A Win at The Mann!

Rustle

40x30"

acrylic and oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2017

available

I made the announcement on Facebook and Instagram, but I realized I forgot to share the news here on my blog. My painting, "Rustle", won the Hues Art Supply Award at the Mann Art Gallery 42nd Annual Winter Festival Art Show and Sale!!! It was a great surprise and not only did I win the honour, but I also left with a cash prize!

 "Rustle" in its surroundings

photo © Nicki Ault, 2018

The opening reception was a fun night with a large crowd, great art, yummy food and live music. Apparently this year had the most submissions of any of the forty-two years so far: 243 pieces of art! I am quite thrilled that guest curator, Carole Epp, selected "Rustle" for an award.

my painting "Last Phase, Saskatchewan Afternoon"

curated with other submissions

photo © Nicki Ault, 2018

I was my own date for the night, but I knew lots of people when I got there. The drive to the show was peaceful and I was gifted with a breathtaking sunset. At one point, with the sun very low in the sky on the west side of the van, the snow on the east side was glowing the most warm and beautiful peach colour! I stopped a couple of times for photos and tried to memorize the rest. I was nervous about the dark highway drive back to Saskatoon, but the roads were dry and clear, plus after winning an award I wasn't tired at all. I think I sang all the way home!

Mann Art Gallery Winter Festival Show and Sale 2018

Rustle

40 x 30"

acrylic and oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2017

available

Last Phase, Saskatchewan Afternoon

20 x 20"

oil on cradled panel

© Nicki Ault, 2018

available

It's that time of year again - the annual nail-biter: the Mann Art Gallery Winter Festival Show and Sale! I almost didn't send anything this year, but at the last minute a few others from the studio decided to submit work, so I made a quick decision to enter these two paintings. I really love both of them, so I thought, "Why not?"

The Opening Reception and Awards Presentation is Friday, February 9 at 7:00 p.m. It is always fun to drive to Prince Albert for the party, but my best art pal and studio mate is on holidays, so won't be able to attend. I'm not really that motivated to go as a result, but I will muster up the energy, find a different date and hopefully find something that still fits after a long chilly, chip-eating winter. I believe pajama bottoms and a big, stretched-out cowl necked sweater would be frowned upon at this event.

Mann Art Gallery 41st Annual Winter Festival Show and Sale

Festivities
20 x 20"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2016
sold

Rusted Out Pine

16 x 20"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2017

sold

It's that time of year again... the Mann Art Gallery Winter Festival Juried Art Show and Sale. Above are my two entries which I was happy to find displayed in the main gallery. There were two hundred and fourteen pieces of art submitted this year with the guest curator being Zachari Logan- a Saskatchewan artist who has made it big to the International art scene. Please look at his fascinating work here.

I had heard that my colleague and fellow Studio On 20th artist, Carol Wylie, had received some sort of honour for a piece she entered, so I was excited to go to the opening reception with her this past Friday night to take pictures and cheer. Except I forgot my camera at home. Boo.

big wall, main gallery

photo © James Clow, 2017

Luckily we have phones with cameras and all was not lost. I was able to get a few shots with mine and some from friends.

detail, main gallery
photo © Nicki Ault, 2017

detail, main gallery
photo © Nicki Ault, 2017

corner, main gallery
photo © James Clow, 2017

 Carol Wylie by her painting "Odalisque"
photo © Nicki Ault, 2017

As it turned out the Mann Art Gallery purchased Carol's painting "Odalisque" for their permanent collection which was extraordinarily exciting. She was thrilled with that and then at the end of the program the big prize of the night was announced... Carol won The Mayor's Prize & Best of Show for that same painting!!! 

Zachari Logan, Carol Wylie and Mayor Greg Dionne

photo © Ken Van Rees

 "Silver Buffalo" by James Clow

photo © Patti Clow, 2017

Another artist colleague, James Clow, won the Sandy & Peggy Memorial Award for his work "Silver Buffalo". He generously allowed me to use a few of his photos from that night.

back wall, main gallery
photo © James Clow, 2017

It's always interesting to see how the guest curator/juror approaches such an enormous amount of diverse work and pulls it together into a cohesive show. This year Zachari chose the artwork he wanted for the main gallery and used colour connections between the work as his guide. He then created salon-style displays in the second and third gallery spaces.

second gallery space

photo © James Clow, 2017

The show is up until March 25. Please enjoy browsing through these websites:

www.mannartgallery.ca

www.zachariloganart.com

www.carolwylie.ca
www.jamesmclow.ca
www.kenvanrees.com

Mann Art Gallery Winter Festival

Walk In The Meadow

30 x 30"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2015
available

Well, who knew what would transpire when I went to reception of the 40th annual Mann Art Gallery Winter Festival Juried Art Show and Sale on Friday evening? Not me! In the past I have heard that people who were going to receive an award were given a phone call in the days leading up to the reception. They were never told what they might have won, but it was strongly suggested that they should attend the reception. I have participated in the show two other times and have never received a call, and this year was no different. In other years I have known other artists who have gotten "the call", so it wasn't a myth. It is always fun to see the work and to support friends, but this year, I have to admit, I was not in the right head space to attend. I almost bailed until my husband pointed out that sometimes you have to do things you aren't really feeling up to and that doing so shows character which is what we want to demonstrate to our kids. Zing!!! That hit the right nerve, so I fired up the shower at 3:00 p.m. and pulled myself together.

I drove up with two of my studio colleagues and once we got to Prince Albert I began to feel happy I was there. There was some amazing art of all kinds: paintings, drawings, photography, woodwork, textiles, jewelry, sculptures, pottery and needlework. I saw many artsy friends and had a few great visits with the guest adjudicator and curator of the show... Darrell Bell! 

The evening marched along and suddenly it was time for the program. I was curious who won the awards, nobody I knew had received "the call". A few awards in, next up was The Kyla Memorial Award which went to my friend, Greg Hargarten. He looked totally stunned to have won it. I didn't expect someone I knew to win, so my camera wasn't out and ready. Congratulations to him! The program continued and then the Art Placement Media Award for accomplishment in the medium of oil was presented... to me... for "Walk In The Meadow"! What?! I went up to the front in a bit of shock. I may or may not have tripped and staggered in my heels (which were killing me) as I made my way to the front and back. I may or may not have smiled at the camera when they took the picture of me shaking the presenter's hand. I may or may not have said thank you, but I am pretty sure I did... possibly more than necessary.

So there you go. They didn't make phone calls this year! As well, Darrell explained to me that he curated the show differently than other years- he made sure that everyone who submitted something had at least one piece of artwork displayed in a good location. He used the secondary gallery space almost entirely for the work of the photographers and it was stunning. The third space was, again, a mix of work. The entire show looked really good and I wish I took more photos.

Spring On The Prairies
12 x 12"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2015

Both of my pieces happened to be in the main gallery which you can see below...

Another great surprise was that one of the colleagues I drove up with ended up winning the Second Place Award for the whole show! Congratulations to Carol Wylie for this recognition of her portrait "Linda".

It was a good night.