Spring Cleaning SALE! Yes, I Said SALE!

Rocks, Georgian Bay

30" x 30"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2013

regular $900.00

SALE $450.00
sold

I am extremely excited to announce that our lease has been renewed and I will be painting at the Studio On 20th for the next 3 years! Woo hoooooooo!

On that note, space is ever an issue. Three years ago when we moved out of St. George Studio and into Studio On 20th I purged like crazy! I brought home all of my art books and my inspiration bulletin boards and I threw out awful, horrible, really bad pieces of art that were the worst ever of my efforts. I actually sliced canvases with blades of steel! I was quite ruthless and I needed to be because no longer would I have my own space, but I would be sharing with my good friend, Bridget Aitken. The hoarder tendency in me had to be squelched. 

Now I find myself in a situation where I have paintings on hand that I still really love, but they have already been in shows, both outside of the studio and in. They won't be put in any future exhibits of my work, but they have a special place in my heart and will never meet the ruthless blade of an exacto knife nor will they ever be painted over. (I do have a stack of canvases that I plan to re-work... AKA "paint over"). So what to do when I don't have a place to store them?

I have NEVER done this before. EVER. And I may never do this again! 

It's a huge sale!

Seven paintings only!

I need to make room for all of the paintings that have yet to be created. I am so pumped for what is to come, but I still love some of what was... so as a celebration of sorts I am offering a handful of paintings lovingly held in my "vault" for crazy... and I mean crazy... prices! I hope you connect with something. Please let me know via email if there is anything you want!  First come, first served!   nicki.ault@shaw.ca

The Birch

48" x 30"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2015

sold

Little Sumac On Georgian Bay

30" x 30"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2013

regular $900.00

SALE $450.00

Cattails

20" x 24"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2016

regular $595.00

SALE $298.00
sold

Fire In The Belly III

48" x 30"

oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2016

regular $1440.00

SALE $720.00
sold

 The Shallows, Georgian Bay

30" x 30"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2013

regular $900.00

SALE $ 450.00

 Patchwork Pasture

18" x 24"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2013

regular $555.00

SALE $278.00

Crazy prices on seven paintings... which one do you want? Let's talk!

P.S. And might I mention that if you live in the United States these prices are particularly sweeeeeet!

Why, Oh Why?

The Shallows, Georgian Bay

30 x 30"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2013

Why, oh why did I decide to have a year of risk and challenge??? The months ahead could potentially be very stressful! I entered these two paintings in the Mann Art Gallery Winter Festival Show and Sale which is a big public gallery in Prince Albert, Sask. This is a juried show and apparently after the pieces are adjudicated they are curated into one of three galleries. I hear, from colleagues who have entered other years, that you want to find your work hanging in the "main" gallery; it is okay to be placed in the secondary gallery, but you really don't want your work in the third gallery. UGH! 

 

The Shield, La Ronge

48 x 36"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2013

sold

Here is how I can tell this scenario is stressing me out... I had a bad dream about it the other night. I dreamed that the adjudicators hated my paintings so much that not only did the paintings not make the third gallery, but the judges actually put them outside under some rocks! ARGH!

I have planned, with a friend, to drive the one and a half hours to go to the opening gala tonight, but my nerves are getting the best of me. Whatever fate my paintings have received is already done- I just feel like keeping my eyes wide shut about it!

The Mann Gallery Winter Festival Juried Show and Sale

The Shield, La Ronge

48 x 36"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2013

The Shallows, Georgian Bay

30 x 30"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2013

Two years ago my goal for the year was to organize and be part several shows and to work hard at getting my name and paintings "out there". I think I did something like three solo shows, four group shows and participated in a handful of artisan markets. I was tired by the end of all that! Last year my goal was to take the time to learn and find new inspiration, so I took classes at the new Atelier in town and went on some fantastic adventures to paint and take resource photos; a plein air painting and canoe trip to the La Ronge area of northern Saskatchewan, a week-long painting trip to Georgian Bay with two friends and a day of four-wheelin' it through the prairie country-side with another friend. A lot was accomplished in those two years.

With the beginning of a new year I have decided, with hesitation, that this will be the year of taking chances, taking risks and challenging myself. I say that with hesitation because I do wonder if I have the guts to follow through with some of my ideas. Time will tell. The good news is that I have already taken on a risk... yesterday I submitted two paintings (the ones you see above) to The Mann Gallery Winter Festival Juried Art Show and Sale. This is the 38th annual show and sale for the public gallery in Prince Albert, SK which is about an hour and a half north of Saskatoon where I live. I know several people who have submitted work over the last few years- some of them with great success, winning prizes and awards and even having their work purchased for the gallery's permanent collection. At any rate, the risk involved is that this show has jurors who may or may not like what they see! Ack! But I don't want to be a chicken and take the safe road all the time. It is uncomfortable to be put in the position of judgment, especially in front of your peers, but I think it is the next step on my journey. So I did it, despite my initial attempts at finding excuses as to why I couldn't send anything.  My friends Bridget Aitken and Jackie Miller (who I traveled with to Georgian Bay) took a car-load of submissions to the gallery yesterday, including mine, and there will be a big opening on February 7th. I hope to go, but my husband will be away, so we will see if I can work something out.

So now that I have stated that this will be a year of taking on challenge and risk, I guess I better follow through or you might call me on it in December!

The Shallows, Georgian Bay

The Shallows, Georgian Bay

30 x 30"

acrylic on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2013

I had a few goals on my trip to Georgian Bay: I wanted to find new subject matter, I wanted to explore new colours, I wanted to experiment with composition and I wanted to paint free/loose with the under-painting often left as part of the finished product. As a result of pushing myself in these ways, I feel like I came home with paintings unique to this experience. That makes me happy.