Charlotte's Sky

 
Charlotte's Sky

36 x 48"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2018

available at Assiniboia Gallery

So my first crack at a big painting for the Assiniboia Gallery to debut at Art Now was dismal and abysmal to say the least. I had no choice but to abandon ship and start fresh. 

New canvas, new image, new palette, new approach. Thank goodness because "Charlotte's Sky" is the result and I LOVE IT! 

When I delivered it to Jeremy yesterday he was thrilled, which of course made me glow. We had a good laugh about my first effort because he knows I thought it was a piece of sh!t. He actually wants to see it if he has time for a studio visit today and I will be happy to indulge him. Studio life ain't always pretty!

When I was in London with my sister and family in August, we had a "free day" the day after my birthday. My husband booked himself on two tours he was interested in, my sister took the kids out on the town and I went to the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery! I enjoyed myself immensely. I will be posting work soon about the paintings I saw, some extremely famous and others were obscure, but absolute gems. One of my favourite pieces was a tiny (8x10? 11x14?) study from the 1700's. It blew my mind.

 
Daniel Swan

Trafalgar Square

  find him on Instagram
@danielkswan
 

Anyway, as I walked through Trafalgar Square from the National Gallery to the National Portrait Gallery around the corner, I spent some time watching the street artists and listening to a band play. I always support artists on the street when I spend time being "entertained" by them and in this case I was actually quite taken with the music, so I bought the band's CD! Back at the studio I played it over and over again while I worked on this big sky. My favourite song on the CD is "Charlotte" which happens to be the song that's playing in the background of my video below.

 "Charlotte" by Leon Coeur

So, thank you to Leon Coeur for inadvertently inspiring my painting sessions and helping me title the resulting piece of art!

 Leon Coeur

Trafalgar Square

Please come to Art Now this weekend if you are in Saskatoon - and check out "Charlotte's Sky" at full scale. Reception tonight!

Night Moves

Night Moves

36 x 48"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2017

sold

I have been powering through these last days before Open Studio. I am feeling more and more excited and love the work I will be showing this year. My remaining paintings are back from Boffins, and I still love them! I love my display boards of my 6x6's - I just did three more new ones, two of which are starry skies. And I love my new large work - yesterday I finally finished the rainy sky that was giving me so much trouble. This one, "Night Moves", is a bit of a force, which I was hoping it would be! I've said it before, I like drama in my art, not in my life! It's best seen in person, as all original work is, so come if you can. Here are the details one more time...

Studio On 20th is the door to the left of the Odd Couple restaurant and our event is sharing part of the day with Santa who arrives in town via parade at 1:00 tomorrow afternoon! We are open11-5, so if you plan to come around parade time you may want to avoid driving anywhere near Santa's route.

See you soon!

It's Underway

commission underway!

© Nicki Ault, 2017

It was a great day at the studio today... I mapped out the basic feel of my commission and I am loving it in this initial, simple state. I don't usually post works in progress, but this one has got me thinking- the soft, neutral colours may inform another commission that is in the queue. This will change over the next several sessions and I won't show it now until it is done. I hope I can hold on to my idea for it- if I do, I think it will be my favourite big sky to date. Big drama coming up!

photo © Nicki Ault, 2017

P.S. I felt eyes on me all day... Bridget's cow was overseeing my progress.

Big Sky, Flat Prairie

Big Sky, Flat Prairie

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2014
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/big-sky-flat-prairie/255624 
sold

A two hour trip makes for many different skies. This was closer to home when the sun had gone down even more and the colour was more subdued.