sunflower painting

New “Sun Salutations” Sunflower Palette Knife Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

January 27, 2016

30″ x 48″ textured mixed media painting on wrap around canvas

Sun Salutations is inspired from one of the amazing locations we take our students to on our Provence Art Trek. We actually set up our easels in this gorgeous lavender and sunflower field, where the flowers seem to stretch forever and the color and aroma explosion are out of this world! Back in my studio, I worked from a combination of photos, on-site sketches and memories. Painting the sunflowers full-sized in the foreground helps to bring them to life and hopefully transport you to this beautiful location. Contrasting the complimentary colored lavender field in the distance draws your eye to the focal point, while repeating surprising pops of vivid color keeps your eye moving throughout the scene and adds to the joyful feeling.

If you’d like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops, please let me know. This year’s upcoming Art Trek to Spain is full, but we are taking reservations for the following year to Tuscany, England and Ireland.
For more details, e-mail [email protected] or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

For more information on my textured sunflower and poppy paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at: nikigulley.com.

New “Sunny Skies” Sunflower Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

January 25, 2016

30″ x 48″ textured mixed media painting on wrap around canvas

Festive, sun-filled blossoms dance in the gentle breeze, filling the field with sweet fragrance. This textured painting captures a carefree summer morning with sunflowers overflowing the foreground, filling up the field with joy under sunny skies as voluminous clouds drift by overhead.

For more information on textured sunflower and poppy paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at: nikigulley.com.

Just Sold – “Sharing Sunshine” Sunflower Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

November 16, 2015

SOLD • 30″ x 48″ textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

Inspired by a trip to Provence, I was awestruck by these massive fields of sunflowers blooming and the vibrant red poppies growing at their feet. Seeing this brilliant carpet of gold, with its sea of faces smiling towards the sun, just made me feel happy and I wanted you to experience that joy, too. These cheerful sunflowers and poppies practically leap off the canvas with their vibrant petals and extremely thick three-dimensional paint.

For more information on textured sunflower and poppy paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at: nikigulley.com.

Recently Sold – “Sun Filled Memories” Contemporary Palette Knife Sunflower Painting by Niki Gulley

September 25, 2015

SOLD • 20″ x 30″ textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

Inspired by our travels to Provence, I painted these cheerful sunflowers with extremely thick oil paint and palette knife so that the resulting image leaps off the canvas and is loaded with energy, color and texture.

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

For more information on my plein air paintings and workshops in Italy and France, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Last Day, Provence Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

September 9, 2015

9″ x 12″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 6, Provence Art Trek:

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

On the last day of our Provence Art Trek, we decided to stay right at our b and b to paint since it was so beautiful. Meanwhile the photographers explored the nearby area and others just relaxed by the pool. Choosing what to paint was a challenge since the grounds are so picturesque. Myself and another painter set up our easels by this lovely courtyard, with this stately tree surrounded by cascading roses, while another chose to paint lavender lined walkway and another set up by the ancient Roman bridge on the back of the property. It was a gorgeous morning and everyone’s paintings turned out great!

That evening we gathered for a final critique and “show and tell” from the trip. The photographers presented their best images in a slide show and provided us with happy memories from the trip, while opening our eyes to creative possibilities we never considered. The painters showed off their talented creations from each day of the trip and swapped ideas of which aspects they liked best.

For dinner that night, we gathered for one more delicious meal of escargot, filet crusted in mushrooms and chocolate volcano cake washed down with some amazing red wine. Having formed new friendships and enjoyed wonderful memories from the trip, our Provence Art Trek had come to a bittersweet end.

Next summer we will be leading an Art Trek to Spain and the following year we will be headed to Tuscany, England and Ireland, so if you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing trip! Details will be coming soon on nikigulley.com/artreks.

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Day 5, Provence Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

September 7, 2015

5″ x 7″ oil painting

Day 5, Provence Art Trek: the Luberon

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

After a peaceful day in the countryside, we headed to the Luberon hill towns today. Starting our journey at the Abbey de Senanque, some of our group toured the twelfth century sanctuary’s interior, while others painted and photographed the lavender fields and grounds surrounding the abbey. Next we traveled to the red and gold colored town of Roussillon, known for its ochre cliffs. Filled with picturesque views, art galleries, restaurants and interesting shops, everyone enjoyed having some free time to wander before we took off for the Pont Julien bridge.

The Roman bridge, dating from 3 BC and constructed without mortar, is an architectural marvel that was still driven on until 2005! After surveying the bridge, we headed back to our b and b. Dinner that night was traditional Provencal fare, including fresh vegetables, fish, meats, and goat cheeses loaded with delicious sauces, garlic and butter. Yum!

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

Provence Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams, Lavender Fields

September 4, 2015

9″ x 12″ textured oil painting

Day 4, Provence Art Trek: Lavender Fields and Greoux les Bains

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

Not being able to get enough of the lavender and sunflower fields, we had to paint a second composition. Wanting to focus on something different in this painting, I chose to include more of the landscape so that I could include these amazing clouds drifting by in diagonal patterns that mimicked the lavender rows. The final image is loaded with color, texture and movement!

We finished our day in the spa town of Greoux les Bains with another amazing Michelin star restaurant.

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

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

New “Sunny Skies” Palette Knife Sunflower Painting by Niki Gulley

August 19, 2015

30″ x 48″ textured mixed media painting on wrap around canvas

For more information on textured sunflower and poppy paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Just Sold – Sunflower and Lavender Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

August 9, 2015

SOLD • 30″ x 48″ textured oil painting

Just Sold! Sunny Life is inspired from one of the amazing locations we take our students to on our Provence Art Trek. We actually set up our easels in this gorgeous lavender and sunflower field, where the flowers seem to stretch forever. The color and aroma explosion were out of this world – a painter’s and photographer’s dream come true. Words can’t even describe how special that moment was to paint there surrounded by all that beauty!

Taking my plein air sketch that I painted on location above, I set to capture that joyous feeling back in my studio. Pulling in closer to the sunflowers so you could see their beaming faces and get a sense of their scale, I added a few more color surprises to add to the happy mood (and I didn’t have to worry about getting too close in fear of bee stings in the studio!) I hope you, too, experience the beauty and contentment of being in Provence through my painting.

If you’d like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops, please let me know. We are taking reservations for next year’s trip to Andulucia, Spain, so please let us know if you would like to join us. For more details, e-mail [email protected] or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

New “Sharing Sunshine” Sunflower Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

June 12, 2015

30″ x 48″ textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

If you’re in the Columbus, OH area this weekend and you’d like to see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, please stop by my booth at the Columbus Art Festival.

Columbus Art Festival
June 12th and 13th • 11am – 10:30pm
Sun. June 14th • 11am – 5pm
Booth #217M
Downtown Riverfront, Columbus, OH
ColumbusArtsFestival.org

For more information on textured sunflower and poppy paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Or, check out my website at: nikigulley.com.