contemporary landscape painting

Santa Fe Art Trek w/ Niki Gulley and Scott Williams – Ghost Ranch

August 20, 2012

SANTA FE ART TREK:

Day 1, morning location – Ghost Ranch, New Mexico
12″ x 9″ pastel by Niki Gulley

On the first day of our Santa Fe Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop, we headed to the gorgeous hills where Georgia O’Keefe resided, now understanding fully why she chose to live there. The rock formations were beautiful, the desert scenery had a rugged, uninhabited wild west feel, and the clouds were spectacular. I chose this location for my pastel demo, being attracted to the light on the distant mountain peaks, and the bushy sagebrush in the foreground.

I quickly drew my major shapes, then working with the sides of my pastels, blocked in my darks and simplified the scene into larger color passages. Tweaking the composition as I went so everything flowed together and kept your eye moving around the painting, I started developing my focal area in the distance, establishing more details in the cracks and crevices and accentuating the dramatic lights and darks with complimentary colors. Then, I moved into details on the sagebrush and suggested the deep shadow underneath. Last, I filled in the middle ground in between, making sure to keep soft edges and a closer color and value range there, so as not to take away from the other areas. A perfect morning in an amazing location!

Above: Some of our painters at Ghost Ranch.

Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

“Reflections in Time” by Niki Gulley

August 17, 2012

SOLD • Oil on canvas • 24” x 36”

Just sold! This painting is inspired by one of my favorite spots just ten minutes from our home in Dallas. It was a perfect autumn day with a slight breeze and the peaking autumn colors were more vibrant than usual. With such a gentle wind, the vivid foliage and gorgeous fluffy clouds were reflected fairly clearly in the water and yet at the same time, I chose to create fluid moving strokes to suggest the peaceful energy in that moment.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her contemporary landscape paintings.

NikiGulley.com

Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.

“Long Shadows,” White Rock Lake by Niki Gulley

August 15, 2012

12” x 24” oil on canvas

Sunset draws lengthening shadows across the grassy waters edge at Sunset Bay, White Rock. The lake shimmers in the evening glow as sky high above fills with deep blues and before you the soft, moody colors stretch out, long lines beckoning you into the complex diagonal composition. Rich texture models the leaves, branches and tree trunk rimmed in the sunset and shadow. Vivid masses of color form the foliage on the opposite bank, fall at its peak. The long cast shadows draw you into the tranquil landscape and the peaceful, dreamy sunset at White Rock Lake.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her contemporary landscape paintings.

“Golden Moment, White Rock Lake” by Niki Gulley

August 13, 2012

Textured oil on canvas • 12″ x 24″

On a peaceful autumn day last fall, I went out with my camera to White Rock Lake and captured this beautiful sunset behind the Dallas skyline. I liked how the pampas grass and various plants in the foreground were back lit by the setting sun and how the water’s surface was shimmering from the low light, adding to a sense of mystery and tranquility in that golden moment.

If you’d like information on “Golden Moment,” e-mail Niki Gulley, or contact American Fine Art, AmericanFineArt.com.

***

NikiGulley.com.

“Muted Hues” – Aspen Tree oil painting by Niki Gulley

August 3, 2012

“Muted Hues” ©2012 Niki Gulley
36″ x 36″ oil on canvas

I love painting aspen trees and I usually work with a bold color palette, but in this painting, I wanted to convey a quieter, more peaceful mood. Opting for more pastel shades, and incorporating calming blues and greens, Muted Hues reminds me of the serenity I feel while walking through the forest on a cool autumn day, being totally immersed in nature, not a care in the world. I hope you are transported, too!

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

•••

If you haven’t seen it yet, check out this month’s copy of visual language for more inspirational artwork http://issuu.com/cfai.co/docs/visual_language_vol_1_no__6_ll/1.

Santa Fe Art Trek – Aug. 12-18 with Niki Gulley

July 27, 2012

SOLD • 9″ x 12″ textured oil

Santa Fe is the muse of many famous artists and photographers, and that could be you, too! Join us for our Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop this August in Santa Fe, New Mexico.We will transport you to different picturesque locations, where you will be painting and (or) photographing scenes that inspired Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams. Santa Fe offers breathtaking vistas; sunny, dry weather, world class restaurants, galleries and shopping ensconced in a charming, 400 year old Spanish Colonial city that welcomes the new and exciting and never grows old. This is a not to be missed workshop in “The Land of Enchantment.”

Santa Fe Art Trek

Plein Air Painting and/or photography workshop taught by Scott Williams and Niki Gulley

Santa Fe, New Mexico

August 12 -18, 2012

See nikigulley.com/art-classes for more details

or e-mail Niki Gulley with any questions and to register.

Above: Our students painting this scenic overlook of the Rio Chama from last year’s Santa Fe Art Trek.

***

To see more of Niki Gulley’s textured oil paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

http://issuu.com/cfai.co/docs/visual_language_vol_1_no__6_ll

Commissioned Fall Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

July 23, 2012

SOLD • 36″ x 48″ textured oil painting

Just delivered. One of my new collectors asked me to create a painting for his wife based on one of her photos of a forest preserve in the Chicago area. I was excited to paint this custom piece for them since I’ve always loved tree scenes. I liked how the distinct curving lines along the path and rickety fence lead you deep into the woods. Playing with autumn golds and oranges contrasted against intense blues and purples in the shadows, I created energetic strokes with my palette knife to create web of texture in the distant tangled branches and dense falling leaves in the foreground. The final painting is full of movement, color and depth and was exactly what my new collectors were looking for!

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

Or, e-mail Niki Gulley for more information on commissioning a unique painting of your own.

Golden Transitions textured aspen tree painting by Niki Gullley

July 16, 2012

textured oil on canvas • 36″ x 60″

In “Golden Transitions,” I wanted you to feel like you were deep in the middle of the woods surrounded by nature in all of its beautiful autumn glory. I painted these aspen trees with extremely thick oil paint so that the texture and colors leap off the canvas.

If you are in Ann Arbor, MI this weekend, please stop by my booth at the largest art show in the country to see more of my textured birch and aspen tree paintings.

State Street Area Art Fair

Wed. July 18 • 10 am – 9pm

Thurs. July 19 • 10am – 9pm

Fri. July 20 • 10am – 9pm

Sat. July 21 • 10am – 6pm

Ann Arbor, MI • Liberty & State St.

Booth #B212 on N. University between Thayer & State

a2statestreetartfair.com

***

Or, to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings, visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

“Passage of Illumination” large textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

July 11, 2012

48” x 60” textured oil on canvas

Wander down this path that beckons you and lift your eyes heavenward to that cobalt vault lined by a rainbow of vivid greens and golds and gleaming crimson, purposely choosing these warm vibrant colors to suggest a hopeful future. Like an ancient chorus these joyful trees sing with dazzling colors, a call and respond to each other across the enticing path that traces verses of light and dark, hue and color, an alluring siren song leading you into the depths of this radiant, vanishing horizon. A painting rich in color and light, joy and energy its double bowed composition gently leads gently you into this magical, blissful destination.

If you are in Madison, WI this weekend, please stop by my booth at Art Fair on the Square to see more of my textured oil paintings.

Art Fair on the Square

Sat. July 14 • 9am – 6pm

Sun. July 15 • 10am – 5pm

Madison, WI • 227 State. St.

Booth # 826, 828

on Mifflin St. between State St. & Wisconsin Ave.

mmoca.org

***

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Just Sold – “Spring’s Glory, Texas Hill Country”

June 4, 2012

SOLD • 48″ x 30″ textured painting on wrap around canvasJust Sold!”Spring’s Glory” was inspired by a recent trip to the Texas Hill Country. This spring conditions were perfect, and the bluebonnets were amazing! While we were near Fredericksburg, we took a scenic drive along the Willow City Look and as we approached the top of a hill about half way around, we were greeted by this gorgeous view of the rolling hills and bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush in full bloom. Then, to top it off the sun was setting in the distance casting its golden glow and backlighting the wildflowers. I had to capture the magical moment, enhancing the kaleidoscope of colors in the sky and along the ground. Arranging clouds, the road and rows of bluebonnets in rhythmic sweeping shapes, create a harmonious landscape that flows with light, texture and color, and suggest a feeling of optimism about what’s to come.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her Texas bluebonnet paintings.