Anima Mundi

Cla i re McArd le s c u l p t u r e a n d d r a w i n g s

CoverMythos24” x 5” x 5” terra cotta, terra sigillata2012

RightBison skeletal drawing20”x 15” Japanese ink2012

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Initiate 119” x 5” x5”terra cottaraw pigments2012

The archetype of the Initiate is triggered by loss, death, and tragedy. The psyche initiates a call to change, to reevaluate who we are and what our place is in the universe. The Initiate must embrace a new awareness at a time of pain, becoming a spiritual warrior through this cycle of growth.

Claire McArdle Sculpture and Drawings

P R I MA MADR E B I SON HOR S E I N IT IATE WAR R IOR H EALE R

The spirit awakens creativity through visions and dreams. Archetypes provide the common thread

between prehistoric and contemporary mind and form the essence of the World Soul ~ Anima Mundi.

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I N TR O D U C T I O N D AV I D S . W H I T L EY

SPIRIT WORLDS

“The artist alone sees spirits,” 18th century German writer Goethe told us, adding

that, once exposed by the artist, “everybody sees them.” Art reveals the spirits, I

take this to mean, and it is clear that our western consciousness has maintained

this conviction for ages. Nowhere is this better seen than in the dark-zone, Ice

Age caves of France and Spain. As early as 36,000 years ago, these caverns

were painted by shamans—ritual specialists who were thought to visit the super-

natural during their visionary trances. Keying on the soft undulating walls of these

limestone grottoes, they painted magnificent images of the spirits of their world,

drawing the beings that could only be half-seen in the natural contours of the rock

walls. Archaeological evidence suggests that this represents not just the invention

of art (something that our Neanderthal forebears lacked), but also the first appear-

ance of artistic genius, for many of these paintings are widely renowned as true

aesthetic masterpieces. Equally importantly, this represents our earliest evidence

for religion: an organized system of beliefs and rituals involving supernatural spirits.

Like much of Claire McArdle’s exhibit, the emphasis in this earliest shamanic

art was on animals and, appropriately, horses and bison. But these were not just

horses and bison (as beautiful as these animals may be). These were horse and

bison spirits which, as we know from studies of historic shamanistic religions,

were the supernatural alter egos of the shamans themselves: what the shamans

became, when they entered the supernatural realm. Like a modern sculptor work-

ing with a block of marble, the Ice Age shamans found these spirits in the cave

walls and brought them to life—or, at least, visibility—with their art.

Harmonia17” x 7” x 7” bronze2013

Cowhorn, horse-head, human hand. A composite of three mammals portrays the natural harmony between humans and the animals who feed us, clothe us, and help us work.

Senza Tempo17” x 20” x 6” travertine classico2012

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Horses on My Mind34” x 23” x 12” travertine classico2010Spirit of Ireland

24” x 10” x 11” travertine classico2008

A mythological lion grips a 1st century icon. Anima Mundi reveals the spiritual through the animal.

Senza Tempo17” x 20” x 6” travertine classico2012

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McArdle’s masterful sculptures, castings and paintings evocatively signal our

connection to this oldest human tradition—indeed, an artistic-religious tradition

that marks us as human beings, as we know ourselves today, and separates us

from our earlier hominid ancestors. Art and belief define us, this suggests, but,

as both the earliest art and the pieces in this exhibit demonstrate, they also link

us inextricably to the natural world and the animals that populate it. Whatever the

supernatural may be, it is not solely the domain of humans. Or perhaps better,

there is no way for us to deny our part-animal nature and origins.

As an archaeologist, I have pondered the obvious question: why did the first

humans emphasize the horse and the bison in their art? Some archaeologists

suggest that the two species represent a symbolic pair, akin to common opposi-

tions like good versus evil, or dark versus light. One possibility, with at least some

archaeological support, is that they may have symbolized the universal opposi-

tion of male versus female. But the truth is that we may never know what such an

opposition meant, 36,000 years ago.

Horsetower II43” x 16” x 8”travertine classico2010

Into the Light24” x 6” x 6”bronze2013

Equipean 4 and 524” x 6” x 6” terra cotta, terra sigillata2013 Mythological creatures with human features and the instinct of a wild horse.

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David S. Whitley

Archaeologist and author of

Cave Paintings and the Human Spirit: The Origin of Creativity and Belief

McArdle’s emphasis on these same animals likely stems from more complex moti-

vations, partly the inspiration of prehistoric art, perhaps, as well as an intimacy with

the horse and the bison resulting from her life in Colorado, where she has raised

both. Regardless of cause, this emphasis touches another, long-lived and more

singular human concern, which is the majesty, and the importance, of the horse

itself. Often expressed in poetry, song and art, the continuing special place of the

horse to humans is best stated, I believe, in The Quran:

When God created the horse, he said to the magnificent creature: I have made

thee as no other. All the treasures of the earth lie between thy eyes. Thou shalt

carry my friends upon thy back. Thy saddle shall be the seat of prayers to me.

And thou shalt fly without wings, and conquer without sword; oh horse.

Mexican Nobel laureate Carlos Fuentes repeatedly reminded us that ‘we are

where we come from.’ And if we are to know ourselves, and understand our place

in life, we must be ever mindful of this fact. Claire McArdle’s exhibit gives us that

opportunity, encouraging us to seek the connections between our contemporary

lives and our deepest prehistoric past, and to find the continuing links between the

natural and cultural realms, and the spirits that animate our worlds, and ourselves.

Horse Monoprints20” x 30”mixed media2013

Cavallino 18” x 8”mixed media2013

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Saturnus53” x 35” x 30”calacatta marble on NM travertine 2010 The planet of creativity. She is grounded to the earth and reaches towards the cosmos.

Venus84” x 19” x 19” calacatta marble on NM travertine2012

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Isabelle31” x 8” x 8” bronze2013

The female torso represents the Prima Madre, the archetype of the Earth Mother, sacred and forgotten.

Torso del Scavi36” x 8” x 8”travertine noci2012

La Masquera12” x 6” x 6”terra cotta, terra sigillata2012

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Bison Bones

This series was inspired by my love of the sculptural quality of bones and my awe of these prehistoric animals. The bones of these majestic creatures remind us of our prehistoric roots and connection to Nature.

Bison vertebrae discbronze2013

Bison Thoracic Vertebrae21” x 5” x 4”bronze2013

The long spinous processes of the vertebrae form a distinctive hump. They allow the animals to hold up their gigantic heads and forage for food in the snow.

Bison Scapula38” x 11” x 4” bronze2013

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Horses on My Mind20” x 30”mixed media2006

Top clockwise: Summer L’EstateWinter L’InvernoAutumn L’AutunoSpring La Primavera 20” x 30”mixed media 2006

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Anima Mundi: April 12 - June 9, 2013

The evolution of Anima Mundi started with a casual conversation in 2011 and has

become a full-fledged and comprehensive exhibit of Claire’s most recent work. We

hope that the breath of this exhibit will be a contribution to our community and region,

bringing an exciting, professional artist into our midst for a brief period. Claire’s openness

and ability to reach her innermost thoughts are evident in these exquisite works of art.

-Sigrid Trumpy, Curator of Anima Mundi: MHCA Director of Exhibits

Founded in 1979, the mission of Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts (MHCA) is to

provide exceptional opportunities for lifelong community participation in arts education,

the visual and performing arts. Today, our historic landmark building is the commu-

nity’s gathering place for the arts. Through Maryland Hall’s year-round arts classes,

performances, concerts, exhibits, tours, workshops and demonstrations, people of all

ages discover the transformative power of the arts. MHCA’s exhibitions program is a

vital component of our mission. Artists of all skill levels—from student and emerging to

professional—exhibit their work in Maryland Hall’s galleries, bringing diverse artwork

and art forms to our community’s residents.

Thanks to Anima Mundi Sponsors:Tom and Kitty Stoner, Lynne and Joe Horning,McArdle Insurance Agency, Inc., Mary Robbins and Stephanie and Kenneth ShippMaryland Hall is grateful to the patrons of our annual art auction, All That Art, which provided seed money and continuing support for this exhibition. We are grateful to Richard Caruso for his ongoing support of the exhibit program.

www.marylandhall.org / 801 Chase Street, Annapolis, MD 21041 / 410-263-5544

M A RYL A N D H A L L F O R TH E C R E AT I V E A RT S

Torso 13-124” x 7” x 7” terra cotta, terra sigillata2013

A RT I S T S TATE M E NT

For thousands of years, following human kind’s self-realization, many forms of art have

been created to give meaning to our existence. Artists created paintings, sculptures

and dances to express the beliefs and myths of creation, man’s place in the universe,

and his relationship to nature. My interest in art and mythology began as a child. I

was drawn to the art and artifacts from the prehistoric and ancient world. I recognized

at an early age that cross-cultural similarities abound in the archetypes of mythology,

binding us together as one species with common ancestors. The symbolism created

by artists therefore connects us through the Arts. My work is an extension of my

constant revisiting of these myths and mysteries as I try to bridge the relationship be-

tween the ancient world and our modern existence. I aim to create timeless work that

resonates with spirit. In this process, I develop expressions of my personal mythology,

bound to my ancestors through the archetype, altered by the world in which I live,

made unique by my hand.

-Claire McArdle

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PHOTO CREDITS: Jafe Parsons

PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS

Anima Mundi, 2013Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis, MD

Mysterium, 2011 - 2012 Darnell Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

Preludes, 2011International Visions - The Gallery, Washington, DC

Fragments, 2010Darnell Fine ArtSanta Fe, NM,

Touching the Earth: Initiates and Muses, 2009Darnell Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

Claire McArdle sculpture/Frank Sampson painting, 2009Canyon Gallery, Boulder, CO

Myth and Mystery, 2008Darnell Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

Myth and Mystery: Sculpture and Drawings, 2008Old Firehouse Art Center, Longmont, CO

Spirits Rising: An Evening of Dance / Sculpture, 2007Historic Dumbarton Church, Washington, DC

The Horse, 2006International Visions Gallery, Washington, DC

Passages, 2004Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MD

New Work: Dancers and Ancient Memories, 2003Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MD

Fire and Earth, 2000International Visions Gallery, Washington, DC

COMMISSIONS

Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL

Saint Bede Church, Williamsburg, VA

Marian House, Baltimore, MD

The Holton-Arms School, Bethesda, MD

Holy Trinity Church, Washington, DC

Holy Redeemer College, Washington, DC

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2013Coors Western Art Exhibit, Denver, COAncient Ways, Gardner Colby Gallery, Naples, FLIn House, Chaney Gallery, Maryland Hall, Annapolis, MDGallery Artists, Worrell Gallery, Santa Fe, NMInternational Visions-The Gallery, Washington, DCCarla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MD Martin Gallery, Charleston, SC, Shaw Cramer Gallery, Vineyard Haven, MA

2012AIR Cheney Gallery, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis, MDCoors Western Art Exhibit, Denver, COGallery Artists, Gardner Colby Gallery, Naples, FL International Visions-The Gallery, Washington, DC Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MD Martin Gallery, Charleston, SCShaw Cramer Gallery, Vineyard Haven, MA

2011Spring Exhibition, Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MDAIR Cheney Gallery, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis, MDGallery Artists- International Visions-The Gallery, Washington, DC Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MD, Martin Gallery, Charleston, SCThomas Deans Fine Art, Atlanta, GA, Darnell Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

2010Fall into Summer, Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MDInto the Light, Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MDGallery Artists- International Visions-The Gallery, Washington, DCCarla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MD, Martin Gallery, Charleston, SC Thomas Deans Fine Art, Atlanta, GA

2009Gallery Artists, Telluride Gallery of Fine Art, Telluride, CO International Visions-The Gallery, Washington, DCCarla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MD Martin Gallery, Charleston, SC, Darnell Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM

200824/7 The Creative Challenge, Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MDGallery Artists, Telluride Gallery of Fine Art, Telluride, CO International Visions-The Gallery, Washington, DCMartin Gallery, Charleston, SC, Darnell Fine Art, Santa Fe, NMSculpture on the Blue, Breckenridge, CO

2007Ten, International Visions Gallery, Washington, DCDwell, Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MDLifelines: Vessels, Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MDSculpture on the Blue, Breckenridge, CO

2006 Sculpture on the Blue, Breckenridge, CO Best in Show AwardSequences and Consequences, Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MDHermandades Escultoricas, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Atenea de Yucatan, Merida, MexicoGallery Artists, Telluride Gallery of Fine Art, Telluride, COInternational Visions-The Gallery, Washington, DCMartin Gallery, Charleston, NCHarbor Square Gallery, Rockland, ME

2005Particles and Passions: The Art of Clay, Academy Art Museum, Easton, MDOther Dimensions, Carla Massoni Gallery, Chestertown, MDGallery Artists, Telluride Gallery of Fine Art, Telluride, CO, International Visions-The Gallery, Washington, DC, Martin Gallery, Charleston, SC

Claire McArdle grew up in the Washington DC metro area where she began studying art in high school. After earning a Bachelor in Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, she moved to Italy in 1988 to work with the master carvers in Carrara and continues to travel to Italian quarries to rough out her travertine and marble work. Her works are in private and public collections throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan. She lives with her husband in Hygiene, Colorodo.www.cmsculpture.com

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PHOTO CREDIT: Patricia Jarvis