The Sun Burns Through

The Sun Burns Through

30 x 48"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2019

sold at Assiniboia Gallery

Yesterday I drove to Regina with my studio mate, Bridget, to deliver work to her gallery and to mine. We gabbed so much I really don't recall stopping for a breath! I think we solved all the world's problems and we came to two basic conclusions: humans need to stop being cruel to each other and the world would be better off with more art.

I'm really excited about the three new pieces I dropped off at Assiniboia Gallery which I will post over the next few days. Or you can check out the gallery website a bit later today to see them first! I hope you agree that they have a modern feel and that each have the potential to be show stoppers in their own ways. Fingers crossed they go over well and I look forward to feedback from the gallery as they get eyes on them.

This was my first day away from the studio in quite awhile and I missed it! I can hardly wait to get there tomorrow to get started on my next projects. Stay tuned and thanks for checking in!

Faux Island at Paignton and Makeover Monday!

Faux Island at Paignton

(after)

12 x 36"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2019

sold

Last November, as I was organizing and hanging paintings in my studio space for Open Studio, I came to a realization... I had gone through a "blue" period! Until then I was completely oblivious to how much blue existed in my recent work, but it became rather apparent as I tried to hang the paintings as a group. I ended up bringing some art from home to break up the sea of ultramarine! 

That discovery led me to revisit this painting. I quite liked the "before". I had actually painted the day as it was, I remember it clearly. I had taken my sons out to the beach at the Narrows in Waskesiu to try out the new dingy one of them received for Christmas. It was a very blue day; the water, the sky, even the air felt blue, but I became curious about taking a different approach to the sky. I ended up creating a dusky atmosphere and I toned down the aqua hues in the distant water. This late-day light meant I added some warmer tones to the trees and horizon line. Small changes, but effective. 

Happily this revised painting sold last week as a gift to commemorate a special birthday!

Faux Island at Paignton

(before)

12 x 36"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2017

New Growth at the Old River

New Growth at the Old River

10 x 10"

oil on panel

© Nicki Ault, 2019

sold at Assiniboia Gallery

I love the vibrant, new growth on the tips of evergreen trees in the spring. Such a hopeful sign. This painting has a very different feel than the smaller study, "Three Little Evergreens", which I painted last fall. Here, I let the warmth of the underpainting show through and I included a few dandelions - another sign of spring!

Available as part of the feature Assiniboia Gallery is exhibiting of my work for the month of March.

High Summer, Waskesiu Lake

High Summer

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2018

available

A clear, summer day at the river. The lush, bright greens of spring give way to deeper hues and colours are beginning to make their move toward shades of autumn.

The Ol' Spruce At Dusk and Some News

The Ol' Spruce at Dusk

12 x 24"

oil on cradled anel

© Nicki Ault, 2018

sold

This is one of my newest paintings... an enlarged and more panoramic version of an 8x8 I did for Darrell Bell Gallery. I just love the light!

I have a new northern venue for my work! This painting, along with some of my other medium to smaller works can be found for the summer season at Evrgreen, Waskesiu's one and only coffee shop! I am pretty excited about it - I have always wanted to have my work in this location, but it never materialized with the former owner. Last fall, when I was on my yurt retreat, I spoke with the new owner and she was immediately enthused, so we kept in touch and voila! I hung my work on Friday!

photo © Nicki Ault, 2018

photo © Nicki Ault, 2018

I love this province and country so much and it seems fitting I tell you about it on Canada Day! Hopefully the work I show here will be well-received by mutual Saskatchewan lovers.

East End, King's Island - Painting Makeover

East End, King's Island, Waskesiu

(after)

12 x 12"

oil on cradled panel

© Nicki Ault, 2017

sold at Darrell Bell Gallery

Guess what?! 

I took the weekend off! I didn't go back to the studio once this weekend after I left on Friday afternoon. Well, I realize looking back that I spent about five hours at home on Sunday editing photos, doing paperwork, organizing files, recording receipts, emailing and the like, so technically I didn't take the weekend off, but compared to the last four months, it felt like it.

Anyhoo, here is a recent "Painting Makeover" on a painting from a year ago. Not gigantic changes, but I believe the revisions make it a better painting. One thing I think adds a lot is the reflection of the rocks in the water. I lightened up the sky and changed the colour of the distant horizon. Among the other changes, I am now much happier with this painting. It feels fresh and sunny- like a beautiful day to be out in the boat and exploring the island. I hope someone who loves Waskesiu Lake, finds this at the "Holiday Salon" where it is hanging and available at Darrell Bell Gallery. King's Island is the only island on Waskesiu Lake and is named for Mackenzie King who was the Canadian Prime Minister who established Prince Albert National Park in 1927.

East End, King's Island

(before)

12 x 12"

oil on cradled panel, 2016

© Nicki Ault, 2017

I "googled" King's Island and have learned that it was originally known in the area as Devil's Island because according to Cree legend was inhabited by supernatural creatures! I had never heard that before, but now I want to know more! Also, I have always called it King's Island, but it seems it is actually King Island with no " 's".

Behind the Breakwater, Waskesiu

Behind the Breakwater

8 x 8"

oil on cradled panel

© Nicki Ault, 2017

sold at Darrell Bell Gallery

Behind the breakwater, near the main beach in the Waskesiu town-site, there is a little swimming spot and a picnic table by the rocky beach. It's kind of a neat little nook. Just beyond it you can see Prospect Point which is home to the golf course and the big fancy cottages on the hill. If you keep following the shoreline it curves back and to the left where you will find lovely Murphy's Bay. I saw an otter playing there once years ago. Happy memories.

Hanging Heart Lake

Hanging Heart Lake

8 x 8"

oil on cradled panel

© Nicki Ault, 2017

sold

Memories of this spot abound. And now it is a place where my kids will have memories. It is a view of the point at the marina of the Hanging Heart Lakes (there are three Heart Lakes). Ducks everywhere! And a lovely hike from the parking lot of the marina through the forest to the tip of this point. There is an old, old home-made wooden bench on the hill behind the trees which overlooks the bay. The bench is rather spectacular in the sense that it has been reclaimed by nature; moss and carpenter ants have had their way with it.

Cross Hatch Reflection And One Thousand Posts

Cross Hatch Reflection

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2017

sold

Deep Breath.

Okay. 

This day is a bit of a milestone for me.

Today this painting is marking... drum-roll.... ONE THOUSAND blog posts since I started Nicki Ault: Me, Myself and Who Am I?

That is a crazy number. Crazy!

This does not mean that since August 2009 I have painted one thousand paintings because there have been some posts that are not about new paintings, BUT it does mean I have written a lot and yes, painted a lot. And it means you are still checking in, here and on Facebook and more recently on Instagram. I am eternally grateful. That may sound dramatic, but it is true. I am truly grateful for your interest and support. I love painting. I LOVE it. Really it is all I want to do. Sometimes it is all I feel I have the energy for. I have to say that my motivation is at an all time high and I honestly attribute this to the mind-blowing artists I have found during my brief time on Instagram. I have no idea why I waited so long to join, but better late than never. Rather than being intimidated and feeling inadequate, I have felt inspired, energized and awed by what creative people are doing "out there".

Thank You! 

I am ready to take on the next thousand posts!

The Long Day Is Over

The Long Day Is Over

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2017

sold

I have been plugging away at my big commission. Unfortunately the wheels fell off last weekend. I have been painting and wiping and painting and wiping ever since. The water has been extraordinarily difficult for some reason. At the end of today's session I wiped it all off again and decided that I need to simplify. Forget what my resource photo looks like, forget what my studies look like- just make this painting work. Today I know I will settle this thing once and for all!

In the meantime, yesterday I painted this little sunset reflection. Hope you enjoy!

As They Drive Away, I Settle In!

off they go!

© Nicki Ault, 2016

I rarely make blog posts that don't involve showing you a painting, but today is an exception. I am on holidays! Like actual holidays. Like holidays from real day-in-and-day-out life as I know it!

You see, I have four days at the cabin to myself. My family was with me on the weekend, but they left for home yesterday and I stayed behind. Don't get me wrong, I will miss them. I love my boys. But I am embracing the quiet. And, people, it is quiet. Not silent, but quiet. There is nobody arguing about who is sitting too close to who on the couch, or making poop and fart jokes (when does that end?), or squirting water from a water bottle at an unsuspecting brother, or not answering me when I ask a question (cue husband). The cabin is tidy; I cleaned right after they left and it will stay like this. And I am not responsible for feeding anyone. Just me. And there are enough cooks in the restaurants up here who would like to feed me that I may just take advantage of that!

As I type this morning, I am sitting on the deck lake in my jammies and fleece jacket (it is a bit cool), drinking coffee (unfortunately I make a lousy cup of joe) and listening to trees rustle, birds chirp, and people jog and bike by (probably what I should be doing instead of blogging). I feel calm and relaxed. This is what I needed. For awhile now I knew I needed something and now I know what. I needed me. The me that is the other side of being a wife and mother. The me I used to find at the Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus. The me that slowly gets tucked away in the daily operations of life.

Yesterday afternoon, when my holiday got underway, I gassed up the van and took a drive to McPhee Lake, the Waskesiu River and a few other scenic places I enjoy. In the evening I set up and began painting for an upcoming show- more to come on this exciting opportunity.

my lake studio

© Nicki Ault, 2016

I felt giddy and silly. I rarely take selfies, but last night the mood struck.

no make-up, no hair product, no worries

© Nicki Ault, 2016

awkward angle back of head selfie

© Nicki Ault, 2016

looking up at the trees from the deck

© Nicki Ault, 2016

blurry, starting-to-lose-my-light shot

© Nicki Ault, 2016

end of evening fire pot

© Nicki Ault, 2016

I will get the paintings I need for this particular show done today and tomorrow because they have to dry in time for shipping, then I will get my little boards out and go on a few painting adventures! Please come back to see what comes of my holiday!

Plein Air Adventures

in Georgian Bay

This morning I leave for a one night getaway to Waskesiu Lake. I need to scope out a view for a commission, so I have decided to make an event out of it and take my painting gear, a bottle of wine, a good magazine and my fire pot! I hope to find some inspiration, get a good dose of fresh lake air and rejuvenate. I always forget how busy life gets at the end of the school year and it is also a time when my husband has to travel a bit with work- this year more than usual. I am really tired! A little "me" time might just be what I need to feel energized for that last push through June to get to summer holidays.

on the South Saskatchewan River

As I began planning my little getaway, I got thinking about some of my other "me" times over the last five years. I found a few photos to share with you.

at Spruce River

at Emma Lake

 on Waskesiu Lake

Georgian Bay countryside

on the Waskesiu River

overlooking downtown Saskatoon

on Mekewap Lake

on Sulphide Lake

at Georgian Bay

Have a great weekend and I hope to have some paintings to share with you soon!

Tilt

Tilt

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2014
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/tilt/250923 
sold

A tricky composition, I realize, but I love the way this little pine tree was tilting off the rocky hillside and leaning over the lake, so I had to try. I found this scene while I was on a bike ride on the Red Deer trail in Waskesiu. So many trees are down in the area from harsh wind storms earlier this season, but this little fella is hanging on for dear life.

The Break Up

The Break Up, Waskesiu Lake

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013
sold 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/the-break-up/125994

Well, that was short-lived! My oldest boy woke up in the middle of the night hacking and coughing like an old man. He was all stuffed up and very uncomfortable and is therefore home from school today. So much for the roll I was on at the studio this week. Hopefully I will be able to sustain the enthusiastic mood I have been in and pick it up again next week.

Anyway, here is another 6x6" painting I completed the other day. A beautiful ending to a rainy day at the lake when the clouds finally start to break up... leaving hope for a beach day tomorrow!

Note:  I have decided to begin to include the PayPal "buy" link when I post my 6x6" paintings. This size makes up the majority of the paintings in my Daily Paintworks Gallery; the link will take you there to see the purchase/shipping info. Clicking on this link does not mean you are committing to the purchase of the painting- it just takes you to the spot where more information is available.

Sandy Cliffs Near Birch Bay

Sandy Cliffs Near Birch Bay, Waskesiu

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

This is the last 6x6 from my get-away to Waskesiu last month. My dad took me in his boat to take photos of these cliffs this past summer, so when I went up in September I sat on the main beach and looked across the lake to this area. I had to paint by memory and the inspiration that came from looking across the lake in that moment. The lack of close proximity to my subject help me keep this one quite abstract. Two summers ago the lake was at a record high and as a result there was quite a great deal of erosion. Theses cliffs are quite beautiful and their pale colour is rather dramatic against the dark forest above.

Maybe someday I will have an old boat of my own that I can actually take out to paint en plain air; I'll be able to pull it behind the old van (like Robert Genn's L'il Van Go) that is also on my wish list.

The Jackson Bench Sunset

The Jackson Bench Sunset

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

A plein air study from my weekend getaway to Waskesiu in September. It was a beautiful golden sunset that evening; the warmth of the colours didn't give an accurate indication of the temperature. A cold wind was coming off the lake so by the end of my session I was shivering and my fingers were stiff. I usually don't realize how uncomfortable I am until I start packing up- out of the painting zone and back to reality.

There are many benches placed all around the Waskeisu town-site and surrounding area which have been "purchased" by donation to the park and most have small plaques on them where dedications can be inscribed. The bench where I sat to do this painting is dedicated to members of the Jackson family who happen to have a cabin on the same street as my parents' cabin.

Thomson Clouds

Thomson Clouds

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2012
sold

Another painting from my weekend getaway to Waskesiu Lake last month which was also inspired by the fantastic sky as seen that day at Point of View, the lovely little picnic/rest stop I previously mentioned. This scene took place before the rain got closer as you saw in "Expressing a Point of View". I tried to channel my inner Tom Thomson as I worked; imagining how he would have used thick paint to describe the clouds and water. I also love how he was not afraid of colour, so I used a pretty bold blue for the sky and then used that blue with orange to mix some grays. Fun x one thousand!

Expressing A Point Of View

Expressing A Point of View

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2012

Here is another of the little plein air paintings I did at Waskesiu in September. I drove to a lovely picnic/rest stop just beyond the marina called Point Of View. The beach is very rocky, but it is such a scenic place with great fire-pits and benches. My kids love going there to explore and skip stones, they love finding pieces of driftwood to use as swords and it's fun for me to sit back and listen to them exercise their imaginations. But this time I was by myself... or so I thought...

This funny little chipmunk didn't know what to make of me, but I sure enjoyed him. He was scurrying around like he had just had a serious shot of espresso followed by a huge can of Red Bull! You could practically hear his thoughts, "The storm is coming! RAIN!! It's getting cold! It's mid-September! WHAT?!! I'm not ready! NOT READY!!! I need more nuts! MORE NUTS! Hey, who are you? You got nuts? I NEED NUTS!!!"

my painting "spot"

Nature makes me happy!

It's All Abstract

 
These images are details; I haven't shown you the paintings yet. They are sections taken from the four other plein air paintings I did at Waskesiu a couple of weeks ago. The details relate to a conversation we had in the Abstract Expressionism class back in August. It was a conversation that not only validated some of my own thoughts, but actually clarified my thoughts which were, up until then, rather incoherent in my own head. :)

The instructor, Alicia Popoff, is a very accomplished and well respected abstract artist, but she absolutely wanted everyone in the class to create the work that they wanted to create. Although the class was focused on Abstract Expressionism, she wanted to be clear that if we were more comfortable with a representational approach, then we were welcome to work that way. She didn't want us to feel bound to abstraction. Now here is where I felt like standing up and hugging her... she said that in reality, to a greater or lesser degree, ALL painting is abstract!!! Whaaaaa???!!! Lightbulbs!!!

 
She said that as soon as you take something that is three dimensional in life and reproduce it in two dimensions that it is automatically abstract. Even if the work is representational. Even if. WOW. Now obviously there is a huge, huge difference between Christopher Stott's photorealistic work being abstract and Jeane Myers' expressive work being abstract, I get that, but still- I loved this statement!

As I mentioned, I have had similar, incoherent thoughts in my head regarding my own art, so to hear a real, live, professional artist say this! Well, it was a huge moment for me! HUGE!

Yes, I am a representational artist, but I have often felt that when I break my work down what you have is a bunch of abstract marks that add up to create the story of the landscape. And that is what these details are... abstract glimpses of paintings... finished paintings that hold the full story of what I saw and felt when I was on the beach for those days in September. And they are kinda abstract!

A Little Moody

A Little Moody

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2012

This has been such a busy year and after I finished my 30 paintings in 30 days project I seemed to have let the 6x6" paintings lapse. Other commitments prevailed, but two weeks ago when I went to Waskesiu Lake for a bit of quiet time and to help clean-up the cabin for the winter, I did some plein air painting. I ended up with 5 new little paintings and this was one of my favorites. I love the colours- quite different from my other skies. It is simple, but dramatic. Our skies this summer have been tricky for a painter... especially plein air. Why, you ask? Well it seems they were either bright blue skies with not a cloud to be seen, or they were tornado-watch kind of skies which are usually accompanied by a ridiculous level of wind. Either way not optimum for painting!