New Sunflower Painting by Niki Gulley

“Bathing in Sunshine II” ©2012 Niki Gulley
30″ x 48″ textured painting on wrap around canvas

Bathing in Sunshine was inspired by our trip to Provence, France last summer. Our timing was perfect and the sunflowers and lavender were in full bloom. While we came across many fields of lavender, we had to search a little harder for sunflowers. Of course that meant sampling more of the local cuisine and wines for much needed fuel as we looked! (My husband likes to say we have to suffer four our art.)

When we eventually came across these sunflowers, I knew immediately they would make a perfect painting. Their bright, smiling faces as big as dinner plates, the sun dappled path leading you deep into the golden field to the quaint stone farmhouse in the distance on a beautiful summer day made for the ideal subject. The resulting painting is so full of color and texture, and my hope is that when you gaze into it, this piece immediately lifts your spirits and brightens up any spot in your home.

If you would like to see this sunflower painting and more of my textured landscape paintings, please stop by my booth at the Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival this weekend.

Lincoln Park Art and Music Festival
July 7 and 8 • noon – 8 pm
Chicago, IL
Booth #90 • on Racine between Fullerton and Webster
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Art Trek Paris w/ Niki Gulley & Scott Williams – Day 2, Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Rose Window • 10″ x 8″ oil painting by Niki Gulley

Day 2, Afternoon – Art Trek Paris with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
After grabbing a delicious homemade crepé lunch, we staked out this quiet, picturesque view of Notre Dame along the Siene. Some painters chose to include the whole scene with river, church and boats, while myself and a couple of others selected this tighter view on just the intricate stained glass of the rose window. After painting the whites and grays of the cathedral in the morning light, I decided to have a little fun with the colors in the afternoon, after all we were in the home of French Impressionism.
Working with complimentary purples and oranges created vibrant highlights, cool shadows and contrasting colors that cause your eye to dance across the canvas.
One of our painters in front of Notre Dame.
Photo of two of us painting at Notre Dame taken by one of our budding photographers along on the trip. Pretty creative!

 

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If you would like to come along on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops to
Santa Fe, NM Aug. 12 – 18 (see nikigulley.com/art-classes) or
 Tuscany, Italy Aug. 31 – Sept. 8 (visit nikigulley.com/artreks),
please e-mail Niki Gulley for more information. Registration deadlines are quickly approaching. We’d love to have you join us!
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To see more of my contemporary landscape paintings, please go to my website at NikiGulley.com.