Saturday, June 30, 2018

Last Day To See "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery!

Ancient Forest
40 x 60"
acrylic and oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

The end of the month came fast! "Mood" is wrapping up today and I am absolutely thrilled with the entire situation! Thank you to everyone who attended the reception earlier this month or went to see the show during its three week run. Today is the last day, so if you are in Regina, please stop in otherwise you can view the exhibition here. Thank you to Jeremy and his amazing superstar team at the gallery. Thank you to all of the amazing people who purchased my work... ten paintings found their homes and I may have a couple of commissions on the horizon!

This post highlights some of the work that is still available... you just may be in the mood to celebrate Canada Day with an awesome piece of original art featuring a Canadian landscape!
Flax Up Front
20 x 20"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

 
 Dark As Night
20 x 20"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

 
  A Complicated Land on a Still Day
20 x 20"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Assiniboia Gallery

It is still hard for me to believe how the last ten months have unfolded. There have been some downs with the ups, but that is life and I choose to focus on the positive. I will continue to work hard, build on my skills and support others who are trying to feel their way through their own artistic journey. And I will continue to be sincerely grateful to those who help me and lift me up along my way. If you have been watching this blog at any point in the nine years since I started it, you know the road I have been traveling; the constant push to learn, grow and find my voice through paint. And, recently, you have been witnessing some of my dreams coming true.

 each 10 x 10"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Assiniboia Gallery

The cool thing is - this is a never-ending journey and there are more things in the works! One I will tell you about tomorrow and the others, well, you will just have to keep checking in!

Thank you!

 Caught in the Sunset
24 x 36"
oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Assiniboia Gallery

Monday, June 25, 2018

September Mood at McPhee

September Mood at McPhee
18 x 36"
oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Assiniboia Gallery

If you drive to Waskesiu on Highway 264, you know this view. For sure.

In my solo show "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery until June 30th.

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Crosshatch Waves at Twilight

Crosshatch Waves at Twilight
48 x 36"
oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

This painting is in my solo show "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery in Regina. I am happy to report that it is sold and I do believe it is being delivered today... back to a home in Saskatoon!

There is one more week to take in this collection of my most current work and I know the gallery staff would be happy to show you around. If you aren't able to get there before June 30th you can see the work at this link.

Thanks for all of the wonderful support you have given the show so far!

Friday, June 22, 2018

Glimmer Of Hope

Glimmer Of Hope
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Darrell Bell Gallery

On the long weekend of May, when I went to the lake with my son and his friend, I wandered down to the beach just before sunset. It was calm and magical; the way the sunlight glistened on the gently rippling water nearly brought me to tears.

So I tried to paint that.

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Five Bales

Five Bales
10x10"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

The shadows made these bales work. Small details can be important details. 

In my solo show "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery in Regina until June 30th.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

It Was September

It Was September
36 x 36"
acrylic and oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Assiniboia Gallery

An experimental piece with lots of acrylic under-layers showing through the top layers of oil. I really loved the process of building up this one. It can be found in my solo show "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery. Click on this link to see a video walk-through of the show which runs until June 30th.


Monday, June 18, 2018

Persian Rose Sunset

 
Persian Rose Sunset
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Darrell Bell Gallery

I really wanted to switch up the colours I normally use so, instead of hot colours being an accent in a sunset, I wanted them to be the entire thing! I went from memory and emotion and made this up...with no blue!


Sunday, June 17, 2018

Seeds Are In

Seeds Are In
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

 The beginning of growing season as a misty rain is ending; things look rich and promising.

Saturday, June 16, 2018

My Heartland, My Home

My Heartland, My Home
30 x 30"
oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Assiniboia Gallery

I am reeeeaallly pleased with how this one ended up because it took me on a bit of a journey. 

I really liked my underpainting but as I began developing it further, I just couldn't get the feeling I wanted to come through. I got stuck and in my own way. I wanted it to be fresh, bright, energetic and happy, but it was dull, boring and weak. My studio mate and I had a heart-to-heart about it when I thought it was almost done. I was so unhappy with it I thought it was a loss. The reality check she gave me put in words all the struggles I was facing with it, but had been fighting. She said the original clouds were "cartoon-like" and the original canola field was "unrelenting" (it used to be a very acidy yellow-green) and overall the entire painting was "unsophisticated" - especially in the earlier version which was basically an intense solid blue behind the main cloud formation.

Now all of that might sound harsh and nasty, and coming from anyone else the intention of those words very well could have been, but with Bridget I know she has my best interests at heart and she felt like I could get it to a better place. We both want to push each other to be better artists and the way she says things to me help me laugh at the truth. She helped me realize it was time to stop trying to make the painting be what I had in my head because it wasn't working. That realization was very freeing and suddenly I began clicking with the painting and making instinctive changes. 

Now it feels like the iconic, joyous, happy Saskatchewan summer sky I wanted it to be.

For my solo show "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery in Regina until June 30.

Friday, June 15, 2018

Rocks on the Edge, Waskesiu River

Rocks On The Edge, Waskesiu River
8 x 8"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

This was delivered to Darrell Bell Gallery yesterday with nine other 8x8 paintings. I have never painted the rocks on the edge of the Waskesiu River before, so this is a first. I am trying to look at the river in new ways, so this was a fun experiment and I am pretty happy with the results. 

When I dropped the work off Laura predicted that this one will sell by next Saturday. We shall see.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Winter Basking In Warm Light

Winter Basking In Warm Light
10x10"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
available at Assiniboia Gallery

I couldn't have a show in Saskatchewan called "Mood" and not include one winter scene, especially after the frigid season we just had! 

I love this serene little piece. It was the sunset I saw in February when I drove to Prince Albert for the reception of the Mann Art Gallery Winter Festival Juried Art Show and Sale. The light was so warm it almost didn't look cold out at all!

Monday, June 11, 2018

Dark As Night

Dark As Night
20 x 20"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

This one was an experiment using black straight out of the tube, which I never do because apparently it is a well known and accepted faux pas to use straight-up black in paintings. Generally if I ever use anything in my work that resembles black it is likely a mixture of Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson or Magenta, and Burnt Umber. I read about a colour by Gamblin, however, called Chromatic Black which was supposed to be a neutral black. I was curious because usually blacks pull a certain way if you add white to them... like towards blue for example. I ordered a tube of Chromatic Black from Hues Art Supply and then set about playing. The result is "Dark As Night" and another painting which I will post soon. Interestingly enough a few weeks later Darrell Bell asked me to paint something for the Black and White show he was curating for his gallery (still on view). The black skies I had been experimenting with were a great jumping off point for this big one, "Graphite Sky" (below), I painted for his show.

Graphite Sky
36 x 36"
oil on canvas
 © Nicki Ault, 2018
All Rights Reserved
available at Darrell Bell Gallery

I really love the power and intensity of these paintings. I love how moody they are and I love how much emotion they convey with a very limited palette.

"Dark As Night" is part of my solo show "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery, open now and running until June 30th.





Sunday, June 10, 2018

Boreal Cool Down


Boreal Cool Down
40 x 30"
acrylic and oil on canvas
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

There was a real sense of experimentation with this one and I learned some really cool and unexpected things. I hope to take what I learned and do another version sometime. I'm happy to report that someone else liked how it turned out (besides me) and it sold from the Assiniboia Gallery website before the show was even up!

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Ancient Forest

Ancient Forest
40 x 60"
acrylic and oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

The day has come, my solo show "Mood" opens today at Assiniboia Gallery! Shortly after I hit "publish" on this blog post I will be packing my van and starting my drive to Regina. I am so looking forward to the opening reception this evening (5-8 pm), although I know I will have butterflies and sweaty palms at the start. I am excited to meet new people and spend time with the gallery staff. They have all been so good to me. I hope they know how much I appreciate their enthusiasm and efforts, as they have been introducing my work to a whole new market.

This painting is the largest piece in the show and only the second time I have ever attempted a painting this size. There are many, many layers of acrylic underneath and then layers of oil paint on top, although the oil paint does not cover everything. A lot of the colorful, distant trees in the background are the acrylic layers showing through, as are areas of the reflection. It was all a bit of an experiment, although a couple of other paintings in the show were done in a somewhat similar fashion. Similar but different. "Ancient Forest" is painted from a photo I took on Sulphide Lake in 2013 when I went on a painting and canoeing adventure in northern Saskatchewan.

"Ancient Forest" has big impact, so I am very curious to see where it is placed within the show. I have never seen a collection of my work completely framed and presented so professionally. This just really feels like a huge milestone. I can hardly wait! I hope I don't get a speeding ticket on my way to Regina! Please join me at the reception if you can... and bring a friend.




Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Little Autumn Tamarack

Little Autumn Tamarack
10 x 10"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

I can hardly wait to get to the Waskesiu River again this year. Every time I visit, it offers me something new. 

I can't believe I didn't take the time when I was there with my son on the May long weekend, but I was busy painting for my show "Mood" opening Thursday, June 7th at Assiniboia Gallery!



Monday, June 4, 2018

Peach Clouds and Blue Fog at Sunset - Makeover Monday!

Peach Clouds and Blue Fog at Sunset
(after)
10 x 10"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

This is a painting makeover of a piece (below) that went to Assiniboia Gallery last fall, but I never got around to posting online. I was never totally confident in the painting and perhaps never should have let it leave my studio, so this spring when I delivered a few paintings to the gallery I actually brought it home and ended up reworking it for my solo show "Mood". I absolutely LOVE it now! And it totally fits the theme of the show which opens this Thursday, June 7th. Lesson learned - trust my gut. It is often right.
Peach Clouds and Blue Fog at Sunset
(before)
10 x 10"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2017

Saturday, June 2, 2018

Little Hills On the Prairie

Little Hills On the Prairie
10x10"
oil on cradled panel
© Nicki Ault, 2018
sold at Assiniboia Gallery

I'm having fun with titles lately!

It's true that the prairies are overall pretty flat, but we do have little hills and valleys. Plus if it weren't for our low-laying land we wouldn't have such fabulous views of our grand skies. The prairies are beautiful and interesting - you just have to stop and look.

For my show "Mood" at Assiniboia Gallery in Regina, June 7-30th, opening reception June 7th from 5-8 pm.



Friday, June 1, 2018

The Grid Sold!!! Thank You DBG!

empty grid at Darrell Bell Gallery!

So this happened!!!

On April 12th I received a text from Laura at Darrell Bell Gallery saying that an architect/designer from Winnipeg had been in and basically put the grid "on hold"! He was going to present the idea of an installation of twenty 8x8 paintings to his client!!! Darrell Bell and his team had to take down the twenty-five piece grid while the twenty were on hold because it would have looked silly leaving the remaining five dangling on the wall. To fill the space, I rushed over paintings of various sizes that I had on hand at the studio. By April 19th the answer came back and it was yes! The paintings were packed and shipped and now the grid is officially installed in the reception area of Johnston Group, Inc. in Winnipeg!

A woman who works at Johnston Group tagged me on Instagram when the art was installed and gave me permission to share her images. Thank you Karen!




Needless to say, however, I was not anticipating this and had zero 8x8's on hand to even begin replacing the grid and not even any boards prepped to begin painting on! I tried not to stress about it because at least the work I rushed over was filling the space in the meantime (below), but still, I really wanted to get another grid up in time for Mother's Day weekend.


I had my son prepare my boards one evening while I continued to paint for the Assiniboia show and then a week before Mother's Day I went on a marathon painting spree and produced nineteen new 8x8's! It was a crazy time! Not a lot of sleep or proper meals, but thankfully good playlists got me through. I haven't had a chance to post the new work... and I know a few have already sold, but here are eighteen of the nineteen in two quick collages:




I am just so thrilled and so grateful! I have always wanted this to happen; to have someone see the grid as one big piece of art in its own right.  

Thank you so much Darrell, Laura, Maja and Moira for the amazing customer care you give people who walk through your doors. And thank you for representing me and my work with such great enthusiasm! You have made a little dream come true.