Artists Of Texas Contemporary Paintings and Art

"Bamboo Forest," Dallas Arboretum ©2012  Niki Gulley 8" x 10" textured oil painting  I created this little painting of the bamboo garden at the Arboretum last spring with palette knife and thick oil paint. It was so peaceful back there and cool from the shade, that it seemed like a perfect place to set up my easel. I liked how the warm light was trickling through the web of leaves and how it illuminated the dappled path into the distance. If you, too, would like to paint outdoors, join me on Oct. 24th when I'll be teaching a Plein Air Painting workshop sponsored by the Dallas Arboretum. It will be a great introduction to painting outdoors for beginning artists, as well as an opportunity for advanced artists to enhance their skills. For more information, visit  dallasarboretum.org/AdultEducation/index.htm. If you'd like more information about my upcoming workshops in the US and Europe, visit  nikigulley.com/artreks . ...

9x12 oil painting by Niki Gulley Day 1, Morning Location - Tuscany Art Trek On the first full day of our Plein Air Painting and Photography Workshop in Tuscany, we painted right outside the door of the villa where we were staying. The scenery was so amazing, with 360 degree views of the rolling hills and valleys, that we wanted to stay there and take it all in. With so many interesting vistas, it was hard to choose what to paint, but I decided to narrow my focus to this red roofed home and the sunlit hills leading up to it. I began my demo by quickly sketching out the scene and then blocking in my major colors and values. Once the canvas was filled, I concentrated on the focal point, adding details, highlights and shadows to the building and cypress trees. Next I started giving the hills dimension and defined the lone cypress on the right to break up the foreground and increase the sense of depth. A perfect morning to start out the trip! After our flight, we finally ar...