Dark As Night

Dark As Night

20 x 20"

oil on cradled panel

© Nicki Ault, 2018

sold at Assiniboia Gallery

This one was an experiment using black straight out of the tube, which I never do because apparently it is a well known and accepted faux pas to use straight-up black in paintings. Generally if I ever use anything in my work that resembles black it is likely a mixture of Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson or Magenta, and Burnt Umber. I read about a colour by Gamblin, however, called Chromatic Black which was supposed to be a neutral black. I was curious because usually blacks pull a certain way if you add white to them... like towards blue for example. I ordered a tube of Chromatic Black from Hues Art Supply and then set about playing. The result is "Dark As Night" and another painting which I will post soon. Interestingly enough a few weeks later Darrell Bell asked me to paint something for the Black and White show he was curating for his gallery (still on view). The black skies I had been experimenting with were a great jumping off point for this big one, "Graphite Sky" (below), I painted for his show.

Graphite Sky

36 x 36"

oil on canvas

 © Nicki Ault, 2018

All Rights Reserved

available at Darrell Bell Gallery

I really love the power and intensity of these paintings. I love how moody they are and I love how much emotion they convey with a very limited palette.

"Dark As Night" is part of my solo show "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery, open now and running until June 30th.