Prospectus for the 1947-48 school year, portrait by Aspell.
| BRITISH COLUMBIA ARTISTS |
In 1939 Aspell attended the Vancouver School of Art summer camp on Savary Island, and was noted in issues of THE SAVARY PUDDING.
He served in the Canadian army during World War II, and exhibited in the 1943 B.C. Society of Fine Arts annual exhibition as Sgt. Peter Aspell.
He exhibited in the Seattle Art Museum's annual Northwest Artists exhibitions from 1943 to 1956.
He was on a list titled "Leading Vancouver Artists," provided to the Labour Arts Guild on April 10, 1946 by the Vancouver Art Gallery to assist in the Guild's call for entries to the second annual B.C. At Work exhibition, although his work was not in the exhibition.
Aspell won an Emily Carr Scholarship in 1948 and traveled in Europe. He had a solo show at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1955, and many more solo and group shows in the decades since then, becoming one of Vancouver's most senior artists. He died in December 2004.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
| DATE | EXHIBITION | LOCATION |
| 1992 Oct. 17 - Nov. 7 | "Beyond Primitive" | Heffel Gallery, Vancouver |
| DATE | EXHIBITION | ARTWORK |
| 1942 Sept. 25 - Oct. 18 | VAG B.C. Artists 11th Annual | Self Portrait |
| St. Paul's Church, North Shore Reserve | ||
| Mill, North Shore Reserve | ||
| 1943 May 15 - June 6 | BCSFA 33rd Annual | Spr. Fetterley, R.C.E. |
| 1943 July 2 - Aug. 25 | VAG B.C. Artists 2nd Annual Summer | Figure Study |
| Spr. Fetterley, R.C.E. | ||
| 1943 Sept. 25 - Oct. 20 | VAG B.C. Artists 12th Annual | Mike |
| Mack | ||
| 1946 July 2 - 28 | VAG Jubilee Exhibition | Self-Portrait |
| 1946 Sept. 21 - Oct. 13 | VAG B.C. Artists 15th Annual | Mary |
| Landscape (Near Fraser River) | ||
| 1946 Oct. ? - ? | FCA 40 Selections from 15th BCA | Landscape (Near Fraser River) |
| 1947 May 9 - June 1 | BCSFA 37th Annual | Helena |
| Reclining Figure | ||
| 1947 July 8 - 27 | VAG B.C. Artists Summer Exhibition | Mary |
| 1947 Sept. 20 - Oct. 12 | VAG B.C. Artists 16th Annual | Composition in White |
| Faith | ||
| 1948 May 18 -June 6 | BCSFA 38th Annual | Double Portrait |
| Self Portrait | ||
| 1948 Sept. 18 - Oct. 10 | VAG B.C. Artists 17th Annual | Girl in Summer Landscape |
| Peter Brown | ||
| 1949 May 3 - 22 | BCSFA 39th Annual | Woman in the Woods |
| 1949 Oct. 8 - 30 | VAG B.C. Artists 18th Annual | Figures in a Wood |
| 1950 April 25 - May 14 | BCSA 40th Annual | My Son "Carl" |
| 1950 Nov. 28 - Dec. 17 | VAG B.C. Artists 19th Annual | October Landscape |
| 1951 April 24 - May 13 | VAG BCSA 41st Annual | Woman in a Tapestry Chair |
| 1951 Summer | Park Royal BCSA Summer Exhibition | Summer Landscape |
| Portrait of a Girl | ||
| Portrait of Carl | ||
| Landscape near Pifus | ||
| Christina Nile, Victoria | ||
| 1951 Nov. 27 - Dec. 16 | VAG B.C. Artists 20th Annual | Attic Woman |
| 1952 Oct. 21 - Nov. 16 | VAG B.C. Artists 21st Annual | White Girl |
| The Wedding Breakfast | ||
| 1953 Sept. 15 - Oct. 4 | VAG B.C. Artists 22nd Annual | Andante |
| 1954 May 25 - June 13 | VAG BCSA 44th Annual | Mudflats No. 1 Indian Reserve |
| Mudflats No. 2 Indian Reserve | ||
| 1954 Sept. 21 - Oct. 10 | VAG B.C. Artists 23rd Annual | Lowering Landscape |
| 1955 Sept. 20 - Oct. 9 | VAG B.C. Artists 24th Annual | Reclining Figure |
| Swamp Tree | ||
| 1956 Feb. 28 - Mar. 18 | VAG BCSA 46th Annual | Child with Still Life Group |
| 1956 Oct. 23 - Nov. 11 | VAG B.C. Artists 25th Annual | Girl on a Persian Carpet |
| 1957 March 5 - 24 | VAG BCSA 47th Annual | Black Leaves |
| 1957 Oct. 23 - Nov. 11 | VAG B.C. Artists 26th Annual | Red Nude |
| 1958 Oct. 22 - Nov. 16 | VAG B.C. Artists 27th Annual | The Milk of the Mushroom |
| 1964 Jan. 1 - 31 | VAG B.C. Artists 33rd Annual | Maternity |
| 1960 May 22 - June 12 | VAG BCSA 50th Annual | Seated Figure |
| Blue Possessed | ||
| Plum Nude |
SOUVENIR CATALOGUE OF EXHIBITIONS OPENING THE NEW VANCOUVER ART GALLERY (refer to VAG51)
100 YEARS OF B.C. ART (refer to VAG58)
B.C. ARTISTS 27th ANNUAL (refer to BCA58)
7 WEST COAST PAINTERS (refer to VIF59)
SPRING EXHIBITION - FCA - BC REGION (refer to FCA64)
VANCOUVER: ART & ARTISTS 1931 - 1983 (refer to VAG83)
ARTROPOLIS 1990 (refer to ART90)
A MODERN LIFE: Art and Design in British Columbia 1945-1960
(refer to VAG04)
Dorothy by Aspell (1947) reproduced in colour page 25.
GREATER VANCOUVER ART GALLERIES 1954-2020
(refer to GVAG20)
5 references to Aspell.
BRITISH COLUMBIA - A CENTENNIAL ANTHOLOGY (refer to BCCA58)
FROM DESOLATION TO SPLENDOUR (refer to FDTS77)
VISUAL ARTS BRITISH COLUMBIA (refer to VABC77)
ARTISTS IN CANADA 1982 - UNION LIST OF ARTISTS' FILES (refer to AIC82)
THE ALMA MATER SOCIETY ART COLLECTION
University of British Columbia 1948 - 1988
No ISBN, 64 pages, illustrated in colour and b&w
Includes history of the collection, artist biographies
A DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN ARTISTS (refer to M)
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX OF ARTISTS IN CANADA
(refer to BIAC03)
5 references cited for Aspell.
In Memory of Peter Aspell 1918 - 2004 by editorial staff
Visions, Spring 2005, page 2
Published by Emily Carr Institute Foundation + Development Office
VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY - B.C. ARTISTS FILES (refer to VPL)
VANCOUVER SCHOOL OF ART - LIST OF GRADUATES & STUDENTS (refer to VSA)
"Aspel - can hit a cuspitidin at 10 paces and still make it ring."
From "Hi Run - and - Firun"
Savary Pudding, June 8 1939
"Congratulating Vancouver School of Art for the excellence
of its work during the past session, under the tuition of Charles
H. Scott and staff, Col. F.T. Fairey, director of the technical education branch
of the Department of Education, distributed scholarships and diplomas to successful
students Friday afternoon. ... The Mrs. Jonathan Rogers scholarship of $25, open to first
year students, went to Peter Aspell ... "
From "Diplomas Awarded to Art Students"
Vancouver Province, September 2 1939
"The two drawings by Peter Aspell are examples of exquisite draughtsmanship.
Each line in itself is sensitive and descriptive, yet is integrated into the whole."
From "Speaking of Art" by Browni Wingate
News Herald, September 28 1942
""Mike," by Peter Aspell of North Vancouver
gained the first Honourable Mention in the black and white class ... "
From "12th Annual B.C. Artists' Exhibition"
Vancouver Art Gallery Bulletin, November 1943
"Peter Aspell's two figure studies, "Helena" and "Reclining
Figure," are painted with a wonderful lunimosity in the flesh tones ... "
From "B.C. Art Exhibit Non-Experimental"
News Herald, May 12 1947
"Peter Aspell Wins Awards"
Vancouver Province, July 30 1947
"This year the main prizes go to Peter Aspell, who
wins the $100 purchase prize for his excellent "Bear Cage" ... "
From "Stanley Park Paintings On Exhibition at Gallery"
by Palette
Vancouver Province, August 2 1947
"Fine Arts Exhibition Features Aspell Works" by Constance MacKay
News Herald, May 20 1948