painting workshops

Greece Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

June 24, 2025

Day 6, Greece Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

SOLD • 12″ x 9″ textured acrylic painting by Niki Gulley

On the last day of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop in Greece, some folks shopped, some relaxed by the pool, others continued photographing. For our last painting, we just had to paint one of the white churches with its iconic blue dome. Sparkling dappled light danced along the textured ivory stucco, which was so much fun to capture in palette knife. Once again this beautiful sycamore framed the scene and I had to capture its beauty, too.

To cap off the evening, we treated ourselves to a delicious seafood dinner with another gorgeous view of the ocean, catching up with new friends and savoring our last night. A perfect ending to a perfect trip!

Dinner with an amazing view on our last night.

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Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist paintings.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

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If you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing Art Treks!

Switzerland Art Trek
July 26 – August 2, 2025
Full

Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek
September 27 – October 4, 2025
2 Spots Left!

https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

Tuscany Foodie Trek 2026
September 26 – October 3, 2026
Only 4 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2026/

Cinque Terre & Lake Como, Italy
October 4-11, 2026
Only 6 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/cinque-terre-2026/

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

Greece Plein-Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

June 18, 2025

Day 4 – Greece Art Trek: Imerovigli and Oia

9″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting by Niki Gulley

On day 4, we visited the town next door. So many interesting white washed buildings with unique shapes framing the beautiful ocean views! Today was definitely a study in whites and greys. It’s amazing how even though the buildings look white, when you start really looking and painting them, only a few reflected edges were pure white and everything else was shades of grey. With palette knife, I was able to capture the texture and subtleties in the shading so as to create interest in the rather monochromatic scene. A fantastic learning day for my painters!

Enjoying a delicious lunch, fueling up in between painting and photography sessions!

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If you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing Art Treks!

Switzerland Art Trek
July 26 – August 2, 2025
Full

Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek
September 27 – October 4, 2025
2 Spots Left!

https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2025/

Tuscany Foodie Trek 2026
September 26 – October 3, 2026
Only 4 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/tuscany-foodie-2026/

Cinque Terre & Lake Como, Italy
October 4-11, 2026
Only 6 spots left!
https://www.arttreks.org/cinque-terre-2026/

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

***

Please check out my website at NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist paintings.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

New “Simple Life IV” Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

March 10, 2022

textured oil paint on canvas • framed in natural wood floater frame • 16″ x 20″

My husband and I were on a road trip when we came across a couple of these white house glowing on the horizon. Set among vibrant green gently rolling hills with the intense blue ocean in the distance, something beckoned us to stop. Maybe it was the quiet beauty of the scene, or the nostalgic tug at a simpler life, but we were both moved to capture the moment. To convey that feeling of a less congested life, I accentuated the the basic shapes of the homes against the simple repetive curves of the hills. Meanwhile a few wispy clouds drift by adding to the tranquility of the moment. I hope you are transported to this memory of our past, before modern life got so complicated.

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

E-mail – Niki Gulley

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If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly! For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.

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E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions about my palette knife travel paintings.

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

New “Simple Life IV” Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

January 9, 2020

textured oil paint on canvas • 16″ x 20″

My
husband and I were on a road trip when we came across a couple of these
white house glowing on the horizon. Set among vibrant green gently
rolling hills with the intense blue ocean in the distance, something
beckoned us to stop. Maybe it was the quiet beauty of the scene, or the
nostalgic tug at a simpler life, but we were both moved to capture the
moment. To convey that feeling of a less congested life, I accentuated
the the basic shapes of the homes against the simple repetive curves of
the hills. Meanwhile a few wispy clouds drift by adding to the
tranquility of the moment. I hope you are transported to this memory of
our past, before modern life got so complicated.

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

E-mail – Niki Gulley

***

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

Iceland – Aug. 2020

Foodie Trek – Tuscany – Oct. 2020

Paris – May 2021

Portugal – Sept. 2021

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

****

E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions about my palette knife travel paintings.

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

New “Simple Life II” Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

January 8, 2020

textured oil paint on canvas • 16″ x 20″

My
husband and I were on a road trip when we came across a couple of these
white house glowing on the horizon. Set amongst vibrant green gently
rolling hills with the intense blue ocean in the distance, something
beckoned us to stop. Maybe it was the quiet beauty of the scene, or the
nostalgic tug at a simpler life, but we were both moved to capture the
moment. To convey that feeling of a less congested life, I accentuarted
the the basic shapes of the homes against the simple repetive curves of
the hills. Meanwhile a few wispy clouds drift by adding to the
tranquility of the moment. I hope you are transported to this memory of
our past, before modern life got so complicated.

***

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

Iceland – Aug. 2020

Foodie Trek – Tuscany – Oct. 2020

Paris – May 2021

Portugal – Sept. 2021

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

****

E-mail Niki Gulley with any questions about my palette knife travel paintings.

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

“Painting Outside the Lines” Workshop with Niki Gulley

October 24, 2012

Sold • 48” x 36” textured oil on canvas

Just Sold at the Good Art Company! In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing vibrant, cheerful yellows contrasted against a crystal blue sky and arranging the aspens in a circular pattern heightened by thick, curving paint strokes, both add to that joyful, playful feeling of hope and discovery.

If you would like to paint with more freedom, color and energy in your work, join me on Nov. 2nd – 4th when I’ll be teaching a “Painting Outside the Lines” workshop sponsored by the Good Art Company in Fredericksburg, TX. For more information, visit goodartcompany.com/gacart/index.php?.

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If you’d like more information about my upcoming workshops in the US and Europe, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

Or, e-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information.

NikiGulley.com

Feb. 18th Painting Workshop

February 10, 2012

SOLD • 30” x 30” textured oil on canvas

Growing up in Chicago, our brutally cold winters would feel like they lasted forever so my family tried to vacation along our tropical coasts whenever possible. I loved this week we spent together – the cathartic rhythm of the ocean waves lapping against the shore as dad and I tried to ride each crest as close to the beach as possible, feeling the cool sand squish between my toes and fingers while building sand castles together, and enjoying the peacefulness at sunset as the gorgeous fireball dropped down from the sky and cast diamond-like reflections across the ocean’s surface.

If you’d like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I’m teaching on “Loosening Up,” at my studio in Dallas, TX. See nikigulley.com/?page_id=13 for more details and to register.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

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

“Vertical Aspirations” textured aspen oil painting

February 8, 2012

SOLD • 48” x 36” textured oil painting

In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing vibrant, cheerful yellows and reds contrasted against a deep violet sky and arranging the aspens in a circular pattern heightened by thick, curving paint strokes, all add to that joyful, playful feeling of hope and discovery.

If you’d like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I’m teaching on “Loosening Up.”

“Loosening Up” Painting Workshop

Feb. 18 and / or Feb. 19

Dallas, TX

See nikigulley.com/?page_id=13 for details and to register.

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If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

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

Tuscany Painting & Photography Workshop

February 23, 2010

24″ x 36″ pastel

After my husband, Scott Williams, and I finished teaching our painting/photography workshop in Venice last May, we headed south to my next favorite part of Italy, Tuscany. I thoroughly enjoy the beauty of the rolling hills and the peacefulness (especially when compared to Venice) in this region. On this night, we lucked out with a gorgeous sunset, so we pulled over to capture the exploding colors in the sky behind this typical Tuscan stone farmhouse. When I finished the painting, I thought it needed a little more warmth, so I turned a light on in the villa and that provided the life I was looking for!

If you’d like to join us in picturesque Tuscany this September for our next Painting & Photography Workshop,

e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com,

Or visitÂ nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13.

Color Explosion Workshop Wrap Up

January 31, 2010

“Afternoon in Taos” by Niki Gulley

14″ x 11″ oil painting â€¢ SOLD

I just finished teaching my Color Explosion workshop and it turned out great! Here is one of the paintings I completed, which demonstrated one of the color schemes we talked about â€“ how two sets of complementary colors work together. Starting with a black and white photo so that I could invent my own colors and not to be married to my photographic reference, I selected orange and blue for my dominant colors to suggest later afternoon sun on the adobe building and adding to a sense of it glowing in the sun. For my second pair of complimentary colors, I chose red and green for the hollyhocks, giving the overall scene a warm, summery feel.