Tag: photography trips

Day 5, Paris Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams – Versailles

August 4, 2014
Versailles ©2014 Niki Gulley
5″ x 7″ pastel • SOLD
Day 5, Paris Art Trek: Versailles
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 

with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

Today, we packed up and left our hotel for the opulent Palace of Versailles. After touring the chateau in all of its decadence, we dined al fresco and settled on the quiet painting location above in the formal gardens. It was another gorgeous day and the grounds were in full bloom. The garden staff even offered us fixative for our pastels when we were finished painting!

Next, we arrived at our B and B in Giverny – just a little slice of heaven! I felt like we entered the pages of a fairy tale!

That night we dined on another delicious dinner of Coquilles Saint Jacques, roast lamb, giant prawns, chocolate molten cake and some delicious Bordeaux to wash it down!

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. 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 16-25, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

 

Day 4, Paris Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams – Montmartre

August 1, 2014
Day 4, Paris Art Trek: Montmartre

Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 
with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On day four of our Paris Art Trek, we ditched the painting gear and headed to Montmartre, home of so many famous French Impressionists and artists. Taking in the impressive Basilica du Sacré-Coeur, exploring the back alleys, making time for a little shopping, and swinging by the Moulin Rouge on our way home, everyone enjoyed a fun-filled day of sightseeing.

Tonight’s dinner consisted of grilled steak with a red wine reduction, sautéed veggies, broiled bone marrow and scalloped potatoes. We had to wash this down with a couple of bottles of Bordeaux, which were more than up to the task. Lastly we had a chocolate chocolate something or other. It was a chocolate ganache on top of a layer of cream mixed with passion fruit, all inside a chocolate shell, covered with fruit and drizzled with raspberry sauce. All and all, not too shabby! Stay tuned for further gastronomic adventures, because you ain’t seen nothing yet!!!

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. 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 16-25, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

Day 3, Paris Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams – Notre Dame

July 30, 2014
Notre Dame ©2014 Niki Gulley
12″ x 9″ oil painting • SOLD
Day 3, Paris Art Trek:
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 
with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the third day of our Paris Art Trek, we visited Notre-Dame Cathedral it all of its Gothic Splendor. Fortified by a delicious lunch of crepes, salads and quiches, the painters went back to replicate this view of the church’s rose window across the Seine while the rest of our photographers and tourists visited Saninte-Chapelle, the Latin Quarter and St. Germaine.

That night we gathered for you guessed it…more epicurean experiences! Beef Bourguignon, Strawberry cheesecake gelato, Kir Royals and profiteroles with chocolate sauce were just a few of the highlights.
 

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. 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 16-25, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

 

July 28, 2014
“Peaceful Morning,” Tuileries ©2014 Niki Gulley
9″ x 12″ oil painting
Day 2, Paris Art Trek:
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 
with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the second day of our Paris Art Trek, half of our group visited the Louvres in the morning, and for any of my painters who had been to the museum before, we set up our easels across from this peaceful fountain in the Tuileries. It was a gorgeous day, and the light was soft and beautiful hitting the garden. We did a quick black and white value sketch to simplify the complexity of the scene, and then moved onto color. A perfect morning!

After we finished, we met up with the rest of the group for a picnic in the park, and in the afternoon some of us visited the Musee d’Orsay and their amazing impressionist art collection. That night we gathered for another amazing French dinner!

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. 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 16-25, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

Day 1, Paris Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

July 25, 2014
“Paris in June” ©2014 Niki Gulley
12″ x 9″ oil painting
Day 1, Paris Art Trek:
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop 

with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

On the first day of our Paris Art Trek, the sun was shining and it was a lovely 80 degrees. A perfect way to start our trip! In the morning, we went up in the Eiffel Tower and enjoyed the amazing views of the city. That afternoon, we painted in a quiet park next to the tower while the photographers shot around the city, and we all convened that night for a delicious Parisian dinner.

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. 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 16-25, 2015
 Provence, France – June 25 – July 3, 2014

Venice Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams – Day 3, Rialto Market

March 14, 2014

Venice Art Trek, Day 3: Rialto Market
9″ x 12″ textured oil painting by Niki Gulley
On the third day of our Venice Art Trek, we took a vaporetto tour of the island and got off at the Rialto bridge where we wandered the fruit, vegetable and fish markets. We left the photographers there to shoot while we set up our easels in this quiet spot marking the oldest restaurant in Venice. This bridge had so much character being made completely of wood, decorated in plantings and flanked by red and white poles that we just had to paint it!

If you’d like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know. For more details, E-mail [email protected] or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014 – wait list only
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014
Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 2015
French Riviera – June 2015
Provence, France – June 2015

Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

Day 2, Burano – Venice Art Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

March 12, 2014

Venice Art Trek, Day 2: Murano and Burano
7″ x 5″ • textured oil painting by Niki Gulley
On the second day of our Venice Art Trek, we headed to the islands of Murano and Burano. First Murano, famous for its beautiful glass, to see a glass blowing demonstration and tour the museum. Then, onto Burano which is known as a fishing community (and for the homemade lace that they make there), and to help the fisherman find their houses while coming back from sea, they painted their homes every color of the rainbow. With the picturesque canals and so many great colored buildings to choose from, it’s hard to pick a single subject matter! We were drawn to this quiet location, however, and the vibrant blue stucco wall with that morning’s laundry being hung out to dry screamed to be painted. Today I chose to work with thick oil paint and palette knife to capture the rough surface of the walls, resulting in a final painting which is loaded with texture and color.

Painting and photographing in Burano.

If you’d like to join us on one of our upcoming Art Treks, please let me know. For more details, E-mail [email protected] or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.

Upcoming Art Treks
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014 – wait list only
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014
Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014
Athens and Santorini, Greece – May 2015
French Riviera – June 2015
Provence, France – June 2015

Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

New Tuscany Painting by Texas Artist Niki Gulley

November 18, 2013
“Breaking Through,” Tuscany ©2013 Niki Gulley
SOLD • 24″ x 12″ textured mixed media on wrap around canvas
Just Sold at the Good Art Company! Inspired by our travels to Italy, cypress trees rise out of the vast open landscape signaling that you have arrived in Tuscany! Working from my oil sketch that I painted during our Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshop last year, I created this larger version back in my studio, including more of the dramatic clouds swirling above the cypress trees for a tall vertical panorama and added energy.

If you’d like to join us in Tuscany next year for our Plein Air Painting / Photography Art Trek, Sept. 5th – 13th, please let me know. This is one of our most popular workshops and space is going quickly. For more details, visit nikigulley.com/artreks.

Also, several of my contemporary impressionistic landscapes are on display at the Good Art Company Gallery in Fredericksburg, TX. For more information, please contact http://www.goodartcompany.com/gac/.
Or, to see more of my palette knife paintings, please visit nikigulley.com.
For more information on my plein air paintings and workshops in Italy and France, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

Painting in Montepulciano with Niki Gulley

September 13, 2013
“Morning Overlook,” Montepulciano
9″ x 12″ oil by Niki Gulley
 TUSCANY ART TREK
Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
During our Tuscany Art Trek, we visit the picturesque hill town of Montepulciano, known for its delicious red wines. We set up at this beautiful scenic overlook to paint the valley below. Narrowing down a subject to paint is challenging since the whole scene is amazing, but impossible to capture all of it on our small travel canvases. An amazing morning!

If you’d like to join us in Tuscany for our next Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop Sept. 5th-13th, please let me know. Early registration deadline of Nov. 16th for a $600 savings is quickly approaching! For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014
 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014
Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014


Cinque Terre and Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014



Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

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E-mail me at [email protected] for more information.

To see more of my Italy and European paintings, please visit my website at NikiGulley.com.

New Venice Oil Painting by Niki Gulley

September 9, 2013

“Back Canals,” Venice ©2013 Niki Gulley
8″ x 10″ oil painting

On the last day of our Venice Art Trek, St. Mark’s Square was packed with tourists and people dressed up in costumes for Carnivalé which we loved seeing, but we were hoping to find a quieter spot to paint. So we left the photographers and headed back into the local neighborhoods where it was very peaceful and picturesque. I liked the ornamentation on this bridge and the way the light danced across the water making it shimmer.
If you’d like to join us in Venice for our next Art Trek during Carnival Feb. 22 – Mar. 1, please let me know. The registration deadline of Oct. 12th is quickly approaching! For more details, e-mail Niki Gulley or go to nikigulley.com/artreks.
Upcoming Art Treks
Venice, Italy – Carnivalé – Feb. 22-Mar. 1, 2014
Paris, France – June 19-27, 2014


 Provence, France – June 26 – July 4, 2014

Tuscany, Italy – Sept. 5-13, 2014
Cinque Terre & Lake Como, Italy – Sept. 12-21, 2014

Plein Air Painting / Photography Workshops
Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
These workshops are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to register soon!

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