We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Niki Gulley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Niki with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My parents were excellent role models as hard workers. My dad who who is completely blind ran an organization for the mentally handicapped, and even with his disability supported our family.
I’ve always approached my art career the same way as when I used to have a real “job.” After breakfast, I take care of the business side and the computer work first and then my reward when I finish those tasks is to head into the studio to “play.”
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a full-time professional artist, and I consider myself a contemporary impressionist, specializing in heavily textured landscape paintings. Although that seems too simplified. Really what I paint is joy, hope and serenity.
I’ve also taught out my studio, and my husband, Scott Williams, and I started teaching painting and photography workshops abroad 15 years ago through our company Art Treks.
As far as how I got started painting, I always loved creating art as far back as I can remember. For my whole life my father has been blind, and I didn’t realize it when I started working with 3-dimensional paint, but I think dad’s sight might have played into my work. Now he can actually “see” my paintings by feeling the raised surface. The landscape literally jumps off the canvas and comes to life. Tree bark is now tactile and you can almost smell the sunflowers, even if you are blind.
Besides texture I also layer a lot of vibrant colors. Growing up in Chicago, I still remember the first French Impressionist exhibit I saw in high school and its impact on me. The colors and strokes were beautiful and filled with so much emotion. I decided then that I wanted people to feel that joy and energy in my paintings, just like the impressionists.
Upon graduating high school, I left Chicago and those freezing winters behind and studied at SMU in Dallas, TX, thanks to an art scholarship. Next, I entered the advertising world as art director for a Dallas magazine. At first that was exciting, but as anyone who works in that world quickly discovers, everyone else’s artistic voice is much more important than the designer’s.
So my husband, who had been a free-lance photographer for years, told me to just quit – we’d make it. And, he was right. I took that plunge 20 years ago and never looked back. While it’s been a lot of work, following my passion is so worth it. Plus, I love creating paintings that lift people’s spirits.
Unfortunately, from working day after day with that much oil paint, my body managed to develop several autoimmune diseases. I tested off the charts for petroleum poisoning and it was a wake up call to make some big changes. So, first I switched to acrylics and I also started spending a lot more time in nature from daily walks to painting more and more outdoors, which helped immensely with my health.
Now in my paintings I am not only demonstrating my love of nature but conveying its healing ability. Introducing more abstract elements invites you to bring your story to each painting, too. Dreamy layer upon layer of transparent paint juxtaposed against thick three dimensional strokes brings the scene to life and welcomes you to escape into mother nature’s catharsis.
So, this is where I’m at currently. Straddling a new style somewhere between impressionism and abstraction, a love of nature and renewed child-like wonder, with the dream of healing people through art.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Hard work, persistence and not taking rejection personally. In the art world there are so many wonderful things that happen in your career, but there is also a lot of rejection along the way. You can’t let that keep you from following your dreams and passion. Keep persevering and trust that for every disappointment, there is the potential for something amazing next.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I envision a world where art can heal and bring people together, where creativity can elicit joy, hope, love and peace. If you are pursuing a similar mission, I’d love to be able to work together and hear about your ideas. Please e-mail me at Niki@NikiGulley.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.nikigulley.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikigulley/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikigulleypainting
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikigulley/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nikigulley/videos
- Other: http://www.ArtTreks.org
Image Credits
Most photos by Scott Williams
