My husband and I both LOVE waterfalls, which turned out to be one of our favorite things about Iceland – there was a stunning waterfall everywhere we went. Today I set up my easel to capture the energy and flow of the cascades while showing the lush mountainous scenery surrounding the landscape. Creating strokes in diagonal sweeping shapes to enhance that feeling of movement and rhythm, I hope you, too, can hear the flowing water’s music and feel the gentle spray from its mist.

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

 

 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my Iceland painting series.

 

***

 

If you’d like to join us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. My husband, Scott Williams, and I will be leading a painting and photography workshop to Iceland next August, and this waterfall will be one of our amazing stops. Details will be on our website shortly, and we anticipate that this trip will sell out quickly, so let us know if you’re interested.

 

 

 

Iceland – Aug. 2021

Portugal – Sept. 2021

Tuscany Foodie Trek – Oct. 2022

 

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

Today we continued our counterclockwise adventure around Iceland to arrive in the north, near the massive, impressive Godafoss waterfall. Unfortunately, our weather turned for the worse, and it was way too wet to paint the falls. However, just over the mountain, 20 minutes away at our b and b, the skies were fairly clear with even occasional glimpses of sunshine. I loved these birch trees all over their property, leading you down to the gorgeous view of the mountains in the distance. Sprinkled with summer wildflowers, I set out to capture the light casting long shadows from the trunks and causing the grasses to glow in the foreground, leading to a feeling of joy and serenity in this beautiful spot.

Continuing
our journey along the west coast of Iceland, I was taken by their
simplistic architecture, often topped with bright red roofs to add a pop
of color to the natural landscape. In the next several paintings,
you’ll see I chose a different house or barn each day and set out to
capture its shape, the colors and light hitting the structure, and the
picturesque, idyllic, quiet scenery surrounding the building in all
directions. Here is my last one, where we got up to capture sunrise. The
setting had such a beautiful glow to it that I wanted to recreate that
warmth in the foreground and sky contrasted against the cool distant
mountains. Created with palette knife and oil paint, this piece is full
of surprising pops of color, texture, energy and joy.

 

Close up texture detail of “Rural Life IV”

 

 

***

Today we continued our counterclockwise adventure around Iceland to arrive in the north, near the massive, impressive Godafoss waterfall. Unfortunately, our weather turned for the worse, and it was way too wet to paint the falls. However, just over the mountain, 20 minutes away at our b and b, the skies were fairly clear with even occasional glimpses of sunshine. I loved these birch trees all over their property, leading you down to the gorgeous view of the mountains in the distance. Sprinkled with summer wildflowers, I set out to capture the light casting long shadows from the trunks and causing the grasses to glow in the foreground, leading to a feeling of joy and serenity in this beautiful spot.

Just Sold! My husband and I visited Iceland this August and fell in love with its beauty. On this morning, we got up early to capture sunrise in the south along the Black Beach. The rock formations and caves that formed next to the water are fascinating. Giant basalt columns stacked one right after the other dominate the shoreline. I wanted to capture their texture and the peaceful glow as the morning sun rose above the horizon in this little painting.

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

 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my Iceland painting series.

 

***

 

If you’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

 

 

Iceland – Aug. 2020

Tuscany Foodie Trek – Oct. 2020

 

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

On our way back to Reykavik at the end of our Iceland journey, I had one small canvas left when we came across this beautiful patch of lupine blooming in front of this dramatic mountain. I’d really wanted to see a massive field of the blue buds while we were there, but whenever we would find the plants, the flowers had already bloomed and didn’t have much color left. So Scott pulled over long enough for me to capture these beauties, a perfect way to end the trip. Created with palette knife and oil paint, this piece is filled with joy, color and texture.

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

 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my Iceland painting series.

 

***

 

If you’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

 

 

Iceland – Sept. 2020

Tuscany Foodie Trek – Oct. 2020

 

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

Across from the unique Kirkjufell mountain is the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall. Mult-tiered water flows and cascades from one layer to the next into the pool below, creating a river that eventually flows out to sea. Since it was a rather grey evening, I decided to play with the colors to create a more uplifting, fantastical scene. Using juicy, thick, diagonal strokes creates energy and movement adding to the sense of rushing water. Created with palette knife and oil paint, this piece is loaded with color, texture and joy.

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

 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my Iceland painting series.

 

***

 

If you’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

 

 

Iceland – Sept. 2020

Tuscany Foodie Trek – Oct. 2020

 

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

Next up on our Iceland trek, was you guessed it – another waterfall! We had to fit in at least one more before heading back to the concrete jungle of Dallas. These falls were really special, cascading almost perfectly vertical from the tallest mountain around. From high above, the rushing water cuts through rock and lush grasses as it winds its way down from the heavens above to the rushing rapids below. To capture the water’s enormous length and height, I chose a vertical composition. Working with energetic diagonal strokes and thick paint, I hope you can feel the rush of the rapids and the surge of energy being surrounded by nature.

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

 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my Iceland painting series.

 

***

 

If you’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

 

Iceland – Sept. 2020

Tuscany Foodie Trek – Oct. 2020

 

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

Continuing our journey along the west coast of Iceland, I was taken by their simplistic architecture, often topped with bright red roofs to add a pop of color to the natural landscape. In the next several paintings, you’ll see I chose a different house or barn each day and set out to capture its shape, the colors and light hitting the structure, and the picturesque, idyllic, quiet scenery surrounding the building in all directions. Here is my last one, where we got up to capture sunrise. The setting had such a beautiful glow to it that I wanted to recreate that warmth in the foreground and sky contrasted against the cool distant mountains. Created with palette knife and oil paint, this piece is full of surprising pops of color, texture, energy and joy.

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

 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my Iceland painting series.

 

***

 

If you’re interested in joining us on one of upcoming Art Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

 

 

Iceland – Sept. 2020

Tuscany Foodie Trek – Oct. 2020

 

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