palette knife contemporary landscape painting

New Blue Ridge Mountain Painting by Asheville Artist Niki Gulley

September 4, 2026

24″ x 36″ textured acrylic painting on wrap around canvas, pictured is silver floater frame

The Blue Ridge mountains in springtime are straight out of fairytale pages. I could not believe the number of flowering plants and trees in what felt like every color of the rainbow. One day it was grey winter and then next a symphonic explosion of leaves and blooms. Voluminous clouds dance overhead as an ethereal mist rises from the valleys. I hope you, too, are transported to this joyous, peaceful utopia!

For details on more of my Blue Ridge Mountain artwork, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

***

“Meandering Meadow” Painting Bursting with Colorful Wildflowers by Niki Gulley

July 28, 2026

SOLD • 16″ x 20″ textured acrylic painting on canvas

Just sold! I’m having so much fun painting in Asheville’s certified pollinator habitat – surrounded by actual wildflowers while painting wildflowers! The purple spires you see dancing in the foreground are the real deal, keeping me company while I work.

This piece is all about capturing that feeling of wandering through a summer meadow where every color of the rainbow seems to be blooming at once. My palette knife allows me to build up those chunky, textured strokes that make the flowers feel dimensional and alive. I love how the painting evolves as I work – sometimes a stroke of yellow becomes a sunflower, sometimes purple becomes a spike of salvia.

For details on more of wildflower or North Carolina paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

Ocean Sunset Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

July 21, 2026

SOLD • 9″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Just SOLD! Painting this piece on location, I wanted to capture the movement in the ocean as the tides lapped along the shoreline. With the waves creating their cathartic rhythmic sounds, I left my strokes loose to convey that energy and motion. There was a beautiful sunset tonight that caused the sky and water’s surface to dance in these ethereal shades of pink and gold. I hope you, too, can feel the peaceful magic in the moment.

Visit my website at NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

Or e-mail me for more information on my seascapes at Niki@NikiGulley.com.

Painting on Location in North Carolina with Impressionist Niki Gulley

July 20, 2026

12″ x 9″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel

Painted on location in Western North Carolina, I fell in love with this gorgeous tree. Gnarly, voluminous and full of curves, it almost reminded me a beautiful Rubinesque figure! Dappled light illuminated its shape, bringing dimension to life, which I had fun capturing with layers of textured paint and my palette knife. Arching over the river, she greets you with much needed shade for respite on this warm, summer day.

For details on more of wildflower or North Carolina paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

“Morning in Paradise” Palette Knife Seashore painting by Niki Gulley

July 15, 2026

9″ x 12″ textured oil painting

I wanted this painting to be about the power of the ocean to lift your spirits. Painting this piece on location, I strove to capture the sparkle the sun cast across the turquoise waters as it slowly rose above the horizon. Creating bobbing diamonds of sparkling light across the surface was truly mesmerizing to watch.

Visit my website at NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

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

Capturing Rhododendrons in NC with Asheville Artist Niki Gulley

June 4, 2026

20″ x 10″ textured acrylic painting on canvas

This summer we hiked the Appalachian Trail along Carver’s Gap to see the breathtaking Rhododendrons blooming along Roan Mountain. Not only were the flowers spectacular, bursting with every shade of red from magenta and pink to tangerine orange, but the mountain views were so inspiring. On one side you could see for miles into Tennessee and on the other side ridge after ridge of North Carolina. I hope you enjoy the peace and beauty as you escape into this gorgeous hike!

For details on more of wildflower or North Carolina paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

Painting Bursting with Colorful Wildflowers by Niki Gulley

June 2, 2026

20″ x 30″ textured acrylic painting on canvas

While we had already made the 4 hour round trip drive and hiked several miles in the rain previously this week, we couldn’t get enough of these beautiful rhododendrons and mountain views. So, the weather looked much clearer and we decided to trek it a second time. Again, so worth the time and effort. The explosion of color from the flowers and the majestic blue ridge vistas filled our hearts with such awe and joy. Here I wanted to capture that uplifting feeling for you with thick, textured paint and my palette knife dancing across the canvas. May you be immersed in the cathartic grandeur of mother nature!

For details on more of wildflower or North Carolina paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

New Contemporary Wildflower Painting by Palette Knife Artist Niki Gulley

February 18, 2026

60″ x 30″” textured acrylic painting on wrap around canvas

Moving through the fear of starting a new large project – so exciting and yet intimidating! To help me paint more from my soul and less from my head, I first created an abstract “mess” of color. Then, allowing the canvas to guide me to tell its story and where to place my strokes and colors, the fun began. Truly exhilarating and just a little scary letting go of all control, like magic the landscape starts to emerge. I relish that freedom just playing and the aha moment where you feel everything coming together. After days, weeks, and even months of building layer upon layer of thick, textured paint, your subconscious vision comes to life. The canvas dances with color, sings with energy and my heart feels full. That’s when I know it is complete and I can’t wait to share that with you so you can get lost in the joy of luscious paint and nature’s beauty, too! Filled with so many layers and surprising pops of color all over the canvas, you’ll never get bored looking into “Delightful Anticipation” as there is always something new to discover.

Check out a close-up video of the texture here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUTa4eZiZ6I/.

***

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

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

Textured Bluebonnet and Texas Wildflower Paintings by Palette Knife Artist Niki Gulley

January 19, 2026

“Petal Poetry X”

11″ x 16″ sculpted, highly textured acrylic painting on panel

With such a rich kaleidoscope of hues from the Texas wildflowers, I am like a kid in a candy store every time I go out. The interplay of color between the Indian Paintbrush, Bluebonnets and assorted other wildflowers allows me to stretch the spectrum in this natural palette.

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

Please e-mail Niki Gulley for options and details.

Painting Rhododendrons on Roan Mountain by Asheville Artist Niki Gulley

December 29, 2025

SOLD • 30″ x 48″ textured acrylic painting on canvas

Just Sold! This summer we hiked the Appalachian Trail along Carver’s Gap to see the breathtaking Rhododendrons blooming along Roan Mountain. Not only were the flowers spectacular, bursting with every shade of red from magenta and pink to tangerine orange, but the mountain views were so inspiring. On one side you could see for miles into Tennessee and on the other side ridge after ridge of North Carolina. While the hike started out fairly clear, the clouds started to roll in as we climbed higher. But, I loved how that made the fog start dancing along the blue ridge peaks. Luckily, I got some good photographs of the scene before we were doused in rain and had to turn back. I hope you enjoy the peace and beauty as you escape into this gorgeous hike!

For details on more of wildflower or North Carolina paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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