New Summer Aspen Tree Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

“Aspen Vista Trail, Summer” ©2013 Niki Gulley
16″ x 20” textured oil painting on canvas

On our Santa Fe Art Trek last year, the temperature started rising in the afternoon, so we headed up into the mountains for cooler breezes to paint the beautiful aspen trees. We were attracted to the brilliant white trunks with their unique peeling bark and dark protruding knots. I liked how the soft dappled light came through the trees and illuminated the path, leading into the distance. Becoming totally lost in the moment, I set out to capture the peacefulness and contentment of being immersed in nature.
“Aspen Vista Trail” is available through the Good Art Company Gallery in Fredericksburg, TX. For more information, please contact goodartcompany.com/gac/.

For more information on my textured aspen tree and birch palette knife oil paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

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

“Muted Hues” – Aspen Tree oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Muted Hues” ©2012 Niki Gulley
36″ x 36″ oil on canvas

I love painting aspen trees and I usually work with a bold color palette, but in this painting, I wanted to convey a quieter, more peaceful mood. Opting for more pastel shades, and incorporating calming blues and greens, Muted Hues reminds me of the serenity I feel while walking through the forest on a cool autumn day, being totally immersed in nature, not a care in the world. I hope you are transported, too!

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my birch and aspen tree oil paintings.

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If you haven’t seen it yet, check out this month’s copy of visual language for more inspirational artwork http://issuu.com/cfai.co/docs/visual_language_vol_1_no__6_ll/1.

“Carnival” – New autumn aspen oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Carnival” ©2012 Niki Gulley
36″ x 60″ 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. Combining short staccato strokes along with long sweeping passes 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.

Email me for more information on this aspen tree painting.

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

“Vertical Aspirations” textured aspen oil painting

“Vertical Aspirations” ©2012 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 48” x 36” textured oil painting

In this painting I wanted you to feel that child-like wonder of staring up in into the treetops and the heavens above. Choosing vibrant, cheerful yellows and reds contrasted against a deep violet sky and arranging the aspens in a circular pattern heightened by thick, curving paint strokes, all add to that joyful, playful feeling of hope and discovery.
If you’d like to create paintings with more freedom and expression, please join me Feb. 18th and 19th for a workshop I’m teaching on “Loosening Up.” 
“Loosening Up” Painting Workshop
Feb. 18 and / or Feb. 19
Dallas, TX
See nikigulley.com/?page_id=13 for details and to register.
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If you have any questions, please e-mail me at Niki Gulley.

To see more of my contemporary landscape oil paintings, visit NikiGulley.com.

“Golden Aura” new textured birch tree painting

“Golden Aura” ©2012 Niki Gulley
48″ x 60″ 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. While combining short staccato strokes along with long sweeping passes 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.

Email me for more information on this birch painting.

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

“Ivory Refrain” textured aspen oil painting

“Ivory Refrain” ©2011 Niki Gulley
24” x 30” textured oil on canvas

Scrolling bark peels back like white washed parchment revealing secrets in the deeply textured wood below. A painting of grace and beauty, it’s verticality offset by embracing branches wound round as a sheltering arm. Each stroke is crisp, vivid, defined by thick textured oil, rich colors strike a reververberating chord – purple and the compliment of gold create a visual vibration that resonates in an optical song.

To see more of my aspen and birch tree oil paintings, please visit my website at nikigulley.com/?page_id=1343.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

New Aspen Tree oil painting by Niki Gulley

“Ivory Refrain” ©2011 Niki Gulley
24” x 30” textured oil on canvas

Scrolling bark peels back like white washed parchment revealing secrets in the deeply textured wood below. A painting of grace and beauty, it’s verticality offset by embracing branches wound round as a sheltering arm. Each stroke is crisp, vivid, defined by thick textured oil, rich colors strike a reververberating chord – purple and the compliment of gold create a visual vibration that resonates in an optical song.

To see more of my aspen and birch tree oil paintings, please stop by my booth at the Broad Ripple Art Fair in Indianapolis, IN this weekend. Visit indplsartcenter.org/braf/ for details.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

“Colorful Transformation” textured birch tree painting by Niki Gulley


“Colorful Transformation” ©2011 Niki Gulley

 

36″ x 48″ textured oil on canvas
Rather than create an exact replica of the forest, I wanted to focus on brilliant color and simple shapes to see if I could communicate the excitement I feel when surrounded by nature. Using energetic diagonal strokes and thick, textured paint, I hope you get a sense of the motion in the leaves and the power of nature to invigorate your spirit. I just love how this piece captured that essence! 

To see more of Niki Gulley’s landscape paintings, please stop by her booth at the Broad Ripple Art Fair in Indianapolis, IN this weekend – indplsartcenter.org/braf/.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information.

New Textured Aspen Paintings at Art in the Square

“Autumn Splendor” ©2011 Niki Gulley
36” x 48” textured oil on wrap around canvas

Shimmering colors of autumn: Aspen trees quiver, their light graceful leaves tremble and quake, silver and gold, silver and gold with each light breeze. There is the quiet energy of change coming and vibrant color charges the woods. Crisp fall mountain air, clean bright skies overhead, a band of slender straight trunks cut bright strokes of white against a dazzling tumble of green, crimson and gold.

You may see this painting and more of my textured oil paintings at my booth this weekend at Art in the Square, Booth #J5, in Southlake, TX. Visit artinthesquare.com/default.aspx for details.

E-mail Niki Gulley for more information on my aspen and birch tree paintings.

Transformation oil painting

“Transformation” ©2011 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 48″ x 60″ oil painting

Rather than create an exact replica of the forest, I wanted to focus on brilliant color and simple shapes to see if I could communicate the excitement I feel when surrounded by nature. Using energetic diagonal strokes and thick, textured paint, I hope you get a sense of the motion in the leaves and the power of nature to invigorate your spirit. I just love how this piece captured that essence!

To see more of my textured oil paintings, go to NikiGulley.com.
Or, e-mail me at Niki Gulley if you would like more information.