A Little Adjustment

A Little Adjustment

48 x 30"

acrylic and oil on canvas

© Nicki Ault, 2018

available

I am so excited to show you this painting!

The studio where I paint has a group show at the Gallery at the Frances Morrison Central Library right now. Ten of us worked from the same three traditional subjects in art (landscape, still life, the figure) over the last ten months, so this show exhibits all of our interpretations of the same subjects. We all had to step out of comfort zones in one way or another. Here is my figurative piece. I am very excited about it - a real stretch for me. The sketching of the figure on the canvas took me a full day (the largest drawing I have ever done), then rather than paint the whole thing with brushes, I stained many, many layers using oil paint and rags- with drying time between between sessions so I could build up layers. Her hair was mostly done with brushes and then I pulled paint off with rags to create highlights and depth. Also, only three colours were used on the entire piece.. 

It is a bit scary to put something out there that is not my usual thing, but exhilarating too! I want to do more!

Ponder and Show Announcement

Ponder

20 x 20"

oil on cradled panel

© Nicki Ault, 2018

available

About a year ago, the artists I paint with at Studio On 20th decided to submit a proposal for a group show to The Gallery at the Frances Morrison Central Library. We got a yes!

We have worked over the last eight months to stretch ourselves out of our comfort zones to achieve what we set out to do. Regarding those efforts, here is an excerpt from the statement we will be posting at our show "reconfigured" which opens in two weeks:

The intent of this exhibition was to reconfigure our studio spaces and artistic practices

 through the exploration and interpretation of three traditional subject matters:  

 the figure, still life and landscape. Over several sessions, we sketched and painted 

specific views of these subjects using a range of media, which we were then 

free to interpret further through a larger work according to our own style and working process. 

 In the spirit of coming together through place, both physically and artistically, 

this exhibition explores the similarities, differences and influences 

within ten individual artists’ styles.

We all stepped out of our comfort zones to explore subjects which are not necessarily part of our individual practices or even of true interest to us. We set up a still life at the studio and we held two work sessions so we could tackle that subject at the same time, we planned a field trip to Jane's plot of land on the river near Pike Lake and worked en plein air, and we hired the same model to come to our studio for three sessions so we could work directly from her poses. 

 reconfigured 

There is something really quite exciting about working in a close setting with other artists. The energy of the group can fuel each individual in unexpected ways. I think that's why I miss the Emma Lake Kenderdine Campus so. 

On a personal note, I created a little body of work from these sessions: studies, drawings and larger finished work. This portrait is based on a sketch I did during one of the model sessions. It won't be in the show because one of my other figurative pieces will, but I am happy with it considering I am not a painter of people. Below is the invitation with the details - please come to the reception on April 19 if you can!