Showing posts with label Darrell Bell Gallery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darrell Bell Gallery. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Great Start to 2020!

High River
24 x 36"
oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2020
available at Webster Galleries

 Fading Light
36x48"
oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2020
available at Webster Galleries

Well hello! Many apologies for my absence. 

I have been painting LOTS and as a result January was a blur. I was on a mission to get several large paintings done for Webster Galleries in Calgary and then deliver them in person in early February. Mission accomplished! On top of that Assiniboia Gallery had a rush on 10x10's so I painted more to replenish their inventory. Same thing happened with Darrell Bell Gallery and the 8x8's.

Here is a list of the work I pulled off in January to give you an idea of why that month was a blur:


As soon as I returned from the road-trip to Calgary, I got down to business and got a couple of pieces ready for a new show at Darrell Bell Gallery which is on now!


The painting in the lower left corner is mine, the grid of 8x8's is full and gorgeous, plus you will see this brand new piece:

Clear Northern Light
24x36"
oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2020
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

The opening has come and gone, but the show will be up for a few weeks, so please check it out. The invitation mentions big changes, so here is what's happening: the street level gallery has now merged with the fourth floor gallery and all art and operations are officially in one place! As a result, if you need any 8x8's in the future, be sure to go up the elevators to the gallery in the Canada Building.

On top of all of that, SaskGalleries just launched a new promotional video and, much to my surprise and excitement, one of my paintings was featured! It's a fun, high energy video showing original art incorporated into everyday life. View it here and be sure to have your sound on. Watch for my painting "The Golden Hour and the Old Boat Dock" being hung at the end of the video.

Finally, when you have a minute, pop over to my website, www.nickiault.com , which has recently been updated with all of the newest work and available inventory. I'd love it if you would sign up for my emails/newsletter, too. I still haven't sent any yet, but I will at some point!

Thanks for catching up with me!


Saturday, November 9, 2019

Last Glisten

Last Glisten
8 x 8"
oil on panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

It's hard to see in the photo, but there is a little shimmer of light on the dugout where the sun is about to go down. 

Friday, November 8, 2019

Fire-tipped Clouds

Fire-tipped Clouds
8 x 8"
oil on panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

Small art, big impact.

Another new painting at Darrell Bell Gallery.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Evening Canola

Evening Canola
8 x 8"
oil on panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

A pink tinge in the sky at dusk in late July.

Memories

Memories
8 x 8"
oil on panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

 Gentle waves and evening light.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Duck Pond in September, Forestry Farm

Duck Pond in September, Forestry Farm
8x8"
oil on panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

I recently delivered seven new 8x8's to Darrell Bell Gallery. Gift giving season is approaching rapidly and luckily my order of thirty panels just arrived as this last batch of seven depleted my stock!

Morning at the River

Morning at the River
8x8"
oil on panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

Fresh, sparkling morning air.

Retired Country Road

Retired Country Road
8 x 8"
oil on panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

If this old road could talk...

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Milky Way Emerges

The Milky Way Emerges
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

I love this clear, blue evening sky. The Milky Way is starting to appear and in a couple of hours the blue will deepen and there will be nothing but a sea of stars above.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Filtered Forest Light


Forest Fiesta
8 x 8"
acrylic and oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery
 
Filtered Forest Light
8 x 8"
acrylic and oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
sold at Darrell Bell Gallery

I love building up early layers in acrylic and this time I left a lot of them exposed. I like the depth it creates in these two paintings. The different palettes give off different moods.




Sharp Turn

Sharp Turn
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

This painting makes me happy: the fresh greens, the hint of the road on the left, the puddles in the field, the loose marks. It was one of Darrell's favourites in the new batch of 8x8's for the landscape show and that always makes me happy, too.

The Prairies Are Smiling

The Prairies Are Smiling
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

We woke up to a of of snow today. The scene in this painting will be a good reminder of things to come again next year.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

View North - Chief Mistawasis Bridge

View North, Chief Mistawasis Bridge
20x20"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

On this day the sky was everything of which I dream - dramatic, powerful, changing, moody and, of course, beautiful. As I drove around the swale taking photos, I could see building, billowing clouds to the north so it seemed the perfect time to drive across the city's newest bridge, the Chief Mistawasis. The views were spectacular, but, being a bridge and all, there was nowhere to pull over and take photos. I went back and forth across the bridge I don't know how many times trying to memorize the scene. Thinking about it now makes me giggle. I picture it as a cartoon: me in my minivan zipping across one way, then back across the other way, over and over again with a thought bubble above my head of me painting the scene Bob Ross-style. 

It eventually became apparent that I needed to actually stop to take photos; the clouds were too amazing to risk not remembering them. I found a spot on the east side of the river to park/wedge my van and set out across the north side of the bridge. 

The view was even better than I guessed now that I could see beyond the guard rails. The bridge is high and it's an uphill trek to the west side- a good workout! The walkway is wide and there are several really large, semi-circular jut-outs creating wonderful viewpoints along the way. Looking north in the direction of Wanuskewin at the curve of the river, I was surprised at how almost cliff-like the west bank was. With little traffic going by, there were few things to distract my visualizations of untouched land, canoes, buffalo jumps and campfires that may have set the scene many years ago. 

I felt somewhat transported and I hope this painting relates that wonder.


"View North, Chief Mistawasis Bridge" is available at Darrell Bell Gallery and is part of the current group show "Painting The Landscape". As well, the 6x6 study below, "Big Sky Over The South Saskatchewan" (not seen before), will be available at the Saskatchewan Craft Council booth at Art Now this coming weekend in Regina and also in their online store.

Big Sky Over The South Saskatchewan
6x6" (8x8" framed)
oil on board
 Nicki Ault, 2019
available at the Saskatchewan Craft Council
 
 





Friday, September 13, 2019

A Sense Of Place

A Sense Of Place
36x60"
oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2019
sold
(commission)

This painting was a challenge and a joy all at once. It was a commission that came through Darrell Bell Gallery. I appreciate that they took the time to discuss my work with her and that they recommended she come for a studio visit. Luckily I was still in town, so I met her at 8:00 in the morning to hear what she envisioned for her special painting and then I was off on holidays with my family..

She desired a big Saskatchewan sky that we all know and love; the kind that are dark near the horizon creating a dramatic contrast against the glowing canola. She didn't want it to be too detailed and she didn't want a lot of purple. Aside from those minimal restraints, she wanted me to have fun and enjoy creating. She was wonderful and supportive.

I am happy to say that she is thrilled with her painting and has allowed us to show it at Painting The Landscape which opens at Darrell Bell Gallery tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 14. Please come to the opening between 2:00 and 5:00 if you have the time. The invitation is below.




Saturday, September 7, 2019

Painting The Landscape At Darrell Bell Gallery


Here is your invitation to the third annual Painting The Landscape show at Darrell Bell Gallery!

I have been hunkered down like crazy lately. August was definitely an eat-paint-sleep-repeat month. However, I feel like the work was all worth it - there isn't a dud in the bunch! I love the painting they used for the invitation above. "Deer Bed" is a 20x20 based on an 8x8 I did earlier this year.

Below is a photo of the back-sides of all of my August paintings with sizes listed! I cannot believe how much I accomplished. Mind you, I did have a few under-paintings prepared before we went on family holidays in July, so those were ready to go when I started painting in August. The 10x10's are already at Assiniboia Gallery and the 6x6's replenished the wall at Evrgreen Coffee and Food in Waskesiu.

© Nicki Ault, 2019

I'm delivering five new large paintings to Darrell Bell Gallery today for the big show opening next weekend. I have at least four new large paintings and four additional new 10x10's (in progress now) going to Regina on Friday to replenish Assiniboia Gallery and for their booth at Art Now Saskatchewan Art Fair happening in two weeks. I have a new batch of 8x8's building at the studio which will be delivered next week to Darrell Bell Gallery to refresh the grid in time for the weekend.

Whew!

And to top all of that off, I have been quietly working on another project that I will reveal in a matter of days. I cannot wait!

Please stay tuned and thanks for your patience as I haven't been posting much lately.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Prairie Chaos - Makeover Monday!

Prairie Chaos
(after)
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

This is a painting makeover that I did awhile ago and forgot to publish. The original, from 2015, was somewhat experimental, but after some time it began to feel a bit raw or unfinished which spurred on the remake. I tried to keep the loose and chaotic energy, but pulled together the colours and values a bit more.


Prairie Chaos
(before)
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2015


Friday, August 23, 2019

One For The Storm Chasers

One For The Storm Chasers
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

I think this one is still available! I love it!

Rolling Along

Rolling Along
8x8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

I think this one might still be available!

Saturday, August 17, 2019

The Rain Passed Through

The Rain Passed Through
8x8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
 sold at Darrell Bell Gallery


Recently sold at Darrell Bell Gallery!

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Smoke Haze And The Sinking Sun

Smoke Haze and The Sinking Sun
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2019
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

This one is still up for grabs and it packs a punch! Much better to see the intense colours in person if you can.