Terry Asselstine

Sceptre

Red cedar, yellow cedar, paper, cord and SS rod.  

52cm x 119cm

20” x 47”

Metamorphoses

Canvas, wood, paper, ink & pigments.

53 cm x 96 cm

21” x 38”

Cascade

Yellow cedar, red cedar, paper, dye and ink.

56cm x 94cm including frame

22”x 37”

Bloodline

I find it interesting to place two seemingly disparate forms next to each other. There emerges an implied relationship dependent on the viewer. It’s an open field with a cow and a bicycle. What happened here?

I had the two main elements floating on white. Individually I liked them but there wasn’t a connection. They didn’t resonate together. The red line bonded them with a coherence. Three became one.

But they still floated in a field of white. Some forms rest easily in this lack of definition. But in this case my eye wanted context. Those two little black bits in the upper left and the paper across the top were enough. It’s like looking at the moon against a black sky. Then seeing the moon with stars beyond. Without knowing what it is, a context is offered.

Paper, yellow cedar, dye, ink and cord.

52cm x 72cm including frame

20 1/2” x 28 1/2”

Untitled

Paper, yellow cedar, dye, cord and nails

66cm x 51cm including red cedar frame.

26” x 20”

terryasselstine.com

Untitled

Paper, red cedar, dowels and cord.

53cm x 76cm including frame

21” x 30”

Cascades, the same but different.

Paper, yellow cedar, dye and line.

46cm x 76cm including frame

18” x 30”

The Side Door

An alternative entrance that’s less conventional and beneath the facade.

Paper, rod, aluminum bits and ink.

46cm x 61cm inclusive of frame

18” x 24”

Is it just a lighthearted melody or dispassionate peril?

Paper, bits and pieces of rod and aluminium with ink and paint.

43cm x 65cm including frame.

17” x 25 1/2”

Neighbours

Red cedar, paper, dowels, pastels and paint with plywood sub straight.

58cm x 109cm

23” x 43”

Diner Dreaming

Red cedar, plywood, aluminium, paper, paint, pencil, tape and dowels.

79cm x 58cm

31” x 23”

‘ 1 + 1 = 3’

Yellow cedar, paper, cord, stainless steel rod, paint and plywood.

58cm x 76cm

23” x 30”

‘Untethered’

Freedom, cast off, nothing to hide, birth…..

Red cedar, aluminium, paper, cord and pastels and ink.

56cm x 88cm

22” x 35”

Red cedar, aluminium substrate, paper, ink, nails and stainless steel.

84cm x 50cm

33” x 20”

Red cedar, aluminium substrate, paper, ink, rope and stainless steel rod.

53cm x 127cm

21” x 50”

Dreaming of The Tight Line Hum

Red cedar, aluminium substrate, paper, paint and cord.

51cm x 69cm

20” x 27”

‘Loss of Face And It’s Only Tuesday ll’

Red Cedar, aluminium substrate, paper, pastels and cord.

50cm x 76 cm

20” x 30”

1884

The Potlatch is outlawed.

Western maple, poplar, stainless steel rod, cord and rock.

43cm x 132cm

17” x 52”

Red Cedar, aluminium substrate, paper and paint.

41cm x 69cm

16” x 27”

Paper, pastels, pencil, ink and pastels in glue.
36cm x 50cm, 14” x 20”.

Temporally inactive, protected state.......

Aluminium, red ceder, yellow ceder, Japanese paper and brass rod.

23cm x 132cm. 23” x 52”

Paper collage with pastels and pencil.

~38 x 50cm, 15” x 20”

Aluminium substrate, paper, stainless steel, wood, cord and pigments in oil.

41cm x 99cm, 16” x 39”.

Untitled

The last number of pieces have been revealing. The layered and partial view is presented. Something beyond the first impression is suggested. Little is skin deep. What it is is secondary to the idea there is more beyond. It’s like a flower, birth and growth, nothing is completely independent. The last photo of this piece is a sort of layer, adding to the context of the others

Paper, aluminium substrate, red cedar, cord and pigments in oil.

40cm x 102cm 16” x 40”

Paper collage with pastel and pencil.
~ 38 x 50cm, 15” x 20”

Paper, pastels, paint, pencil and ink.

38cm x 50cm, 15” x 20”

Douglas fir bark, wooden balls, cord, aluminium and paper.

30 x 152cm, 12” x 60”

Summer 2021 #5. Circle, Square, Triangle.

Paper, paint, pastels and tape.

24cm x 58cm

9.5” x 23”

Aluminium, paper, plywood, yellow cedar, red cedar, dowels and cord.

30cm x 117cm

12” x 46”

Paper, paint, pastels and tape.
30cm x 56cm

12” x 22”

Dowels, yellow cedar, aluminium, paper and cord.
50cm x 112cm

20” x 44”

Pastel on Japanese paper ~ 30 x 46cm, 12” x 18”

Driftwood is ubiquitous to our coastal shores. There are countless wonderful forms laying on beaches. Trees torn by storms, erosion, logging and natural decay that have spent time, in some cases years, drifting in the water. Wood borers excavate a network of tunnels. The shore line with wave action pounds and scrapes most delicate features away. The resulting fantastic forms are beyond what I could imagine and make.

I have found it a frustrating challenge to use these wonderfully unique pieces. This particular piece has sat in my shop for a year and a half. From a viewers perspective I don’t want the first reaction to be oh driftwood. Look at how one will see something as layers. The overall form is the first layer. Subsequent layers emerge as the viewer remains engaged. The recognition of ‘driftwood’ must be at least the second layer. If driftwood is the first layer, it’s familiarIty can suppress curiosity. But familiarity farther into the layers can provide a reference point to the before and after layers. This rudimentary understanding has given me a few pieces I’m satisfied with.

Platter, fir driftwood, dowels, bowl and paper.

76cm x 137cm

30” x 54”

I found the central item on a Sax Point beach about a year ago. It has sat in a few places about the shop and house. I was waiting for a way I could use this piece. It was on the floor in front of my chair when the Burgess Shale came to mind. The Burgess Shale is a Canadian fossil bed containing a myriad of unique soft bodied creatures. With this in mind, the piece emerged. In some ways it’s at home with Duchamp’s idea of assisted ready mades, using items as found not related to their original context.

Douglas Fur bark, a broom and painted wooden balls.

142cm x 60cm

56” x 24”

Paper, paint and pastels.

14” x 20”

36cm x 51cm

Western Red Cedar, cord and brass rod.

30cm x 30cm x 147cm

12” x 12” x 58”

A local whimsical take on a dour American classic.

Yellow cedar, red cedar, aluminium, paper, cord and inks

51cm x 122cm

20” x 48”

Title - ? Covid-19

I did not consciously have the present situation in mind with this piece. But looking at it now completed, the virus did come to mind. Most pieces evolve over a couple of weeks. So there is plenty of opportunity to be influenced. I will let this piece rest peacefully in the moment for now.

Plywood, paper, red cedar, aluminium, cord and pigments in oil.

43cm x 107cm 17” x 43”

Aluminum and plywood substrate, paper, pigments in oil, stainless steel rod and western red cedar.

58cm x 109cm 23” x 43”

One of only a few with no wood element. Just a simple round shape with all else flat. I did start with an idea but decided not to title this piece. Without colouring a certain way to look at this with a title, I like the openness and quizzical starting point.

Paper, ink and graphite (pencil) on an aluminum and plywood substrate.

52 cm x 109 cm. 201/2” x 43”

Paper, pastels and ink.

38cm x 50cm, 15” x 20”.

Red Cedar, aluminium, paper, pigments in oil and cord.

45 cm x 96cm 18” x 38”

Same old same old aluminium substrate, paper, stainless steel rod and red cedar.

51cm x 119cm 20” x 47”

Paul Klee was one of the instructors at the Bauhaus. This piece is a central portion of a painting from his Ancient Sound series. He was an accomplished violinist and played with a symphony when he was 11. My personal take on his use of colour and shifting grids, could relate to music. The top horizontal three rows are on a relatively even grid as are the central vertical three rows. The fifth horizontal row begins to shift on either side of the central three. As you move down each horizontal row the shifts are more pronounced. If you associate sound to colours, dark to light, this is overlaid by the grid timing. There is the overall impression of different areas of emphasis created by surrounding patches of colour. Harmonies? Maybe it was his grandmothers quilt!

Paper, aluminium substrate, ink, wood, brass rod and cord.

81cm x 135cm. 32” x 53”

Western red cedar, aluminium, cord, paper, canvas and ink.

81cm x 183cm, 34” x 72”

Aluminum substrate, paper, ink, pigments in oil and wooden balls.

98cm x 56cm 39” x 22”

In the Northwest Coast First Nations view, the Hummingbird is a positive symbol. It is considered a joyful messenger. It’s presents brings joy, peace, good fortune, wonder and beauty. Likely many more local attributes are associated with this little flying jewel. This highly stylized piece does not represent any particular First Nations art. But I was drawn to the spirit seen in this bird by the First Nations People.

Red cedar, paper on shaped aluminium substrate, string and ink.

68cm x 160cm, 27” x 63”.

Paper, pastels, pencil and ink.

38cm x 50cm, 15” x 20”.

The Neighbours Closet -or- Design For A Bookmark

Japanese hand made paper, red and yellow cedar, steel rod, cord on an aluminium substrate.

48cm x 158cm 19” x 62”

Arbutus, Gary Oak, handmade paper, inks and mounted on an aluminum substrate.

53cm x 130cm 21” x 51”

Paper, paint, pastels, pencil and pastel in glue.

14cm x 50cm, 14” x 20”

Red and Yellow cedar, paper, cord and ink on an aluminium sub straight.

56cm x 151cm, 22” x 59 1/2”

A piece with the central element abstracted from our Northwest First Nations traditional art. This is a continuation in trying to incorporate our local cultural references. I'm hoping to offer something familiar. To recognize the context of our present time. Although abstraction can be obscure, I can hope the subconscious will perk up!

Yellow ceder, red ceder, aluminium, hand made paper and dry pigments in oil.

74cm x 162cm 29" x 64"

A long evolution to this point. Many moments open to entertaining thoughts. Most are quickly dropped but those that linger are the reminders that consideration can lead to that calm and energetic contribution. I tried many new methods and materials. Majority is small stuff, details, seen and unseen. And the whole works well for me, bold but more and more revealed as approached.

Red cedar, yellow cedar, burled western maple, cord, aluminium and Japanese paper.

185cm x 64cm

6’1” x 25”

The first piece after a summer of play. A very loosely based piece on a prediction of Einstein. The bending of light by gravity, with a result being a gravity lens. This is where a large galaxy's gravitational force will bend light from a galaxy that is actually behind it from an observers point of view. If the distant galaxy is directly centred behind the obscuring galaxy, one would see a halo surrounding the closer galaxy. But slightly off centre and there appear four points of light around the closer galaxy. This phenomenon is now referred to as 'Einsteins Cross'.

Aluminium, red cedar, brass and pigments in oil.

27" X 54". 65cm X 137cm

Carving is new to me. With this piece I found that accommodation should sit on my shoulder. The wood itself dictates or suggests what can be done as its being worked. No ‘Just stick to the plan.’ You would never know this began as a portrait of Santa Claus! The evolution of the piece is constantly engaging. I have a new appreciation of the time involved with carving. Also, I must thank Robin for tips on sharpening carving tools. There is a world of difference between sharp and really sharp. I think it might now be possible to half one of those dust particles as it drifts through a sun beam! A First Nations carver said he didn’t make mistakes, he made alterations.  

Western Red Cedar, Yellow Cedar ( coloured pieces), paper, rope and aluminium.

51cm x 167cm

20” x 66”

Western red cedar and western maple burle.
7’ 1”

A stylized fish weir inspired by ancient remains in Hesquaht Harbour. My friend Steve Charleson has recorded the pattern and relative size. What remains above the sand and gravel are small stake like projections. The rest of the wood having been worn away by the tidal slurry of that sand and gravel. This pattern on the low tide floor may represent one large weir or smaller weirs built successively where others had been. This could be seen as evidence that the stream next to this weir has long been very productive. The details of this particular arrangements of ‘stakes’ are beyond memory, but the stream still supports an important salmon population.

Aluminium, red ceder, western maple, brass rod, paper, string and pigments in oil.

66cm x 137cm 26” x 54”

Canvas, aluminium, poplar, seine net repair line and dry pigments in oil.

24" X 58". (61cm X 147cm)

First finished piece after visit to Spain. It's Western Red Cedar with an anilin dye, brass rod and brass balls.

36cm x 162cm. (14" x 64")

Phoenix, 6' 10" first free standing sculpture. Western maple, poplar, sapele and stainless steel rod.

Question; can one tell if an artist is left or right handed from the general design?

Red cedar, aluminium, stainless steel rod, plywood and powdered pigments.

19" X 33"

A derivative piece after Marcel Duchamp’s ‘Bicycle Wheel’. It’s quite counter to Duchamp’s later ideas of art. This is a work for the eye created by hand for that purpose. There may be a small redemption in his view with the abstracted play off his original work. With enough abstraction that projected impressions are free to roam the mind scape.
Western maple, poplar and stainless steel rod.
38cm - 120cm
15” - 47”

This piece was done after one of our Mexico trips. I fell in love with Tomayo’s work. The influence and residue is no secret.

Red cedar, yellow cedar, steel and pigments in oil.

63cm x 104cm

25” x 41”

Walter Gropius -‘ Art comes into being above all methods. Art itself cannot be taught, but craftsmanship can.’

I begin another season in the shop. I continue to try and shed this reflexive urge of narrative. Maybe it’s a mater of trust. Trust that what I put forth is enough and does not need the support of words and easily relatable imagery. One of the definitions of sublime is to pass directly from a solid to a vapor. It transcends the liquid state directly to a vapor. So in the visual realm, the narrative is like the liquid. The suggestive nature of the narrative frames and can change what was the original state. So this original state is no longer sublime if it needs a narrative, liquid, to become a vapor. I like the idea of vapor which is very ephemeral and dissipates beyond our awareness.

48cm x 84cm

19” x 33”

Douglas fir, brass and cord.

38cm x 130cm

15” x 51”

Paper, paint and pastels.

14” x 18.5”

Paper, paint and pastels.

14” x 19”

Paper, paint and pastels.

13” x 20”

33cm x 51cm

Bottom photo, a nighttime visitor.

Paper,paint and pastels

41cm x 56cm

16” x 22”

Paper, paint and pastels.

33cm x 43cm

13” x 19”

Summer 2021 # 6, ‘Circles All Around’

Paper, paint, pastels and tape.

37cm x 61cm

14.5” x 24”

Pastel on paper ~ 30 x 46cm, 12” x 18”

Pastel on Japanese paper ~ 30 x 46cm, 12” x 18”

Pastel on Japanese paper ~ 30 x 46cm, 12” x 18”

Paper collage with pencil.
~38 x 50cm, 15” x 20”

Paper, pastels and ink.

38cm x 50cm, 15” x 20”

Western red cedar, Douglas fir, sand, cord and brass rod.

122cm x 76cm x 38cm, 48” x 30” x 15”.