Niki Gulley at Cottonwood Art Festival this Weekend

“Lemon Tree” Tuscany ©2012 Niki Gulley
12″ x 9″ textured oil painting

Day 4 – Tuscany Art Trek
On Day 4 of our Tuscany painting and photography workshop, we decide to take it easy after a busy day in Siena the day before and paint again at the villa. It was a gorgeous morning with bright puffy clouds and soft golden sunlight hitting the back of our villa. So while we set up our easels just a few feet away from one another, each painter picked a different subject. From the highly textured stone farm house, to this lemon tree that was so lush and tall that I chose for my painting, to a random bed that was on the property, to the terra cotta steps and quintessential Tuscan architectural details, to the ancient well and delicate geraniums, each student’s paintings turned out beautifully. After a peaceful morning of painting and photographing, we all reconvened on the patio of the villa for another delicious lunch of locally grown fruits, meats, cheeses and Vino Nobile.
If you’d like to see “Lemon Tree” and more of my travel plein-air paintings, please stop by my booth at the Cottonwood Art Festival this weekend, Oct. 6th and 7th, from 10am – 6pm. Visit cottonwoodartfestival.com for details.
Enjoying a delicious lunch at our villa, overlooking the surrounding rolling hills and distant Tuscan hill towns.
If you’d like to join us for next year’s Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is this Saturday!

 

If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.
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US Classes and Workshops – nikigulley.com/art-classes.
Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops – nikigulley.com/artreks/
Available Paintings – NikiGulley.com

Day 3 Tuscany Art Trek, Siena

“Doorway to the Past,” Siena, Italy ©2012 Niki Gulley
10″ x 8″ pastel

Day 3, Siena – Tuscany Art Trek
On the third day of our Tuscany Art Trek, we visited the ancient walled hill town of Siena. With an incredible marbled cathedral, a massive town square where they run the Palio, a world famous horse race, and a fascinating labyrinth of cobblestone streets with a treasure around every corner, there was something for everyone to see. We made a leisurely day of sightseeing and people watching in true Italian style, and that evening treated ourselves to a delicious dinner in town.
If you’d like to see “Doorway to the Past” and more of my travel plein-air paintings, please stop by my booth at the Cottonwood Art Festival this weekend, Oct. 6th and 7th, from 10am – 6pm. Visit cottonwoodartfestival.com for details.
Enjoying a fabulous dinner in Pienza.

If you’d like to join us for next year’s Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.
If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.
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US Classes and Workshops – nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops – nikigulley.com/artreks/

Cottonwood Art Festival this weekend, Richardson, TX

“Autumn Harvest,” ©2012 Niki Gulley
24×36″ pastel

Day 2, afternoon, Vineyard tours and Wine Tasting – Tuscany Art Trek
On the second day of our Tuscany Art Trek, we took a tour in the countryside of 2 local wineries, seeing their cellars and production process while learning more about Italian wines. Then, the best part of all – sampling some of those delicious wines with the locally grown meats and cheeses! One of the wineries has been in the same family for 300 years, and the care and pride they take in making their wines really shows through. A great end to a fun-filled day!
If you’d like to see “Autumn Harvest” and more of my impressionist landscape paintings, please stop by my booth at the Cottonwood Art Festival this weekend, Oct. 6th and 7th, from 10am – 6pm. Visit cottonwoodartfestival.com for details.
Touring the cellar of one of the wineries that’s been in business for over 300 years.
If you’d like to join us for next year’s Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.



If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

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US Classes and Workshops – nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops – nikigulley.com/artreks/
Available Paintings – NikiGulley.com

Painting in Montepulciano with Niki Gulley

12×9 textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 2, Montepulciano – Tuscany Art Trek
With a little more time before our afternoon winery tour, we decided to work on another painting. I chose this view of the tile rooftops below spreading out in front of the valley. I loved the puzzle piece feel of the buildings, zigzagging in all different directions, clinging to the steep drop below with the fields of crops also adding their criss crossing patterns to the jigsaw puzzle.
If you’d like to join us for next year’s Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.



If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

***




US Classes and Workshops – nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops – nikigulley.com/artreks/
Available Paintings – NikiGulley.com

Day 2, Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley

12×9 oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 2, Montepulciano – Tuscany Art Trek

We woke up the next morning to beautiful blue skies with gorgeous puffy white clouds. We set up our easels at this amazing overlook in Montepulciano, with the whole valley spreading out before us. With so much to choose from for our subject, we decided to focus in on the church below. Our light was constantly changing from the beautiful clouds above so we had to paint quickly, and consequently each of our reactions to the scene came out differently on our canvases. I loved the variety in each artist’s work!

Pat Lautner and Sheri Jones painting at the gorgeous Montepulciano overloook.

If you’d like to join us for next year’s Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.



If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

***




US Classes and Workshops – nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops – nikigulley.com/artreks/
Available Paintings – NikiGulley.com

Plein Air Painting in Tuscany with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9×12 textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 1, afternoon location – Tuscany Art Trek

That afternoon it started to drizzle, so we picked a location that was covered where we could still paint and photograph. With the sky fairly overcast and the hues rather dull that afternoon, we used the cypress as our subject, but had fun playing with color. I think the results were even better than had it been a sunny day! Everyone’s paintings turned out beautiful, and that evening we treated ourselves to a fabulous tuscan dinner of pastas, pecorinos, meats and a little vino to treat ourselves. A great end to a fun filled day!

One of our photographers getting into the shot!

An amazing dinner with new friends.
If you’d like to join us for next year’s Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.



If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

***




US Classes and Workshops – nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops – nikigulley.com/artreks/
Available Paintings – NikiGulley.com

Tuscany Plein-Air Painting / Photo Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9×12 textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 1 – Tuscany Art Trek

We had so much fun painting at the villa in the morning, that we decided to paint another farmhouse in a different direction next. With so much to choose from, it was had to pick just one subject! This time, we all decided to work with palette knife and thick juicy oil paint, enjoying creating texture and the exciting color combinations that occur while working wet in wet with the paint. As a treat when we were finished, we met up with the others in the group for a delicious lunch of local proscuittos, pecorino cheeses, fruits and vegees, and of course, a little vino for afternoon fuel!

Two of our painters, Sheri Jones (above) and Pat (below) also working with palette knife in Tuscany.

If you’d like to join us for next year’s Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.



If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

***




US Classes and Workshops – nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops – nikigulley.com/artreks/
Available Paintings – NikiGulley.com

Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9×12 oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 1, Morning Location – Tuscany Art Trek

On the first full day of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop in Tuscany, we painted right outside the door of the villa where we were staying. The scenery was so amazing, with 360 degree views of the rolling hills and valleys, that we wanted to stay there and take it all in. With so many interesting vistas, it was hard to choose what to paint, but I decided to narrow my focus to this red roofed home and the sunlit hills leading up to it. I began my demo by quickly sketching out the scene and then blocking in my major colors and values. Once the canvas was filled, I concentrated on the focal point, adding details, highlights and shadows to the building and cypress trees. Next I started giving the hills dimension and defined the lone cypress on the right to break up the foreground and increase the sense of depth. A perfect morning to start out the trip!

After our flight, we finally arrived at our villa in Tuscany where the owners had put out a delicious spread of locally grown fruits and vegees – so delicious and a welcome treat!

If you’d like to join us for next year’s Art Trek to Venice in February, Greece in May, Tuscany in September or Cinque Terre / Lake Como in September, please visit NikiGulley.com/Artreks for more information. Workshops fill up quickly, so please let us know if you are interested. The early deadline and to receive a $500 savings for the Venice workshop is less than a month away.



If you have questions about the Art Treks workshops or are interested in purchasing any of my plein air paintings, please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

***




US Classes and Workshops – nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops – nikigulley.com/artreks/
Available Paintings – NikiGulley.com

New Painting Workshop, “Coloring Outside the Lines” with Niki Gulley

“Colorful Transformation” ©2012 Niki Gulley
36″ x 48″ textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

With “Colorful Transformation,” I wanted to focus on brilliant color and simple shapes to see if I could communicate the excitement I feel when surrounded by nature. Using energetic diagonal strokes and thick, textured paint, I hope you get a sense of the motion in the leaves and the power of nature to invigorate your spirit. I just love how this piece captured that essence!

I’m excited to announce that I will be teaching a 3 day workshop, “Coloring Outside the Lines” at my gallery in Fredericksburg, TX Nov. 2-4. So if you would like to learn how to paint with more freedom and color, please join me for this fun-filled workshop!
“Coloring Outside the Lines”
Painting workshop with Niki Gulley
9am to 4 pm daily • Nov. 2, 3, 4
The Good Art Company • Fredericksburg, TX
Registration Deadline • Oct. 16th
Contact niki@nikigulley.com for more details on her workshops 
or for more information on her birch painting, “Colorful Transformation.”

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US Classes and Workshops – nikigulley.com/art-classes.

Travel Art Treks and Plein Air Workshops – nikigulley.com/artreks/
Available Paintings – NikiGulley.com

Last Day of the Santa Fe Art Trek w/ Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

SANTA FE ART TREK:  Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams  
Day 5, afternoon critique & dinner
We finished our Santa Fe Art Trek with a final critique, sharing our work from the various locations. Above you can see each student’s interpretation of the Rio Chama. I love how every painter’s personality comes through in their work and how uniquely each one saw the same scene. Below are a few more examples of our paintings and pastels from the day we painted in Santa Fe.

To complete the week, those who could make it to dinner enjoyed some delicious red and green chile dishes at La Choza, as we reminisced about the trip and enjoyed our last night together before driving home the next day. A perfect week in Santa Fe!
Visit nikigulley.com/artreks/ for upcoming Art Treks and Workshops or
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.For new classes and workshops in Texas this fall, see nikigulley.com/art-classes.