My Heartland, My Home

My Heartland, My Home

30 x 30"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2018

available at Assiniboia Gallery

I am reeeeaallly pleased with how this one ended up because it took me on a bit of a journey. 

I really liked my underpainting but as I began developing it further, I just couldn't get the feeling I wanted to come through. I got stuck and in my own way. I wanted it to be fresh, bright, energetic and happy, but it was dull, boring and weak. My studio mate and I had a heart-to-heart about it when I thought it was almost done. I was so unhappy with it I thought it was a loss. The reality check she gave me put in words all the struggles I was facing with it, but had been fighting. She said the original clouds were "cartoon-like" and the original canola field was "unrelenting" (it used to be a very acidy yellow-green) and overall the entire painting was "unsophisticated" - especially in the earlier version which was basically an intense solid blue behind the main cloud formation.

Now all of that might sound harsh and nasty, and coming from anyone else the intention of those words very well could have been, but with Bridget I know she has my best interests at heart and she felt like I could get it to a better place. We both want to push each other to be better artists and the way she says things to me help me laugh at the truth. She helped me realize it was time to stop trying to make the painting be what I had in my head because it wasn't working. That realization was very freeing and suddenly I began clicking with the painting and making instinctive changes. 

Now it feels like the iconic, joyous, happy Saskatchewan summer sky I wanted it to be.

For my solo show "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery in Regina until June 30.