New Contemporary Impressionistic Ocean Painting by Niki Gulley

 

12″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel
©2022 Niki Gulley 

I love everything about going to the beach. I love gazing into the endless horizon while listening to the rhythmic sounds of waves crashing against the shore. I love feeling the warmth of the sun against my skin while the cool sand squishes between my toes. And, I love how all of my cares disappear and I feel completely at peace engulfed in the moment.

So, getting to paint along the shoreline is almost as close as it gets to perfection! Here is one of the paintings I created early in the morning along the Costa del Sol in Spain. I hope you, too, can feel the joy and serenity of gazing at the ocean in this piece.

To see more of my contemporary impressionistic landscape and seascape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.

New “Cypress Glory II” Palette Knife Tuscany Painting by Niki Gulley

 

“Cypress Glory II” ©2022 Niki Gulley 
10″ x 20″ textured oil painting
 
I absolutely love Tuscany and find inspiration everywhere I look. Tonight I set up my easel alongside the road, drawn to this long cypress driveway which I figured would be silhouetted against the setting sun. As luck would have it, mother nature provided a symphony of colors across the sky and I worked quickly to establish the beautiful, golden light that was cast across the rolling hills and stone farmhouse. I hope you, too, can enjoy the glory that is Tuscany!
 
***
 
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to France, Tuscany, or Venice, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!
 
2023 Schedule
Venice – Carnivalé 
Art Trek – Feb. 12-18
Tuscany
Foodie Trek – May 27 – June 3
Provence
Art Trek – June 24- July 1
 

 

For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 
***
 
To see more of my contemporary impressionistic landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.

 

 
https://www.instagram.com/nikigulley/
 

 

 
 

Long and Winding Cypress Road Painting by Niki Gulley

 

SOLD • 6″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas ©2022 Niki Gulley
 
Tuscany Foodie Trek – Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Day 5:  Italian Renaisance Garden
 
Today we visited an operating Italian Renaissance garden. Formal and organized with clipped boxwoods and plantings in symmetrical stone urns, impressive travertine column staircases, and the largest indoor potted citrus grove in the area, it was interesting to see the contrast between an Italian garden and an American garden, and the challenges of getting irrigation to the remote property. 
 
I was also able to paint this unique view from near the gardens of this long, winding road dotted with cypress trees – quintessential Tuscany!
 
 
***
 

For more details on my other Tuscany paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

 

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

 
https://www.instagram.com/nikigulley/
 
 
***
 
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to France, Tuscany, or Venice, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!
 
2023 Schedule
Venice – Carnivalé 
Art Trek – Feb. 12-18
Tuscany
Foodie Trek – May 27 – June 3
Provence
Art Trek – June 24- July 1
 

 

For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 

 

New Rooftop Overlook from Tuscany by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

 

9″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel ©2022 Niki Gulley 
 
Tuscany Foodie Trek – Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Day 3:  Montepulciano, Italy
 
During our Tuscany Foodie Trek, we headed to the wine town of Montepulciano. Scott took our group on a tour of the city, making sure to visit the underground Etruscan tunnels, stopping at some of the wineries for some samples and allowing everyone to do some shopping.
 
Meanwhile, I set up my easel at this breathtaking overlook. The view of the valley below is gorgeous with miles of olive groves and vineyards stretching to the horizon. I chose to paint the this puzzle of rooftops and buildings stacked in the foreground with the lush valley stretching into the distance. I hope you enjoy the morning escape to Tuscany!
 
After lunch, we visited a winery nearby to sample their Rossos, Vino Nobiles and the delicious sweet dessert wine, Vin Santo. 
 
 
 
 

For more details on my other Tuscany paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

 

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

 
https://www.instagram.com/nikigulley/
 
 
***
 
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to France, Tuscany, or Venice, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!
 
2023 Schedule
Venice – Carnivalé 
Art Trek – Feb. 12-18
Tuscany
Foodie Trek – May 27 – June 3
Provence
Art Trek – June 24- July 1
 

 

For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 

 

Tuscany Foodie Trek Led by Artists Niki Gulley and Scott Williams

9″ x 12″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel  ©2022 Niki Gulley 
 
 
Tuscany Foodie Trek – Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Day 4:  Cooking Class with Restaurant Chef
 
After another gorgeous leisurely morning at our villa, we all enjoyed learning how to cook authentic Tuscan food from a restaurant chef in one of the neighboring hill towns. From rolling out pici pasta to stuffing squash blossoms, to indulging in the most delicious tiramisu, we feasted like kings for lunch, savoring the fruits of our labor while also learning and sampling some of the region’s best wines. 
 
 

That afternoon after a stopping for a couple of scenic photos of the Italian countryside we returned to relax at the villa. Above you can see one of the most iconic stops in Tuscany. And, I’ve always been attracted to this lone clump of cypress trees. Today, I liked how the late afternoon sun was casting such long dramatic shadows on the ground and I decide to accentuate the cool blues and violets I saw in the darks to contrast with the gold rolling hills. I decided to have fun with the colors and strokes to add to the excitement and drama of the moment.

 

That evening we went into town for a delicious meal of melted pecorino and homemade rustic bread, pici (hand rolled pasta) with wild boar sauce or truffle ravioli for others, fresh organic vegetables and of course the local red wine to top it off!

For more details on my other Tuscany paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

 

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

 
https://www.instagram.com/nikigulley/
 
 
***
 
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to France, Tuscany, or Venice, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!
 
2023 Schedule
Venice – Carnivalé 
Art Trek – Feb. 12-18
Tuscany
Foodie Trek – May 27 – June 3
Provence
Art Trek – June 24- July 1
 

 

For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 

 

Tuscany Foodie Trek with Scott Williams and Niki Gulley

 

View from our Villa, Tuscany ©2022 Niki Gulley • 16″ x 20″ textured acrylic painting on canvas panel
 
Day 1, Tuscany Foodie Trek with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
 

On the first day of our Tuscany Foodie Trek, we picked everyone up from the Rome airport and drove them to our new abode for the next week, nestled amongst the rolling Tuscan hills.  The villa is beautiful and the view so spectacular that we just relax and soak in that gorgeous scenery the first day. Some people enjoyed the pool while others got settled in. That night we had a chef prepare a 7 course authentic family meal right at the villa, washed down with some vino Nobile and prosecco. A great way to kick off the trip!

And, above you can see my first painting from the Trek. This is the spectacular view from the breakfast table at our villa. It’s soooo beautiful! I love watching the light and shadows form on the farmer’s field and the gorgeous rosemary and flowers in bloom in the foreground just added so much joy and color to the scene.

 

For more details on my other Tuscany paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

 

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

 
https://www.instagram.com/nikigulley/
 
 
***
 
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to France, Tuscany, or Venice, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!
 
2023 Schedule
Venice – Carnivalé 
Art Trek – Feb. 12-18
Tuscany
Foodie Trek – May 27 – June 3
Provence
Art Trek – June 24- July 1
 

 

For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.
 

 

Visiting Siena Italy with Niki Gulley and Scott Williams on their Tuscany Foodie Trek Trek

 

“Duomo,” Siena ©2022 Niki Gulley 
5″ x 7″ oil painting on panel
 
Tuscany Foodie Trek – Led by Niki Gulley and Scott Williams
Day 2:  Siena, Italy
 
During the Foodie Trek that my husband and I led in Tuscany, we headed to the Medieval hill town of Siena, with its incredible church, great people-watching plaza, and interesting alleyways radiating out from the Campo with something new to discover around every turn. 
 
While most of our group toured inside the Duomo, I chose to set up my easel and capture it’s impressive facade. Beautiful pink, green, white and black marble are stacked in such intricate patterns, it’s impossible to capture on a 5″ x 7″ canvas but I was able to at least suggest some of those colors and its scale, while showing the energy around it with people bustling in every direction.
 
 
That evening we enjoyed a delicious dinner with  pasta doing the backstroke in truffles and pecorino cream while sharing our experiences. What a fantastic day!
 
 
 

For more details on my other Tuscany paintings, please e-mail Niki Gulley.

 

Or, check out my website at nikigulley.com to see more of my contemporary landscape palette knife paintings.

 
https://www.instagram.com/nikigulley/
 
 
***
 
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to France, Tuscany, or Venice, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!
 
2023 Schedule
Venice – Carnivalé 
Art Trek – Feb. 12-18
Tuscany
Foodie Trek – May 27 – June 3
Provence
Art Trek – June 24- July 1
 

 

For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.

 

“Olive Grove” from Tuscany by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“Olive Grove,” Tuscany ©2022 Niki Gulley 
10″ x 20″ textured oil painting
 
During our Tuscany Foodie Trek, we headed to the wine town of Montalcino to sample some of Italy’s world famous Brunello. On our way, we stopped at this beautiful convent with massive ancient olive trees growing on the grounds. In the distance, you can see the nearby hill town with vineyards and more olive groves lining the hillside. I wanted to capture the beauty of those regal olive trees on a beautiful sun-filled day in Tuscany.
****
 
 
Or, to purchase “Olive Grove,” click here: nikigulley.com/olive-grove/.
To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.
 
 

https://www.instagram.com/nikigulley/

 

 

 ***

 
If you’d like to join us on one of upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks, please let us know. We’ll be returning to Tuscany next May!
 
 

 

 
2023 Schedule
Venice – Carnivalé 
Art Trek – Feb. 12-18
Tuscany
Foodie Trek – May 27 – June 3
Provence
Art Trek – June 24- July 1
New England
Art Trek – Oct. 10-15
 

 

 
For more information on upcoming Art Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.

“Perched on High” Palette Knife Painting from Tuscany by Niki Gulley

 

“Perched on High,” Tuscany ©2021 Niki Gulley

SOLD • 16″ x 20″ textured oil painting on canvas panel

Just Sold! Painted during our Tuscany Foodie Trek that we lead, I had been admiring this view from the back of our villa that we stay at over the course of the week. The surrounding scenery is breathtaking with 360 degree views of rolling hills and valleys, dotted by olive groves and quintessential Tuscan farmhouses. In particular, I was attracted to this stone house with its window awning casting a diagonal shadow across its facade, nestled in between cypress, and the rolling countryside as a backdrop behind it. Painted late in the day, the sun was beginning to set creating gorgeous colors in the sky and casting a golden glow on everything it kissed in the foreground. May you be transported to the magic of Tuscany!

 
 

To see more of my contemporary impressionistic landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.

 

***
 
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to France, Tuscany, or Venice, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!
 

 

For more information on upcoming Treks, please visit http://www.ArtTreks.org.

 

***

https://www.instagram.com/nikigulley/

 

 

New “Olive Grove” from Tuscany by Contemporary Impressionist Niki Gulley

“Olive Grove,” Tuscany ©2022 Niki Gulley 
10″ x 20″ textured oil painting
 
During our Tuscany Foodie Trek, we headed to the wine town of Montalcino to sample some of Italy’s world famous Brunello. On our way, we stopped at this beautiful convent with massive ancient olive trees growing on the grounds. In the distance, you can see the nearby hill town with vineyards and more olive groves lining the hillside. I wanted to capture the beauty of those regal olive trees on a beautiful sun-filled day in Tuscany.
****
 
 
Or, to purchase “Olive Grove,” click here: nikigulley.com/olive-grove/.
To see more of my palette knife contemporary landscape paintings, visit nikigulley.com.
 
***
 
If you’re interested in joining us on one of our upcoming Art Treks or Foodie Treks to France, Tuscany, or Venice, please let us know. Spaces fill up quickly!