All Things Reconsidered

All Things Reconsidered

22 x 28"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2012

There is a landscape painting under this one called "All Things Considered" and I decided I really hated it... a lot. I was going to destroy the canvas, but then I reconsidered and decided to cover it with black gesso. I figured I may as well play around with another abstract reflection since I liked the results of the first one I painted over black gesso ("River Dance"). I'm happy with this one- it is way better than the shlock that is now hidden underneath. Ha!

I can't believe that tomorrow is already Halloween. Where has the year gone? It has been so busy and there is still so much coming up. It's all good, though, and I can hardly wait to share more with you, but for now I must focus on things of immediate importance, like hollowing out a pumpkin for my son to take to school in the morning (yes, he should have helped, but the day got away on us). I also want to decorate the house so when the boys wake up it looks festive.... in a spooky way. I'm excited to put out the sparkly, black skulls I got today. Hmmm, okay, maybe my decorations aren't spooky... the glitter probably takes the edge off the creepiness.Oh well...

Happy Halloween!

Bright Prairie

Bright Prairie

30 x 40"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

I just remembered that I hadn't posted this painting- it was displayed in the show at Calories restaurant last month. I have to say, the sky really busted my chops! It changed many, many times before I felt it actually was part of the painting and not an entity of it's own. The photo reference I used was one I took at the Saskatoon Natural Grasslands in the Silverspring area of Saskatoon. I took a bit of artistic license and edited out the roofs that could also be seen in the distant treeline. Today this scene would have to be painted with heavy, wet, slushy snow!

Sandy Cliffs Near Birch Bay

Sandy Cliffs Near Birch Bay, Waskesiu

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

This is the last 6x6 from my get-away to Waskesiu last month. My dad took me in his boat to take photos of these cliffs this past summer, so when I went up in September I sat on the main beach and looked across the lake to this area. I had to paint by memory and the inspiration that came from looking across the lake in that moment. The lack of close proximity to my subject help me keep this one quite abstract. Two summers ago the lake was at a record high and as a result there was quite a great deal of erosion. Theses cliffs are quite beautiful and their pale colour is rather dramatic against the dark forest above.

Maybe someday I will have an old boat of my own that I can actually take out to paint en plain air; I'll be able to pull it behind the old van (like Robert Genn's L'il Van Go) that is also on my wish list.

The Jackson Bench Sunset

The Jackson Bench Sunset

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

A plein air study from my weekend getaway to Waskesiu in September. It was a beautiful golden sunset that evening; the warmth of the colours didn't give an accurate indication of the temperature. A cold wind was coming off the lake so by the end of my session I was shivering and my fingers were stiff. I usually don't realize how uncomfortable I am until I start packing up- out of the painting zone and back to reality.

There are many benches placed all around the Waskeisu town-site and surrounding area which have been "purchased" by donation to the park and most have small plaques on them where dedications can be inscribed. The bench where I sat to do this painting is dedicated to members of the Jackson family who happen to have a cabin on the same street as my parents' cabin.

Me and My Huskie

Me and "my" Huskie, Joel Seutter

The Artists and Athletes Invitational Art Auction was a huge success again this year- at least it seemed to be from my point of view. It was a different crowd compared to last year- the energy never really built as the auction went on and the auctioneer had to work a little harder for the bids, but in the end I think the organizers have to be happy with the final result. Almost all of the pieces went and a lot of money was raised for the U of S Huskies and The Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus.

Cocktails were at 7:00 and that is when the paintings were available to view. My date (a friend I have known since Kindergarten) and I arrived right at the beginning so I could meet the Huskie football player, Joel Seutter, that was "representing" my painting in the viewing area. I wanted to give him a quick synopsis so that he could tell the people more about my work. It was at that time that we realized my painting, "Morning Light On Meewasin", was in the program titled as "Warning Clouds Morning Light"! I really got a kick out of that! Not a cloud or bit of sky to be seen anywhere on the canvas. As it turned out Joel already realized the error (he had read the back of the canvas) and the organizers were scrambling to make a new card for the easel. He did a bang-up job making sure the guests knew it was a view of the Meewasin trail. It came up for bid about halfway through the auction and to my surprise and delight ended up receiving one of the higher bids of the night. It was very exciting! My very loyal and supportive date kindly told me that she felt the night's first real energy surge happened when the bids started coming in for my piece, but that was her job... she even wrote a little affidavit when she agreed to be my date swearing that she would be loyal and supportive. Silly and fun!

I think this auction is such a cool event and the guys who organize it put in a lot of hours to make it a unique, memory-making night. I think it is a great idea that they actually ask the athletes to be involved. For most of the football players it is a big step out of their comfort zone to be put in the position of having to talk about art, but they all did a great job and took it seriously. After the auction my date and I had a few of the football players take us on a tour of the locker room (which was open for the guests) and it was interesting to see their demeanor change as they spoke about what they "knew". What a fantastic facility! These boys are taken care of and they seemed genuinely proud of and grateful for their building.

The evening ended with my date challenging me to a race on the football field under the bright Saturday night lights. Hilarious! Thank you J.P. for literally holding my hand through a nerve-wracking but enormously fun night!

Morning Light On Meewasin: View From The Broadway Bridge

Morning Light On Meewasin - 
View From The Broadway Bridge

36 x 36"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

I am pleased to announce that I was invited to submit a painting to the 2nd annual Artists and Athletes Invitational Art Auction and the event is tonight! It is a unique joint fundraiser for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and the U of S Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus which, as you know, is one of my happy places. I painted "Morning Light On Meewasin" specifically for this auction with the hopes that the very loyal Huskie supporters will also be patriotic Saskatonians. I'm crossing my fingers that this autumn scene of the banks of the South Saskatchewan River will appeal to this crowd and really get the bids going!

I don't know the full list of artists, but I am proud and honoured to be included among those that I do know are participating in the auction (I couldn't find links for all):

Greg Hardy

Terry Fenton

Darrell Bell

Rebecca Perehudoff

Degen Lindner

Paul Trottier

Greg Hargarten

Jacob Semko

Ken Van Rees

Cam Forrester

It is a really fun event. To read about last year's auction click here.

View of Meewasin

View of Meewasin

14 x 38"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

Three of my paintings are in a "juried" show that that has been organized on behalf of the SOS Elm Coalition in town. It is the twentieth anniversary of their cause and as part of this weekend's celebrations local artists were invited to submit up to three pieces of work for a group show on the theme of trees. By the sounds of things they are expecting a large number of delegates to attend, but it is open to the public as well. I chose two paintings from earlier this year that I felt were suitable and then I painted the above piece specifically for this event. I'm happy they accepted all three. As I said, the show's focus is trees, but more specifically the urban forest, so I thought it was fitting to use our beautiful Meewasin Valley, which runs along the South Saskatchewan River, as the subject for a painting. I feel so lucky to live in such a picturesque city and I am so glad that we have dedicated volunteers working to keep our old, historical trees healthy and preserved.

Thomson Clouds

Thomson Clouds

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

Another painting from my weekend getaway to Waskesiu Lake last month which was also inspired by the fantastic sky as seen that day at Point of View, the lovely little picnic/rest stop I previously mentioned. This scene took place before the rain got closer as you saw in "Expressing a Point of View". I tried to channel my inner Tom Thomson as I worked; imagining how he would have used thick paint to describe the clouds and water. I also love how he was not afraid of colour, so I used a pretty bold blue for the sky and then used that blue with orange to mix some grays. Fun x one thousand!

Winter Through The Dogwood

Winter Through The Dogwood

36 x 24"

acrylic and oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

Yesterday I hung a new solo show called "Lines and Colours"- a collection of my abstract work at a beautiful, new Chiropractor Clinic in town, Circle Chiropractic. I feel a bit nervous because putting my non-comfort-zone work out there is a bit of a stretch. Some of the work is from the abstract class I took in the summer and the rest of the show is filled out with other abstract reflections and a couple of abstracted landscapes. My friend, artist Bridget Aitken (from the studio where I paint), came to help me hang the work. She is so good at it and has more experience than me, so I always feel I learn something when she is around. 

I was happy with how the show looked when we left; pieces are displayed in the waiting room, hallway and examination/massage therapy rooms. I hope that the energy of these paintings somehow adds to the healing work that is done at this clinic. Obviously most people visiting this place are in discomfort or pain and I hope that as they wait for their appointment they can get lost in the marks, lines and colours of my paintings and maybe forget about their troubles for awhile.

The above painting was just completed, and was still a little wet when it was hung! Using an exercise from the abstract class, I took a section of another painting "Dogwood Arrangement" and enlarged it to make a new composition, then I played! There are some subtle marks and areas I am in love with...

Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Canadian friends!

Expressing A Point Of View

Expressing A Point of View

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2012

Here is another of the little plein air paintings I did at Waskesiu in September. I drove to a lovely picnic/rest stop just beyond the marina called Point Of View. The beach is very rocky, but it is such a scenic place with great fire-pits and benches. My kids love going there to explore and skip stones, they love finding pieces of driftwood to use as swords and it's fun for me to sit back and listen to them exercise their imaginations. But this time I was by myself... or so I thought...

This funny little chipmunk didn't know what to make of me, but I sure enjoyed him. He was scurrying around like he had just had a serious shot of espresso followed by a huge can of Red Bull! You could practically hear his thoughts, "The storm is coming! RAIN!! It's getting cold! It's mid-September! WHAT?!! I'm not ready! NOT READY!!! I need more nuts! MORE NUTS! Hey, who are you? You got nuts? I NEED NUTS!!!"

my painting "spot"

Nature makes me happy!