Painting by Niki Gulley

“Colorful Carousel” ©2017 by Niki Gulley
SOLD • 36″ x 60″ original textured oil painting

Just Sold! I wanted this painting to be about the power and energy in nature to invigorate your spirit, so I chose to use warm vivid colors contrasted against cool underbrush while utilizing thick staccato strokes to add to that feeling. I placed the fall foliage in curving sweeping shapes to create a sense of movement, so that you can feel the wind gently rustling the leaves and causing them to dance on a beautiful fall day. 

To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings online, visit NikiGulley.com.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

 
 

New “October Transitions” oil painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“October Transitions” ©2016 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 36″ x 48″ textured oil painting on gallery wrap canvas

Just Sold! I find being immersed in nature can have such an uplifting effect, and I wanted to share that feeling with you in October Transitions. I chose vibrant warm reds. oranges and golds contrasted against cool mountains in the distance and a calming aqua blue sky to highlight autumn’s kaleidoscope of colors. Filled with layers of oil paint forming three-dimensional texture and utilizing unblended strokes, creates energy and movement throughout the canvas. The final painting is full of uplifting color and brings the beautiful outdoors into your home.

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

 

 E-mail Niki Gulley for more details on my aspen and birch tree palette knife oil paintings.

“Autumn Serenade II” by Niki Gulley Wins First Place at Milan Gallery’s Discovery Show

“Autumn Serenade II” ©2017 by Niki Gulley
30″ x 40″ original textured oil painting

Flickering autumn leaves seem to almost dance in a gentle breeze. I wanted this scene to be filled with movement and energy, so I incorporated a lot of diagonal and curving shapes in the design to suggest that feeling. Contrasting short staccato strokes against blended passages with my palette knives, also increase that sense of motion. I hope you, too, can feel the excitement of walking through the woods on a beautiful fall day, letting your cares slip away and your spirit being invigorated.

I’m excited that “Autumn Serenade II” has been juried into Milan Gallery’s Discovery Show and received first place from the jurors! With that award, comes 6 months of representation at the gallery. If you’re in the Fort Worth area, I hope you can check out my latest paintings at the gallery.

Juried Discovery Show 
Milan Gallery 
Group Exhibition continuing from June 15 through July 9
505 Houston St. Fort Worth, TX  76102 • 817-338-42786 month showing of Niki Gulley’s paintings continuing through December.

milangallery.com ***

To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings online, visit NikiGulley.com.
 
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her aspen and birch tree palette knife paintings.

 
 

New “Fall’s Carnival” by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“Fall’s Carnival” ©2017 Niki Gulley
30″ x 40″ textured oil painting on gallery wrap canvas

Painted with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives so that this canvas is loaded with texture and bursting with color, flickering autumn leaves seem to almost dance in a gentle breeze. I wanted this landscape to be filled with movement and vivacity, so I incorporated a lot of diagonal and curving shapes in the design to suggest that feeling. Contrasting short staccato strokes against blended passages with my palette knives, also increase that sense of motion. One zig zag passage of crimson foliage creates a focal point in the tangle of leaves and turnks while adding energy to the scene. I hope you, too, can feel the excitement of walking through the woods on a beautiful fall day, letting your cares slip away and your spirit being invigorated. 

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

 

New “Visions of Blue III” Palette Knife Bluebonnet Painting by Texas Artist Niki Gulley

 
“Visions of Blue III,” Texas Hill Country ©2017 Niki Gulley
24″ x 12″ textured oil painting
 
I painted these Texas Bluebonnets and wildflowers with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives to achieve depth and texture. The resulting image comes to life and is loaded with color and energy. In this vertical wildflower series, I’ve framed the paintings in espresso floater frames so that you can still see the textured oil paint continuing around the edges of the canvas. These Texas wildflowers look great hung alone or in a grouping with the rest of the “Visions of Blue” series, too!

 
 
For more information on my “Visions of Blue” series and more of my Texas hill country landscape paintings, please see my new works at the Good Art Company Gallery in Fredericksburg, goodartcompany.com/gac/.
 
To see more of Niki Gulley’s textured landscape paintings please check out NikiGulley.com,
 
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her Texas bluebonnet and wildflower paintings.