New Sunflower and Lavender Palette Knife Painting by Niki Gulley

“Sunny Life,” Provence ©2015 Niki Gulley
30″ x 48″ textured oil painting

Sunny Life is inspired from one of the amazing locations we take our students to on our Provence Art Trek. We actually set up our easels in this gorgeous lavender and sunflower field, where the flowers seem to stretch forever. The color and aroma explosion were out of this world – a painter’s and photographer’s dream come true. Words can’t even describe how special that moment was to paint there surrounded by all that beauty!

Taking my plein air sketch that I painted on location above, I set to capture that joyous feeling back in my studio. Pulling in closer to the sunflowers so you could see their beaming faces and get a sense of their scale, I added a few more color surprises to add to the happy mood (and I didn’t have to worry about getting too close in fear of bee stings in the studio!) I hope you, too, experience the beauty and contentment of being in Provence through my painting.

If you’d like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops listed below, please let me know. We are taking reservations for this years trip to Tuscany, Italy, so please let us know if you would like to join us.  For more details, e-mail [email protected] or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks 
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 4-12, 2014 • Sept. 2015

Deadline to sign up 1/24/15

 

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

 

Day 7, Provence Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9″ x 12″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley • SOLD
Day 7, Provence Art Trek: 
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 
with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the last day of our Provence Art Trek, we decided to stay right at our b and b to paint since it was so beautiful. Meanwhile the photographers explored the nearby area, and others relaxed with a morning massage at a nearby spa. Choosing what to paint was a challenge since the grounds are so picturesque. Myself and another painter set up our easels by this lovely lavender-lined Provencal home, while another chose to paint the rose-filled courtyard and another set up by the ancient Roman bridge on the back of the property. It was a gorgeous morning and everyone’s paintings turned out great!

For lunch we headed into the nearby hill town, grabbed a delicious snack and had time to explore the back alleys and hike up to the town’s fortress with panorama views of the sweeping valleys and countryside.
If you’d like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops listed below, please let me know. We are taking reservations for next year’s trip to Provence, June 25th – July 3rd, 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 nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks 
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014 • Sept. 2015
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014 • Sept. 2015
New Orleans, LA – Oct. 22-26, 2014
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 7-14, 2015
Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 7-16, 2015
The French Riviera – June 16-26, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

Day 7, Provence Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9″ x 12″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley • SOLD
Day 7, Provence Art Trek: 
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 
with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the last day of our Provence Art Trek, we decided to stay right at our b and b to paint since it was so beautiful. Meanwhile the photographers explored the nearby area, and others relaxed with a morning massage at a nearby spa. Choosing what to paint was a challenge since the grounds are so picturesque. Myself and another painter set up our easels by this lovely lavender-lined Provencal home, while another chose to paint the rose-filled courtyard and another set up by the ancient Roman bridge on the back of the property. It was a gorgeous morning and everyone’s paintings turned out great!

For lunch we headed into the nearby hill town, grabbed a delicious snack and had time to explore the back alleys and hike up to the town’s fortress with panorama views of the sweeping valleys and countryside.
If you’d like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops listed below, please let me know. We are taking reservations for next year’s trip to Provence, June 25th – July 3rd, 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 nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks 
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014 • Sept. 2015
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014 • Sept. 2015
New Orleans, LA – Oct. 22-26, 2014
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 7-14, 2015
Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 7-16, 2015
The French Riviera – June 16-26, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

Day 6, Provence Art Trek – Visiting the Luberon Hill Towns

“Abbey de Senanque,” Provence ©2014 Niki Gulley
5″ x 7″ oil painting
 
Day 6, Provence Art Trek: the Luberon
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 
with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
After a peaceful day in the countryside, we headed to the Luberon hill towns today. Starting our journey at the Abbey de Senanque. some of our group toured the twelfth century sanctuary’s interior, while others painted and photographed the lavender fields and grounds surrounding the abbey. Next we traveled to the red and gold colored town of Roussillon, known for its ochre cliffs. Filled with picturesque views, art galleries, restaurants and interesting shops, everyone enjoyed having some free time to wander before we took off for the Pont Julien bridge. The Roman bridge, dating from 3 BC and constructed without mortar, is an architectural marvel that was still driven on until 2005! After surveying the bridge, we sampled some more local wines and headed back to our b and b. Dinner that night was traditional Provencal fare, including fresh vegetables, fish, meats, and goat cheeses loaded with delicious sauces, garlic and butter. Yum!

If you’d like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops listed below, please let me know. We are taking reservations for next year’s trip to Provence, June 25th – July 3rd, 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 nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks 
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014 • Sept. 2015
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014 • Sept. 2015
New Orleans, LA – Oct. 22-26, 2014
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 7-14, 2015
Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 7-16, 2015
The French Riviera – June 16-26, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

Day 5, Provence Art Trek – Lavender and Sunflower Fields

“Sunny Days,” Provence ©2014 Niki Gulley
9″ x 12″ textured oil painting
 
Day 5, Provence Art Trek: 
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 
with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the fifth day of our Provence Art Trek, we set up our easels in this gorgeous lavender and sunflower field. The color and aroma explosion were out of this world – a painter’s and photographer’s dream come true. Words can’t even describe how special that moment was!

If you’d like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops listed below, please let me know. We are taking reservations for next year’s trip to Provence, June 25th – July 3rd, 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 nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks 
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014 • Sept. 2015
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014 • Sept. 2015
New Orleans, LA – Oct. 22-26, 2014
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 7-14, 2015
Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 7-16, 2015
The French Riviera – June 16-26, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

Day 5, Provence Art Trek – Lavender and Sunflower Fields

“Sunny Days,” Provence ©2014 Niki Gulley
9″ x 12″ textured oil painting
 
Day 5, Provence Art Trek: 
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 
with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the fifth day of our Provence Art Trek, we set up our easels in this gorgeous lavender and sunflower field. The color and aroma explosion were out of this world – a painter’s and photographer’s dream come true. Words can’t even describe how special that moment was!

If you’d like more information or a brochure on one of our upcoming Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshops listed below, please let me know. We are taking reservations for next year’s trip to Provence, June 25th – July 3rd, 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 nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks 
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014 • Sept. 2015
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014 • Sept. 2015
New Orleans, LA – Oct. 22-26, 2014
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 7-14, 2015
Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 7-16, 2015
The French Riviera – June 16-26, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

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

New Lavender Painting

“Summertime Bouquets” ©2010 Niki Gulley
20” x 30” acrylic on canvas

My husband and I have an uncanny sense of timing when it comes to the weather. We got married during a hurricane on the coast of Florida, we unknowingly planned our European workshop during the spewing of ash in Iceland, we’ve participated in art shows with 70 mph microbursts that destroyed 50 artist tents, and of course we chose to come home to Dallas after two months on the road during the hottest week of summer. With average temperatures around 103°, it wasn’t quite the home-coming I had in mind.

Making the best of it, I immersed myself in my air-conditioned studio and painted happier places – fantasizing about somewhere cooler, where plants grow profusely rather than wilting and withering in boiling temperatures and a beautiful location completely free of concrete. I remembered the gorgeous, aromatic lavender fields we’d seen in Europe a few years before at this exact time of year and through my painting I was transported back. I hope you experience that same bliss looking at “Summertime Bouquets.”

If you’re in the Chicago area this weekend, you can see “Summertime Bouquets” along with my other recent paintings at my booth #355 at the Gold Coast Art Show. For more information on the show, visit amdurproductions.com/f-goldcoast-public.html.

Color Explosion Workshop with Niki Gulley

“Backyard Aromas” ©2010 by Niki Gulley
12″ x 24″ pastel

In this pastel I wanted to capture this beautiful lavender field, but so many artists paint lavender that I wanted to put a twist on the subject matter. Rather than recreate the realistic colors as I saw them, I thought it would be fun to see how far I could push my colors. I love the way complimentary colors vibrate when next to each so I chose oranges and yellows for the sky and sand in between the rows since they are opposite of the blues and purples of the lavender on the color wheel. I love the energy and color contrasts of the finished painting!

On Jan. 30th, I’ll be teaching an all day workshop at my studio, “Color Explosion,” where we’ll cover color theory and meaning so that you can use color with confidence. Registration deadline is this Friday, Jan. 22nd, and I have just a few spots left. Let me know if you have any questions or would like to participate in the workshop. For more information, e-mail me at [email protected] or visit nikigulley.com/ng2/?page_id=13.