Peter Aspell’s Colourful Canvases: A Fusion of Abstraction, Surrealism, and Pop Art
A Master of Colour and Imagination
Peter Aspell - a Canadian artist - is known for his vibrant and eclectic paintings that blend elements of abstraction, surrealism, and pop art.
Early in his career he started painting figures.
But it wasn’t until the late 1970s that his style changed dramatically, heavily influenced by Surrealism, African mythology, bright, bold, colours, a trademark.
His focus on symbolism, mythology, and figuration, creating a unique contribution to the Canadian art scene in post-war Vancouver. His works featured floating figures, African and West Coast masks, Egyptian motifs, and other cultural references.
Despite an intense color palette, his art often carried an introspective, mystical, whimsical humour and occasionally ominous tone.
Aspell was born in Vancouver, B.C., he studied at the Vancouver School of Art and the Ghent Academy, Belgium.
His work has been displayed in various galleries in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Paris and is in the permanent collections of many museums.
On A Personal Note
Aspell is a gentle giant, tall and gaunt, often in attendance at Vancouver art show openings along with his wife, Joy, also a painter.
It was at one of art openings that I met him. In fact, it was an opening of his own show. But I had no idea who he was and what he did for a living.
I was looking at one of his paintings with great interest when he popped by and said, “ what do you think?” My response - “it is an amazing piece, I love the bright colours and the influence African art had on his art.”
He responded something to the effect of, I can’t remember exactly, “interesting” and moved on.
I, on the other hand, was obsessed by the painting.The next day I went back to the gallery, to look at it again.
After asking the gallery owner a few questions about the artist, I bought it.
The name of the painting, Green Niger.
A few weeks later, another art opening at the same gallery.
There he was again with his wife.
At one point the gallery owner took me over to the two of them and said, “Peter, this is George Froehlich, he is the one who bought your Green Niger painting,” we shook hands and then he introduced me to his wife, and said, “I remember you, I hope you enjoy it.”