“Raising Sunshine” Red Barn oil painting by Niki Gulley

July 4, 2014
“Raising Sunshine” ©2014 Niki Gulley
18″ x 24” textured oil painting

Full of fun and whimsy, in my next painting from this barn series, I not only wanted to show the personality of this red barn but also make you feel like a kid again, climbing trees, swinging from their branches and returning to a simpler time in your childhood. Hinting that the barn has humanlike features, I feel like it, too, is inviting you to come play inside. Using vivid colors, distorted perspective and energetic thick oil paint strokes, I hope “Raising Sunshine” brings joy to your home and reminds you of the simpler pleasures when you were a kid.

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.


New Whimsical Palette Knife Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

July 2, 2014

“Soaring on a Dream,” ©2014 Niki Gulley

18″ x 24″ textured oil painting
 
I wanted this painting to be full of joy and energy, reminiscent of a simpler time. Working with palette knife, I moved thick oil paint around in long sweeping circular strokes to add to that feeling of movement and excitment, while choosing vivid primary colors to communicate a time of youth, innocence and freedom.

 

 

New “Make a Wish” Palette Knife Autumn Aspen Tree Painting by Niki Gulley

June 30, 2014
“Make a Wish” ©2013 Niki Gulley
20” x 16” textured oil painting
Reaching to the heavens above, this wishbone shaped aspen tree stretches tall, inviting you to stare in wonderment like a kid again, wishing on a dream. Painted with palette knife and extremely thick oil paint, this painting is loaded with texture, color, energy and movement!
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her palette knife aspen tree and contemporary landscape paintings.

New Colorado Aspen Tree Oil Painting by Niki Gulley

June 27, 2014
“Aspen Concerto” ©2014 Niki Gulley
24” x 18” textured oil painting
Colorado’s celebrated quaking aspen trees stand arrow straight in the valleys and
up and down the hills.
Slim white trunks sing out against the forest background and each leaf provides
a sparkling symphony of notes whispering through the mountains.
Flames of yellow leaves flicker against autumn’s burning reds
and the deep, cool blue mountain streaked with early banks of snow.
This painting captures the breathtaking colors of
Colorado in the fall, the Aspens at their most beautiful, the peaceful snow-banked mountain, the rustling murmur and musical sigh of the fluttering leaves.
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her contemporary landscape paintings.

“Cascading Rhythms” Palette knife oil painting by Niki Gulley

June 23, 2014

“Cascading Rhythms” ©2014 Niki Gulley
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.

“Dancing on Water” Palette Knife Water Lily Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

June 20, 2014
“Dancing on Water,” Monet’s Gardens, Giverny, France  ©2014 Niki Gulley
36″ x 60″ textured oil painting
Sunlight sparkles across aqua blue water, diamonds of purple glitter the pond’s surface; water lilies lift their faces toward the sun and gently dance across the water.
Golden sunlight filters through the brambles and ferns, a touch of cardinal red peeks through purple and pink foliage while azure skies reflect in the water.
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.
Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.

“Luminescent Radiance” textured oil painting of Monet’s Garden by Niki Gulley

June 18, 2014
“Luminescent Radiance” ©2014 Niki Gulley
Two 48″ x 18″ canvases with one 48″ x 30″ canvas in the middle to form a 48″ x 66″ triptych
Textured oil painting on wrap around canvas

I decided it would be a fun challenge to create an extremely large painting, and I wanted the final piece to be very uplifting, colorful and full of energy. Opting for warm colors and working with extremely thick paint and palette knives, I chose this lily pond reference from our visit to Monet’s Gardens in Giverny, France. The grounds were breathtaking and I could actually see his paintings come to life. I was drawn to the energetic flow and yet calming serenity in this view, and I positioned the water lilies and my paint strokes in a curving pattern to add to that mood. The morning light peeking through the distant foliage added to a sense of mystery and promise that I wanted to capture in paint, and share with you that feeling of hope.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.
Or, visit NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape paintings.

Just Sold! “Spring’s Majesty,” Texas Hill Country – Bluebonnet painting by Niki Gulley

June 16, 2014
“Spring’s Majesty, Texas Hill Country” ©2014 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 18″ x 36″ textured painting
“Spring’s Majesty” was inspired by a trip to the Texas Hill Country when the bluebonnets were in full splendor. While we were near Fredericksburg, we took a scenic drive along the Willow City Look and as we approached the top of a hill about half way around, we were greeted by this gorgeous view of the rolling hills colored with bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush in full bloom. Then, to top it off the sun was setting in the distance casting its golden glow and backlighting the wildflowers. I had to capture the magical moment, enhancing the kaleidoscope of colors in the sky and along the ground. Arranging clouds, the road and rows of bluebonnets in rhythmic sweeping shapes, create a harmonious landscape that flows with light, texture and color, and suggest a feeling of optimism about what’s to come.

“Spring’s Majesty” was available through the Good Art Company gallery, goodartcompany.com/gac/.
E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on her Texas bluebonnet paintings.
To see more of Gulley’s contemporary impressionistic landscape paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

Winter Birch Tree Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

June 13, 2014
“Climbing Trees” ©2014 Niki Gulley
40” x 30” oil on canvas

Growing up in the midwest, I loved the first snowfall of the year when everything would get a beautiful dusting of pristine white powder, including even the tiniest of branches in the treetops above. If you caught that moment early enough in the morning before anything had disturbed the intricate frosted web, it was just magical. Then the sun would start rising and peeking through the limbs, and everything would sparkle like diamonds. In Climbing Trees, I wanted to capture that beautiful moment when the sunlight dances through the icing on the treetops and you can feel yourself looking up in wonderment just like you did when you were a kid.

To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com or if you are in Chicago, IL this weekend, please stop by my booth at the Wells Street Art Festival.
Wells Street Art Fair
June 14th and 15th • 10am – 8pm
Chicago, IL • on N. Wells St.,
between North Ave. and Division
chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=141 
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E-mail – Niki Gulley