Today we had our second cooking class today at a fully operating agriturismo. We started making a hand rolled Pici pasta with homemade tomato sauce. Then we moved onto creating a salt crusted pork loin stuffed with herbs, along with roasted veggies. Finally we finished with wine cookies dusted in cinnamon sugar. We also got a chance to tour the farm and cheese making facility. Finally, we reaped the fruits of our labors with some cheese tasting and dining on the delicious meal we cooked, always having a great time!!! Life is so good.

 

For my painting today, you never know what’s going to happen when you set up on location. Today was rather warm so I chose this shady overlook with views of the beautiful vineyard below. It seemed like a nice, quiet spot. Then came 5 pm, which turns out was social hour for the local guys.

Some stared with crossed arms and facial expressions like they just ate lemons, some paced by craning their necks and one friendly man invited us in Italian to see his home up close since it was the vineyard next to where I was painting. It’s never dull!

 

To see a video of my process, check out https://www.instagram.com/p/DOv2N5zDO9n//

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For more details on my other Tuscany paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

 

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

 

 

 

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

 

 

Iceland Art Trek
Aug. 3-10, 2026

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

 

Tuscany Foodie Trek 2026 

September 26 – October 3, 2026
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2026/

Cinque Terre & Lake Como, Italy
October 4-11, 2026
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.

16″ x 20″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Just Sold! We visited Tuscany this fall and were surrounded by grapevines everywhere we went, with the gorgeous, plump purple grapes ready to harvest at any moment. I loved these vibrant vines in the foreground framing the rolling hills in the distance. Setting up my easel across from this vineyard, I created this textured painting with palette knife and a lot of paint. I arranged the planted vines to lead your eye across the canvas, stopping at the Tuscan villa on your way. Morning light cast deep purple shadows on the ground and caused the leaves and soil to glow. As a treat when I finished, we enjoyed a picnic of salami, proscuitto, pecorino and of course, vino. Yum!

 

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

 

Greece Art Trek
May 17-24, 2025
Full
Visit https://www.arttreks.org/greece-2025/ for details.

Switzerland Art Trek 
July 26 – August 2, 2025
Full
More info. at https://www.arttreks.org/switzerland-2025/.

Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek 
New Date – September 20-27, 2025
Just a couple of spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

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.

***

16″ x 20″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

We visited Tuscany this fall and were surrounded by grapevines everywhere we went, with the gorgeous, plump purple grapes ready to harvest at any moment. I loved these vibrant vines in the foreground framing the rolling hills in the distance. Setting up my easel across from this vineyard, I created this textured painting with palette knife and a lot of paint. I arranged the planted vines to lead your eye across the canvas, stopping at the Tuscan villa on your way. Morning light cast deep purple shadows on the ground and caused the leaves and soil to glow. As a treat when I finished, we enjoyed a picnic of salami, proscuitto, pecorino and of course, vino. Yum!

 

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

 

Greece Art Trek
May 17-24, 2025
Only 1 Spot Left!
Visit https://www.arttreks.org/greece-2025/ for details.

Switzerland Art Trek 
July 26 – August 2, 2025
Full
More info. at https://www.arttreks.org/switzerland-2025/.

Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek 
New Date – September 20-27, 2025
Just a couple of spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

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.

***

Just Sold! In “Ready for Harvest III,” I set up my easel at the agriturismo we were staying at in Tuscany to capture this gorgeous view of the rolling hills and the grapevines planted on their property. The grapes were so plump and juicy, it looked like they could be harvested any day. I liked how the plantings framed the view in the distance, creating a sort of window pane in the foreground, with just a sliver of the farmhouse in the mid-ground. With some clouds rolling in, the sun created that unusual glow that I’ve only seen in Italy with gorgeous purple shadows and gold and pinks hitting the hillsides, giving them form. I hope you, too, are transported to this peaceful place surrounded by beauty, warmth and delicious home-grown food and wine.

 

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If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to France, Tuscany, or Venice, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!

 

2023 Schedule

Venice – Carnivalé 

Art Trek – Feb. 12-18

•

Tuscany

Foodie Trek – May 27 – June 3

•

Provence

Art Trek – June 24- July 1

 

 

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

 

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Just Sold through Seaside Gallery! We visited Tuscany at the end of summer and were surrounded by grapevines everywhere we went, with the gorgeous, plump purple grapes ready to harvest at any moment. I loved the vibrant vines in the foreground framing the rolling hills dotted with more grapevines, olive trees, and plowed grain fields in the distance. Setting up my easel across from this vineyard, I created this textured oil painting with palette knife and a lot of paint. I arranged the planted vines to lead your eye back to the Tuscan villa and then to the hill town perched above the valley. Morning light cast deep purple shadows on the ground and caused the leaves and soil to glow. As a treat when I finished, we enjoyed a picnic of salami, proscuitto, pecorino and of course, vino. Yum!

If you are interested in viewing more of my vineyard paintings, please check out Seaside Gallery in Pismo Beach, CA: