Texas artist Niki Gulley

“45 mph” Winter Palette Knife Painting

January 14, 2013

18” x 24” textured oil painting

On one of our first trips together, my husband and I drove to Colorado to capture the fall foliage, and were greeted by one of the earliest snowfalls on record. While not the golden aspen glory we expected, the pristine white of that first dusting was beautiful. I loved this scenic overlook as we rounded the corner, and as you can see there was no shoulder to pull over on to capture the scene. So quickly grabbing my camera, I snapped away as we whizzed past. In this shot, I particularly liked a sliver of the school-bus-yellow 45mph sign contrasting against the vivid azure sky and framing the right side of the composition to lead your eye back into the breathtaking drive.

For more information on my textured palette knife oil paintings, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

Or, please visit my website at NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.

“Road Trip” New textured oil painting by Niki Gulley

January 11, 2013

20” x 24” textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

We spend a lot of time in the car, between driving across country for art shows, exploring new places for inspiration, and traveling while teaching painting and photography workshops, so in this new series I’ve felt compelled to capture my views from the passenger seat. This particular painting was inspired by one of our plein air painting workshops we taught in Santa Fe. Not only do I love the various rock formations and dramatic New Mexico skies, but I relish the sense of open space after living in a city. Looking out on the expansive horizon, I get the feeling that anything is possible and a new discovery is just around the next bend. In “Road Trip” I combine this low angle of the road along with energetic diagonal strokes to give you the feeling of driving over the next hill in search for whatever your journey holds next.

For more information on my textured palette knife oil paintings, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

Or, please visit my website at NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.

12×12 Sunflower Oil Painting

December 24, 2012

“Sunny Moments IV” ©2012 Niki Gulley
12″ x 12″ textured oil on canvas

I painted these sunflowers with extremely thick paint and palette knife. The resulting canvas is loaded with texture, color and energy! I’ve painted it on 1 and 1/2 inch deep stretcher bars, with the image continuing around the edges so that it can be hung as is frameless for a contemporary look.

This sunflower scene looks great hung alone to brighten up a little spot, or in a grouping with some of my sunflower or floral scenes. Hang them horizontally, vertically, on a diagonal or stacked. Take a look at nikigulley.com/the-art/textured-oils/ to find complimentary companion pieces.

If interested in more information on pricing and purchasing, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of my textured flower paintings, please visit NikiGulley.com.

Indian Paintbrush Painting by Niki Gulley

December 21, 2012

“Texas Treats IV” ©2012 Niki Gulley
12″ x 12″ textured mixed media on canvas

I painted this Indian Paintbrush canvas with extremely thick paint and palette knife. The resulting image is loaded with texture, color and energy! I’ve painted it on 1 and 1/2 inch deep stretcher bars, with the image continuing around the edges so that it can be hung as is frameless for a contemporary look.

This Texas wildflower image looks great hung alone to brighten up a little spot, or in a grouping with a bluebonnet painting or some of my sunflower scenes. Hang them horizontally, vertically, on a diagonal or stacked. Take a look at nikigulley.com/the-art/textured-oils/ to find complimentary companion pieces.

If interested in more information on pricing and purchasing, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of my textured floral paintings, please visit NikiGulley.com.

12″ x 12″ Textured Aspen Tree oil paintings

December 10, 2012

“Seasonal Shifts, Spring” ©2012 Niki Gulley
12″ x 12″ textured oil on canvas

I painted this aspen grove with extremely thick oil paint and palette knife. The resulting canvas is loaded with texture, color and energy! I’ve painted it on 1 and 1/2 inch deep stretcher bars, with the image continuing around the edges so that it can be hung as is frameless for a contemporary look. This image looks great hung alone to brighten up a little spot, or in a grouping with some of the other seasons I’ve painted to fill a larger space. Take a look at nikigulley.com/the-art/textured-oils/ to find complimentary companion pieces.

If interested in more information on pricing and purchasing, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

To see more of my textured aspen and birch tree paintings, please visit NikiGulley.com.

Fall Foliage Pastel

December 5, 2012

12″ x 24″ pastel

I painted this pastel at the Dallas Arboretum last fall to capture the gorgeous fall colors, and the mysterious long shadows cast by the sun as it was nearing sunset. I loved the vivid reds and oranges of the foliage, and the way the sun was causing those colors to glow along with the highlights on the path.

This pastel along with several others will be available at our “Adopt – a – Art” party on Dec. 7th and 8th. As some of you may know, we are planning to move to a larger studio space and while we would love to take all of our precious friends with us, we would rather not move everything and start with a clean studio space. Consequently, we are going to do something this year that we have never done before and may never do again, we are going to have an adoption weekend. There will be nominal fees associated with some of these to cover the care and feeding of them over the years and all of our little friends will be available for viewing, ready to go to new homes. We hope that you can make it!

Adopt – a – Art

One time only art sale and auction of Niki Gulley’s pastels/paintings and Scott Williams’ photographs

Fri. Dec. 7th 7pm – 9pm

Sat. Dec. 8th 1pm – 4pm

Gulley / Williams Studio – Dallas, TX

RSVP Niki Gulley for address and directions

NikiGulley.com

Adopt – a – Art Show for Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

December 3, 2012

25″ x 19″ pastel

In “Meandering Way,” I wanted you to be transported to a beautiful autumn day, completely surrounded by nature. Hiking through the forest, hearing the leaves crunching under foot and the canopy rustling above, you can be totally carefree and lost in the peaceful moment. Making short energetic strokes with my pastels and including vivid warm colors add to that joyful feeling of being immersed in nature.

Adopt – a – Art

One time only art sale & auction of Niki Gulley’s pastels/paintings

and Scott Williams’ photographs

Fri. Dec. 7th 7pm – 9pm

Sat. Dec. 8th 1pm – 4pm

Gulley / Williams Studio – Dallas, TX

RSVP Niki@NikiGulley.com for address and directions

NikiGulley.com

A Pause in Time, Venice by Niki Gulley wins award at PSSW Juried Show

November 30, 2012

18” x 24” pastel

This piece won an award at the Southwest Pastel Society’s 31st National Juried Show Exhibit. It will be on display at the Eisemann Center in Richardson, TX through Dec. 2nd

Mysterious, enchanted, dreamlike – Venice is a fairytale at night.

Evening has drawn its starry cloak over the city, the crowds and pigeons are gone and three women enjoy the evening at a café in Piazza San Marco.

This changeling city, this artist’s muse now is unhurried, relaxed and romantic

and this one perfect moment in time is held in artful pastels, satiated colors–rich velvet textures capture ebony/violet chairs that Peggy, Pollock or Cole Porter may have sat in,

paintings of angels from old Venice and three modern women of today complete this delicate balance in a point of time.

If you’d also like to experience the beauty, history and culture of Venice, join me and travel photographer, Scott Williams, for our Plein Air Painting and Photography Art Trek to Venice during Carnivalé, Feb. 2-9, 2013. We’d love to have you join us! E-mail Niki Gulley for more information or go to nikigulley.com/artreks for more details on Venice, Greece, or our Italy Art Treks.

NikiGulley.com

“Cascading Rhythms” Palette knife oil painting

November 28, 2012

12” x 24” textured oil on canvas

Water pounds its way down the falls: cascading, rushing, charging into the riverbed — flowing over rocks, swiftly moving forward. Untamed, the surge finds its way over, under, around the boulder-strewn river. Tumbling waters drive up mists above the falls, the rhythmic sounds create a soothing harmony below. Autumn’s low light casts long lines through the Aspen trees and glowing verge.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her contemporary landscape paintings.

Please visit NikiGulley.com.

Featured Artist Niki Gulley at the Good Art Company, Nov. 2nd

October 29, 2012

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

Painted with extremely thick oil paint and palette knives so that this canvas is loaded with texture and bursting with color, flickering autumn leaves seem to almost dance in a gentle breeze. I wanted this scene to be filled with movement and energy, so I incorporated a lot of diagonal and curving shapes in the design to suggest that feeling. Contrasting short staccato strokes against blended passages with my palette knives, also increase that sense of motion. I hope you, too, can feel the excitement of walking through the woods on a beautiful fall day, letting your cares slip away and your spirit being invigorated.

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?.

This painting, along with several more of my textured aspen and birch tree paintings are hanging at the Good Art Company in Fredericksburg, TX. Visit goodartcompany.com/gac/ for more details.

And, I will be at the gallery to talk with you on Nov. 2nd from 6pm – 8pm as one of the featured artists for Fall Gallery walk. I’d love to see you there!

***

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