Tag: Niki Gulley paintings

“Kaleidoscope of Dreams” – Large aspen tree painting by Niki Gulley

July 13, 2012
“Kaleidoscope of Dreams” ©2012 by Niki Gulley
textured oil painting
Four 36″ x 36″ canvases to form a 72″ x 72″ quadriptych

In this painting, I wanted you to feel like a little kid again – laying on the ground and staring up into the treetops without a care in the world. I hope you experience the joy of being surrounded by nature and the beauty in this autumn kaleidoscope of colors.

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 birch and aspen tree 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. and Wisconsin Ave.
***
To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

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

July 11, 2012

“Passage of Illumination” ©2012 Niki Gulley
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.

 

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

 

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

New Sunflower Painting by Niki Gulley

July 6, 2012
“Bathing in Sunshine II” ©2012 Niki Gulley
30″ x 48″ textured painting on wrap around canvas

Bathing in Sunshine was inspired by our trip to Provence, France last summer. Our timing was perfect and the sunflowers and lavender were in full bloom. While we came across many fields of lavender, we had to search a little harder for sunflowers. Of course that meant sampling more of the local cuisine and wines for much needed fuel as we looked! (My husband likes to say we have to suffer four our art.)

When we eventually came across these sunflowers, I knew immediately they would make a perfect painting. Their bright, smiling faces as big as dinner plates, the sun dappled path leading you deep into the golden field to the quaint stone farmhouse in the distance on a beautiful summer day made for the ideal subject. The resulting painting is so full of color and texture, and my hope is that when you gaze into it, this piece immediately lifts your spirits and brightens up any spot in your home.

If you would like to see this sunflower painting and more of my textured landscape paintings, please stop by my booth at the Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival this weekend.

Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival
July 7 and 8 • noon – 8 pm
Chicago, IL
Booth #90 • on Racine between Fullerton and Webster
***

Niki Gulley at Lincoln Park Art Festival this weekend, Chicago, IL

July 4, 2012
“Natural Textures II” ©2012 Niki Gulley
24″ x 24″ textured painting on wrap around canvas
     Again, in this painting I wanted the focus to be on texture. Usually I paint with a lot of color, but I opted to use a limited palette on this piece to really concentrate on the peeling bark of the birch trees. Choosing to come in extremely close on the subject, I played around with various palette knife strokes, moving around extremely thick paint to add depth. And, of course I at the end, I had to throw in a few of my signature strokes of color – a splash of gold, some touches of lavender, and just a dab of red for added excitement and unexpected color twists.
     Natural Textures II can be hung alone or with its companion piece, Natural Textures.
If you would like to see the “Natural Textures” series and more of my textured birch and aspen tree paintings, please stop by my booth at the Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival this weekend.

Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival
July 7 and 8 • noon – 8 pm
Chicago, IL
Booth #90 • on Racine between Fullerton and Webster
chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=189

***

NikiGulley.com

“Natural Textures,” New Aspen tree painting by Niki Gulley

July 2, 2012
“Natural Textures” ©2012 Niki Gulley
24″ x 24″ textured oil painting
     In this painting I wanted the focus to be on texture. Usually I paint with a lot of color, but I opted to use a limited palette on this piece to really concentrate on the peeling bark of the birch trees. Choosing to come in extremely close on the subject, I played around with various palette knife strokes, moving around extremely thick paint to add depth. And, of course I at the end, I had to throw in a few of my signature strokes of color – a splash of gold, some touches of lavender, and just a dab of red for added excitement and unexpected color twists.
     Natural Textures can be hung alone or with its companion piece, Natural Textures II.
If you would like to see “Natural Textures” and more of my textured birch and aspen tree paintings, please stop by my booth at the Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival this weekend.

Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival
July 7 and 8 • noon – 8 pm
Chicago, IL
Booth #90 • on Racine between Fullerton and Webster
chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=189

***

NikiGulley.com

Paris Art Trek Finalé with Niki Gulley & Scott Williams

June 29, 2012
“Dancing on Water,” Monet’s Gardens, France ©2012 Niki Gulley
36″ x 60″ textured oil painting
Day 7 – Art Trek Paris with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
On the last day of our Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop in Paris, we gathered to share our work from the week, sample some French wine, and enjoy each other’s camaraderie. It’s always so much fun to see what the other painters and photographers have captured during the week, and how everyone has such a different perspective, even if the subject is the same.

The last two nights we dined at our b and b, which turned out to be two of the best meals of the trip, a hard feat to top the food we had in Paris! Appetizers consisted of an asparagus soup and a plate of scallops with browned butter, both so good we had them two nights in a row. The main courses were a cod dish with vegetables and a very good lamb dish with potatoes. I know that that isn’t up to my usual description, but that’s because the dishes on either side caused my mind to block out everything else. The desserts however, were a thing of beauty. Our first night was a pistachio waffle, with strawberries, homemade whipped cream, lime sorbet and orange compote. The second night, we were served chocolate 5 ways: a chocolate mousse with chocolate crumbles, a very dark chocolate Fondente ice cream, a light chocolate pudding, a chocolate cigar and a chocolate fudge brownie that would just bring you to your knees. It was one of those “When Harry Met Sally” moments!

Again, a perfect ending to a wonderful trip – leaving with satiated appetites, fond memories, new found friendships and a shared love for Paris!

***
If you would like to come along on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops to
Santa Fe, NM Aug. 12 – 18 (see nikigulley.com/art-classes) or
 Tuscany, Italy Aug. 31 – Sept. 8 (visit nikigulley.com/artreks),
please e-mail Niki Gulley for more information. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching. We’d love to have you join us!

***Or, if you would like to see “Dancing on Water” and more of my contemporary impressionistic landscapes, and you are in the Chicago area this weekend, please stop by my booth at the Gold Coast Art Fair in Grant Park.

Gold Coast ARt Fair

June 30 & July 1 • 10am – 6pm
Chicago, IL • Grant Park at the corner of Monroe & Lake Shore Dr.

See amdurproductions.com/art-festivals/Gold_Coast_Art_Fair_at_Grant_Park.html for more info.

***

Last Day, Paris Art Trek with Niki Gulley & Scott Williams

June 27, 2012
“Framed in Wisteria,” Giverny, France • 7” x 5″ oil painting by Niki Gulley
Day 7 – Art Trek Paris with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
The last few days of our Art Trek, we checked out of our hotel in Paris and headed to the peaceful countryside, near Giverny. The b&b we stayed at was straight out of a storybook, and the grounds themselves looked like an impressionist painting. We loved the setting so much, we stayed right there and painted outside our rooms the last day.
Our b&b outside of Giverny.

One of our students painting on the last day of our Paris Art Trek, on the grounds of our b&b.

***
If you would like to come along on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops to
Santa Fe, NM Aug. 12 – 18 (see nikigulley.com/art-classes) or
 Tuscany, Italy Aug. 31 – Sept. 8 (visit nikigulley.com/artreks),
please e-mail Niki Gulley for more information. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching. We’d love to have you join us!

***Or, if you would like to see this painting or more my plein air paintings and you are in the Chicago area this weekend, please stop by my booth at the Gold Coast Art Fair in Grant Park.

Gold Coast ARt Fair

June 30 & July 1 • 10am – 6pm
Chicago, IL • Grant Park at the corner of Monroe & Lake Shore Dr.

See amdurproductions.com/art-festivals/Gold_Coast_Art_Fair_at_Grant_Park.html for more info.

***

Plein-Air Painting Workshop with Niki Gulley – Day 6, Monet’s Gardens

June 25, 2012
Monet’s Gardens, Giverny, France • 9” x 12″ oil painting by Niki Gulley
Day 6 – Art Trek Paris with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Between loving the picturesque setting and the excitement of painting in Monet’s footsteps, we were inspired to keep creating. With the sun almost overhead but softly filtered by the trees, the colors and reflections on the pond looked completely different than in the early hours, just as Monet’s canvases varied so much depending on the time of day and month he painted. We adjusted our colors accordingly and increased our contrast from the noon sun, and then relished in the moment. What a perfect day!
Monet’s Gardens, Giverny, France

***
If you would like to come along on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops to
Santa Fe, NM Aug. 12 – 18 (see nikigulley.com/art-classes) or
 Tuscany, Italy Aug. 31 – Sept. 8 (visit nikigulley.com/artreks),
please e-mail Niki Gulley for more information. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching. We’d love to have you join us!

***Or, if you would like to see this painting or more my plein air paintings and you are in the Chicago area this weekend, please stop by my booth at the Gold Coast Art Fair in Grant Park.Gold Coast ARt Fair

June 30 & July 1 • 10am – 6pm
Chicago, IL • Grant Park at the corner of Monroe & Lake Shore Dr.

See amdurproductions.com/art-festivals/Gold_Coast_Art_Fair_at_Grant_Park.html for more info.

***

Art Trek Paris – Day 6, Monet’s Gardens

June 22, 2012
Monet’s Gardens, Giverny, France • 9” x 12″ oil painting by Niki Gulley
Day 6 – Art Trek Paris with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
On Day 6, we woke up early to get to Monet’s Gardens in Giverny to capture the early morning light. The gardens were amazing – preserved just like in his paintings! We reached the far side of his beautiful pond and quickly painted the water lilies and famous bridge, putting our contemporary spin on impressionism.
***
If you would like to come along on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops to
Santa Fe, NM Aug. 12 – 18 (see nikigulley.com/art-classes) or
 Tuscany, Italy Aug. 31 – Sept. 8 (visit nikigulley.com/artreks),
please e-mail Niki Gulley for more information. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching. We’d love to have you join us!
***
To see more of my contemporary impressionistic landscape paintings, please go to my website at NikiGulley.com.

Plein-Air Painting at Versailles with Niki Gulley

June 20, 2012
Versailles, 5″ x 7″ pastel by Niki Gulley
Day 5, Afternoon – Art Trek Paris with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Thoroughly enjoying the sunshine and this peaceful hidden garden, we scoped out another view and tried to capture more of the sense of being in France in our next sketch. Manicured, organized, and adorned with statues and urns as focal points, this vantage communicated the idea of the French formal garden that I was looking for. At the end of the day, the French groundsman was kind enough to offer us pastel artists fixative for our drawings! That definitely breaks the misconception we have of the French not being friendly! A perfect ending to a perfect day.
***
If you would like to come along on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops to
Santa Fe, NM Aug. 12 – 18 (see nikigulley.com/art-classes) or
 Tuscany, Italy Aug. 31 – Sept. 8 (visit nikigulley.com/artreks),
please e-mail Niki Gulley for more information. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching. We’d love to have you join us!
***
To see more of my contemporary impressionistic landscape paintings, please go to my website at NikiGulley.com.