Month: April 2017

New “Secret Garden” Provence Painting by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

April 5, 2017
“Secret Garden,” Provence ©2017 Niki Gulley
12″ x 9″ oil painting

I painted this peaceful courtyard while my husband and I were leading our Plein Air Painting and Photography Art Treks Workshop in Provence, France. I loved the peach archway framing the picture window in the distance, creating a frame within a frame. The complimentary colors juxtaposed against each other created such an exciting contrast. While the light was a little tricky to capture going in and out of the clouds, I tried to convey its soft illumination on the walkway and distant wall. Painted with palette knife, this painting is loaded with texture and color, and I hope you are transported to this picturesque spot.

Photo by Sheri Jones

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 now, so please let us know if you would like to join us. This year’s trip filled up in less than a week! For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to ArtTreks.org.
For more information on “Secret Garden”, please contact my gallery, the Good Art Company Gallery, in Fredericksburg, goodartcompany.com/gac/.

  
Or, visit NikiGulley.com (www.NikiGulley.com) to see more of my impressionistic plein air oil paintings.
 
 

“Diagonal Patterns” Palette Knife Lavender Field Painting by Niki Gulley

April 3, 2017
“Diagonal Patterns,” Provence ©2015 Niki Gulley
9″ x 12″ textured oil painting
 
I painted “Diagonal Patterns” on location in Provence during our Plein Air Painting and Photography Art Trek Workshop my husband and I led in France. The lavender fields were amazing, and stretched as far as the eye could see! I wanted to focus on these perfectly planted purple rows, contrasted against the vibrant yellow sunflowers in the distance. I loved how those colors popped next to each other! I chose to lower the horizon line so that I could include these amazing clouds drifting by in diagonal patterns that mimicked the lavender aisles.  That also gave the painting an idea of space so that you could sense the fragrant purple beauties stretching for miles. Painted with palette knife and thick oil paint, the final image is loaded with color, texture and movement!  

This summer we will be leading Art Treks to Tuscany and Ireland, and the following year we will be headed to Tuscany, Croatia, Slovenia, Venice, Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy, so if you’ve always dreamed of painting, photographing and sightseeing in Europe, please join us for one of these amazing trip! See details on ArtTreks.org.

For more information on “Diagonal Patterns”, please contact my gallery, the Good Art Company Gallery, in Fredericksburg, goodartcompany.com/gac/.
 
Or, check out my website at NikiGulley.com, NikiGulley.com to see more of my contemporary impressionist oil paintings.