Birch and Pine at Dusk

Birch and Pine at Dusk

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013
sold

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/birch-and-pine-at-dusk/134100 

I miss the north. Lately I have been yearning (yes, actually yearning!) for the smell of pine trees and fresh lake air. I have been dreaming of plein air excursions and wishing a plan for a painting retreat would fall in my lap.

Flock and Gather Jury Says "Yes!"

I am extremely excited to announce that my application passed the approval of the jury! I have been a long-time admirer of the Flock and Gather Handmade Market and now I will be joining in on the fun! I will have a booth at the Springtime Market (which is in two weeks) and I will be selling my original 6x6" oil paintings. If you have never been to this market you must put it on the calendar and find the time to go. They are selective in the choice of their vendors so the quality and uniqueness has always been top-notch. You are sure to find hand-crafted things you can't really find anywhere else, from jewelry to cards to clothing to hand-bound books. And now you will find original oil paintings by moi!

I will keep the information posted to the right on my blog until the event is over, so if you need a reminder of the times and dates, come back and check... also here is a link to their Facebook event:

Flock and Gather Springtime Handmade Market

See you there!

Prelude

Prelude

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 22013

sold

 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/prelude/133546

There is that soft time right before the full-on ka-pow of a sunset; that time when the colours are gentle... dare I say pastel. The time when you wait in anticipation because you just know the sunset will be a doozy when it hits. I call this time the prelude and that is the painting today.

Another announcement coming tomorrow... please check back!

Keep Kenderdine

You may recall the post I wrote when I heard of the closure of my beloved Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus. I was heartbroken as were so many. And by so many I mean thousands and thousands. Truly. It is a place that resonates with people all over the world. It seemed unbelievable that this could happen and yet it had. 

The University of Saskatchewan had found themselves dealing with serious budget issues and needed to cut costs. The Kenderdine Campus was first on the chopping block and on November 15th the University of Saskatchewan announced its decision to close the campus for three years to review its future. The main reason given for the closure was financial: they would save $500.000 in operational costs during the three years of the closure and they explained the cost of the work the campus needed was astronomical- way beyond their tight budget constraints. Unfortunately they focused on the "if we could have everything we could ever dream of for the campus" proposal as opposed to the "if we could just get the roofs to stop leaking and the cafeteria to be structurally sound" proposal.

I recognize the bottom-line is that the campus needs an injection of cash and it needs to be sustainable so this problem doesn't arise again. For the injection of cash issue the question begs to be answered, "Why not involve the thousands and thousands in the community that love this place- those who would gladly donate both time and money to Kenderdine? Why not use the the University's fundraising department and their resources to work their magic and give the Kenderdine Campus it's due?" Why not? It's a bit of a mystery to me. One thing is certain, by not consulting those with vested interest, the University of Saskatchewan made thousands and thousands of people upset.

I am happy to announce a new website and campaign to "Keep Kenderdine". It has been developed as a place for those that love the Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus to gather, to share ideas, to join the community and take action. This website is meant to be a constructive gathering place: people can share their photos and memories, their Statements of Support for Kenderdine and they can have their voice heard through the survey, forum and petition. Eventually fundraising will be underway. Ultimately the website serves as a home-base for the community at large.

Please visit:

www.keepkenderdine.com

and the Facebook page www.facebook.com/KeepKenderdine

Thank you!

Announcement - Sunday Spotlight

Welcome to a new part of my blog- Sunday Spotlight! 

I have been thinking about this for a very long time and meant to start it up in the new year, but one thing lead to another and it didn't happen. Here we are at the end of March and I am finally getting down to it!

This idea all came about last fall when I was feeling a bit over myself. Not that I am hung up on myself, but at the time my mood was quite negative and I my head space was consumed with thoughts of: "A blog, Nicki? Really? Who cares? Your parents? Your sisters? So you make art- who gives a rats-ass?" Yup, pretty negative for someone who is generally a glass-is-half-full kind of girl, but to put it in context this stinkin' thinkin' all happened around the time of the closure of my beloved Kenderdine Campus. At this time it just seemed to me that there was no point to the whole art scene since obviously nobody cared! Eventually, my thoughts turned to all of the local Saskatchewan people I know who have amazing creative and artistic talents. I started writing a list of what some of them are doing and I was blown away! And you know what? I care!!! Even if nobody else does (which, in a better state of mind, I know is not true), I discovered that I care! I admire each and every one of them, the work they do and the genuine guts it takes to pursue their passion. The creating and sharing of art is not for the faint-of-heart! This is when the idea struck that I should use my blog as a way of putting a spotlight on my talented Saskatchewan friends! So on Sundays when I make a post I am going to get over myself and on to someone else!* I am going to try not to be overly wordy with these Sunday posts; I plan to highlight the person with a brief introduction, provide links for you to explore and discover, and hopefully even use a few images with their permission.

So next week please watch for the first installment of Sunday Spotlight!

(I already have so much to share about the amazing artist who will be my first Sunday Spotlight that it will be a real challenge to not be wordy!)

* It should be noted that I do not expect anything in return from any of these friends and acquaintances. I am doing this simply because I want to and it feels right.

Smoke Haze Over Waskesiu

Smoke Haze Over Waskesiu

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/smoke-haze-over-waskeisu/132471 
sold

In case I have been vague in my expression of my love for painting, let me just set the record straight. I really love painting. A lot. Mucho. In some ways it is like a life-line to my real self, so it makes me wonder: how did I connect with myself in the days before I was painting? It's a bit of a mystery and maybe the answer is, I didn't. Or maybe the answer is that before becoming a wife and a mother I knew who I was and didn't need art the way I need it now. Either way, thank goodness! I paint, therefore I am.

Earlier this week I made an announcement on my Facebook page that I am now listed on the Saskatchewan Network for Art Collecting. Here is the link for you to check out... Nicki Ault.

Wolf Willow Tapestry

Wolf Willow Tapestry

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013
 sold

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/wolf-willow-tapestry/131310 

I am so looking forward to foliage! I love the seasons, but this winter has been a long one. I am ready for green buds on trees and glorious colour sprouting up everywhere. And then after a green summer I know I will be looking forward to the tapestry of warm, rich colours that fall will bring. And yes, when that wains I will dream of a soft white blanket of snow...

Prairie Oasis

Prairie Oasis

6 x 6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013
 sold

 Daily Paintworks Gallery

I have painted this scene three times now, all different sizes, all a bit different from the other. I love the Saskatchewan fields in the spring or after a rain when they are saturated; dark,wet earth holding pools of water that reflect the sky. We are not even close to that situation right now, but when the big melt comes I think my camera and I will be out getting a boat-load of reference photos to work from... and then I won't have to keep painting this one!

Feelin' Sketchy Saturday

I am so glad I went to drawing session today! And from the sketches I am sure you can guess why. We had two models today... a mom and her seven week old baby boy. What a treat! The poses were all relatively short, but what fun exercises they were. The best part? When mom took a break and had a coffee, I got to snuggle the baby! I managed to get him to fall asleep and then I snuggled him and got to enjoy his soft little breaths and baby noises. I almost want another one. Almost.

Surrendering the Day

Surrendering the Day

6x6"

oil on board

© Nicki Ault, 2013

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/nicki-ault/surrendering-the-day/130600 

I was lucky enough to have a day at the studio today and I think I will enjoy that same privilege tomorrow. I did this little study and also worked on my commission. I've been wanting this large, commissioned painting to work so badly that I have paralyzed myself a little with the desire for excellence. To ease the anxiety I have been doing small studies and it is helping. As I painted today I realized that perhaps working at a large scale may actually make some elements easier, so I am going to shift my thinking and go with that!

When I left for lunch today to could hardly get out the door at the studio. Why, you ask? Well, the wind had blown a huge snow drift across the doorway and because the door swings out, I could only open it just enough to squeeze through (luckily). I had to bring a shovel to get back in after lunch! Crazy! Ahhhh, the joys of the first day of Spring in Saskatchewan!!!