Alexander Fitzmaurice MacLaren was born on September 17, 1912, the only child of James Alexander MacLaren (Alex) and Geraldine Madeleine Haskins (Madeleine). He was educated in Barrie and Toronto, and served in World War II. Upon his return, he opened A. F. MacLaren & Co, the first firm of chartered accountants in the Town of Barrie. He was an active and popular member of the community, helping form the Huronia Festival of the Arts, the Barrie Yacht Club and the Sunnidale Arboretum. In 1985, Maurice Maclaren was honoured with the Barrie Citizen of the Year Award and his name was recorded in the Barrie Business Hall of Fame for his fundraising and charity work. His gift of Maple Hill and his art collection forms the backbone of the MacLaren Art Centre and gives us our name; twenty-five years later, we recognize his foresight and his generosity.MacLaren and his ancestors would be turning in their graves to see that this is what the MacLaren Art Centre is exhibiting now (see my recent full post Selling Our Souls).
It is his friends who give him the greatest tribute. As Rayner McCullough wrote in the Barrie Examiner in 2009, “He was just someone who helped everyone – widows, people having financial problems, local organizations. He always had time to talk to them or invite them in for a visit… Barrie was a lot smaller back then. It just seemed like the thing to do, give something back to the community. He was a most kind gentleman.”
Ted Fullerton
Anima Mundi, 2016
Cast Resin (Bronze), Steel, Antler
9’ x 5’ x 2’
Bau-Xi Gallery, Toronto
(More on Ted Fullerton here, and his works here and here)
About the phrase Anima Mundi:
"Anima Mundi is an occult and spiritual belief that everything in the Universe is connected by a world soul."[Source: Rationalwiki]More...
Goat Head Symbol: The picture of the horned goat head is a symbol used by Satanists to mock Jesus, who is known as the 'Lamb of God', who gave His life for sinners. The goat-headed figure is called 'Baphomet', which represents the deity of Satanist and the power of darkness. The goat head is the Satanists' way to mock the expression 'Lamb of God'. [Source]More...
Baphomet is an enigmatic, goat-headed figure found in several instance in the history of occultism.
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Baphomet is a composite creation symbolic of alchemical realization through the union of opposite forces. Occultists believe that, through the mastery of life force, one is able to produce magick and spiritual enlightenment. Eliphas Levi’s depiction of Baphomet included several symbols alluding to the raising of the kundalini – serpentine power – which ultimately leads to the activation of the pineal gland, also known as the “third eye”. So, from an esoteric point of view, Baphomet represents this occult process [Source].