October 2010 – Page 2

Table for Two pastel at Bayou City Art Festival

October 6, 2010

“Table for Two” by Niki Gulley

Pastel • 24” x 36”

My husband and I honeymooned in Greece and fell in love with the island of Santorini. It has to be one of the most romantic spots we’ve ever seen. The views from the top of the caldera were absolutely stunning with the blue Aegean below, and the white-washed stacked architecture is truly unique. We easily segued into the the relaxed laissez faire Greek pace after a day or two and thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of the moment, dining seaside on delicious Mediterranean food and watching the sun set on the distant horizon.

If you’d like to join us next May on our Painting / Photography workshop in Greece, visit nikigulley.com/?page_id=13 for more information. Or, closer to home I also teach in Dallas, with the next set of classes starting in January 2011. If you’d like more details, e-mail me at [email protected].

If you’re in Houston, TX this weekend, please stop by the Bayou City Art Festival to and my pastels in person. I’ll be displaying my work at booth #480 – on Walker St. between Bagby & Smith Streets facing City Hall. See BayouCityArtFestival.com for more information.

Bayou City Art Festival – Houston, TX – Oct. 9 & 10

October 4, 2010

“Bon Appetito” ©2010 Niki Gulley
Pastel 24” x 36”

On my second trip to Europe, my husband wanted to take me to Venice since it was one of his favorite cities, and I fell in love with almost everything about it. The timeless quality created by living on canals free of cars, the history in the architecture and even the cobbled walkways, the beauty of the scenery and the magical quality created by the light to name just a few of my favorite things. I love how food and meals play such an important role in Italian culture – a time to slow down and enjoy friendships while savoring the local grown cuisine and wines over the course of the evening. In this pastel I wanted to communicate all of those joyful feelings in addition to capturing the energy and romance of the city at night. Bon Appetito!

If you’re in Houston, TX this weekend, please stop by the Bayou City Art Festival to see Bon Appetito and my other recent pastels. I’ll be displaying my work at booth #480C – on Walker St. between Bagby & Smith Streets facing City Hall. See BayouCityArtFestival.com for more information.

Or, e-mail me at [email protected] for more information.

Moment of Reflection oil painting

October 1, 2010

24″ x 18″ oil on canvas

This is another one of my favorite spots in Dallas. Once you climb down the creek’s banks, you’re treated to the peaceful trickling sounds of the gently moving water and you’re surrounded by a canopy of trees, completely eliminating all signs of traffic and city life above. This location reminds me so much of the woods I’d hike through with my parents as a kid on a beautiful, crisp autumn day and all of those happy memories come flowing back. In “Moment of Reflection,” I wanted to share that joy and calm I feel being surrounded by nature.

To see this painting and my latest work in person, visit my booth at the Cottonwood Art Festival in Richardson, TX this weekend, CottonwoodArtFestival.com.

Or, e-mail me at [email protected] for more information.