Tag: plein air workshops

“Dancing in the Breeze” Palette Knife Floral Painting by Niki Gulley

March 4, 2015
“Dancing in the Breeze” ©2015 Niki Gulley

10″ x 12″ textured oil painting 


I created this painting of purple Clematis on location at the Dallas Arboretum with palette knife and thick oil paint. It was so peaceful in the Poetry Garden, that it seemed like a perfect place to set up my easel. I liked the contrast of the cool purple in the flowers against the warm light of the textured wall behind them. Accentuating the circular design they were forming along with forming curving paint strokes, adds to a feeling of movement and energy, almost as if the petals are dancing in the breeze.
Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.

“Purple Climbers” Plein Air oil painting by Niki Gulley

March 13, 2013

Purple Climbers ©2013 Niki Gulley
10″ x 12″ textured oil painting

Painted en plein air with thick oil paint and palette knife – a gorgeous day at the Dallas Arboretum!
If you’d like to join us on one of our upcoming European Art Treks, please let me know. Closer to home I’ll be leading a Plein Air Painting Workshop sponsored through the Good Art Company gallery in Fredericksburg, TX, April 5-7 and this afternoon at the Dallas Arboretum.

ArtTreks
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 6-14, 2013
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 13-22, 2013
Provence, France – June 2014
Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
For more details, E-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Plein Air Painting in the Texas Hill Country
During bluebonnet and wildflower season!
April 5-7, 2013

These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!


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Plein Air Painting Class at the Arboretum with Niki Gulley

October 22, 2012
both

“Autumn Clematis” ©2012 Niki Gulley

10″ x 12″ textured oil painting 


I created this little painting of the purple Clematis at the Dallas Arboretum last fall with palette knife and thick oil paint. It was so peaceful in the Poetry Garden, that it seemed like a perfect place to set up my easel. I liked the contrast of the cool purple in the flowers against the warm light of the textured wall behind them. Accentuating the circular design they were forming along with forming curving paint strokes, adds to a feeling of movement and energy, almost as if the petals are dancing in the breeze.

If you, too, would like to paint outdoors, join me this Wednesday, Oct. 24th, when I’ll be teaching a Plein Air Painting Workshop sponsored by the Dallas Arboretum. It will be a great introduction to painting outdoors for beginning artists, as well as an opportunity for advanced artists to enhance their skills. For more information, visit dallasarboretum.org/AdultEducation/index.htm.

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

Florence, Day 5 Tuscany Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

October 9, 2012
“Evening Stroll,” Florence ©2012 Niki Gulley
25″ x 19″ pastel

Day 5, Florence – Tuscany Art Trek
After a leisurely day near our villa, we picked up the pace the next day and ventured into the bustling city of Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance. Highlights from the day include gazing at Michelangelo’s David, visiting the Uffizi Gallery with all of its famous Renaissance paintings, marveling at the marble Duomo and baptistry, wandering the streets in search of leather goods and momentos, and dining al Fresco to cap off the day.
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. Registration deadlines for some of the trips are less than a month away!
Our Tuscany group overlooking the city of Florence.

If you’d like to learn how to paint with more color and freedom, please join me for my upcoming workshop, “Coloring Outside the Lines,” in Fredericksburg, TX, Nov. 2-4. Registration deadline is Oct. 15th. For details, visit nikigulley.com/art-classes.



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.

Discount Registration Deadline for February’s Venice Art Trek

October 6, 2012
“La Foce” Tuscany ©2012 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 5″ x 7″ textured oil painting

Day 4, afternoon location, La Foce – Tuscany Art Trek
That afternoon, we were planning on painting this unique winding road dotted with cypress trees, but it started drizzling. So we decided to tour the gardens next door instead. Extremely formal and organized with clipped boxwoods and plantings in symmetrical stone urns, impressive travertine column staircases, and the largest indoor potted citrus grove in the area, it was interesting to see the contrast between an Italian garden and an American garden, and the challenges of getting irrigation to the remote property. That evening we hung out at the villa again, enjoying the beautiful views and sunset while sampling some delicious authentic Italian pizza. A perfect end to the day!
If you’d like to see my paintings from Tuscany and more of my contemporary 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.
Enjoying the dramatic views from our villa over a leisurely dinner that evening.
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 today!

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

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.

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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.

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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.
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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!
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To see more of my contemporary impressionistic landscape paintings, please go to my website at NikiGulley.com.

Plein Air Painting at White Rock Lake

November 14, 2011

 

5″ x 7″ textured oil painting, White Rock Lake, by Niki Gulley

Dallas Plein Air Painting Workshop with Niki Gulley
Day 2 – Afternoon Location:  Sunset Bay, White Rock Lake

In the afternoon at White Rock Lake, we switched locations to find better light on our subjects. Everyone was drawn to this peaceful bay and the vibrant fall colors. Even though every painter basically sketched the same scene, it was fun seeing each artist’s individual style come thorugh. With just a short amount of time left at the end of the day, I quickly captured the lake, shoreline and autumn foliage with a palette knife and my leftover paint before starting our critique.
A perfect ending to our plein air painting workshop at the Dallas Arboretum and White Rock Lake – sharing our work from each day with new friends after a gorgeous weekend of painting outside. Thanks guys!

If you’d like more information about my upcoming workshops in the US and Europe, visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13.

 

Or, to see more of my local Dallas and travel paintings, please stop by the Bath House Cultural Center this weekend for my last show of the year, Nov. 18th – 20th. dallasculture.org/bathhouseculturecenter/index.asp

Plein Air Painting at White Rock Lake

November 11, 2011
9″ x 12″ oil painting, White Rock Lake, by Niki Gulley

Dallas Plein Air Painting Workshop with Niki Gulley
Day 2 – Morning Location: White Rock Lake

On the second day of our plein-air painting workshop, we enjoyed a beautiful morning at White Rock Lake. Focusing on capturing water and the morning light, each painter picked a different vantage point, some choosing only natural subjects and others depicting sailboats on the horizon. I chose to paint these colorful boats largely for their vibrant colors and I liked how the line of the pier leads your eye back to the docked vessels. With a gentle breeze, the water had a little movement and shimmer to it that I suggested along with the vibrant foliage in this peaceful inlet. A perfect autumn morning!
Morning paintings at White Rock Lake.
If you’d like more information about my upcoming workshops in the US and Europe, visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13.

Or, to see more of my local Dallas and travel paintings, please stop by the Bath House Cultural Center for my last show of the year, Nov. 18th – 20th. dallasculture.org/bathhouseculturecenter/index.asp

“Tell Me Your Dreams” oil painting by Niki Gulley

October 24, 2011

“Tell Me Your Dreams” ©2011 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 11″ x 14″ oil painting

Just sold! I absolutely love poppies and seeing them growing in mass! In this painting I wanted to show them in a different way than we’re used to seeing poppies so I chose a low angle to show off the beauty of their simplified forms and the strength of such a delicate flower, while capturing the azure blue sky behind them.

If you’d like to learn how to paint nature, join us at the Dallas Arboretum and White Rock Lake this weekend for a 2-day painting and or photography workshop. Space if filling up quickly, so e-mail Niki@NikiGulley.com for more information and to register or visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13.
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To see more of my contemporary landscape and poppy paintings, visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=33.