Vintage Texas Paintings
Vintage Texas Paintings

  "Empty Saddle"

  • Details

    Western, Horse, Cowboy, Old West

  • Biography

    James Muir Born 1945


    James N. Muir was born in Indianapolis, Indiana 1945. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point for two years and completed his B.S. Degree at Indiana University in 1970. His professional art career as a sculptor began in 1979, and he has continued to be a full-time professional artist for 26 years.

    He owned his own bronze casting foundry*, Seraph M Fine Art Bronze, from 1982 to 1988 in Sedona, Arizona. He has completed over 100 sculptures to date, and his first book Lanterns Along the Path was published in 2004.

    Allegorical* Art is a term Muir uses to describe his art as being filled with symbolic* meaning. Bridging the centuries from his historical military subjects to today's social, political and spiritual commentary, his sculptures have themes of Duty, Honor, Courage, and Justice, but above all, of Truth and the ultimate triumph of the Human Spirit. He has built upon the recognition gained as a historical military sculptor to create an ever-expanding array of artistic commentary exemplifying the highest qualities of man.

    Muir's early interest in history and the military was reinforced by his experiences as a West Point cadet and to which he also attributes the cementing of his personal "Code of Honor." Muir's ever deeper involvement with horses, and his continuing quest for spiritual Truth, finally led him to leave Indiana in 1979 for the freedom and inspiration of the great American West.

    He ultimately settled in Sedona, Arizona, and there embarked on a full-time career in sculpting, initially specializing in historical subjects. In 1990 he began to expand his work to include contemporary subjects and accepting commissions in life-size and monumental. He prides himself on attention to detail, which he directs to crafting his bronzes.

    Some of the public collections holding Muir's work are the U.S. Cavalry Museum at Fort Riley, Meisler Museum, Bolivar Museum, Gettysburg Battlefield Museum, the Booth Museum in Georgia, Pearce Western Art Museum, Sons of The American Revolution Headquarters, and the Atlanta Historical Society. Many of his sculptures that address today's contemporary issues can be found in institutions and museums such as Birkenau Museum in Auschwitz, El Paso Holocaust Museum, St. Louis University, Vanguard University, Paul Harvey News Broadcasting Headquarters, George W. Bush Presidential Library and some of the most prominent private collections in America.

    Muir's most recent accomplishment is the release of another book, Lanterns Along The Path: The Allegorical Art of James N. Muir, which showcases all of his sculptures with a narrative which addresses the spirit of his human journey.


    Recent commissions in-progress include: West Point Military Academy, a monumental sculpture for the new Thomas Jefferson Library Rotunda; an 18 foot Christ sculpture for CC Young at Dallas, Texas; a life-size figure of the Mexican hero - Elfego Baca for a museum in New Mexico; and two signature sculptures for the Sedona Humane Society in Arizona.

    PUBLIC LOCATIONS FOR SCULPTURE AND LIFESIZE MONUMENTS
    West Point, New York (Jefferson Library)         (Thomas Jefferson-1802)
    President George W. Bush, Jr./New Library       (Colonel Travis-The Line)
    Auschwitz -Birkenau Museum/Poland             (Children)
    Reserve, New Mexico                                         (Elfego Baca/One Man-One War)
    St. Louis University (Illinois)                             (Justice, Caduceus, Quo Vadis)
    Paul Harvey Broadcasting (Chicago)                 (Newsboy)
    City of Mesa (AZ) and Seattle Times (WA)       (Newsboy)
    University of Arizona (Tucson, Az)                   (Newsboy)
    Maricopa Co. Sheriff's Offices (Phoenix,)           (They Served Well)
    SAR Headquarters (Sons of Am Revolution)Louisville (Sons of Liberty)
    Booth Museum (Georgia)                                   (historical pieces)
    Bolivar Museum (Missouri)                                 (historical pieces)
    U. S. Military Museum (Ft. Morgan)       (historical pieces and Some Gave All)
    Newman University (Kansas)                           (Lady Justice)
    Vanguard University (California)                         (Quo Vadis)
    Ft. Riley U.S. Cavalry Museum (Kansas)               (Duty)
    Pearce/Cook Art Museum (Navarro College-Corsicana,Tx)   (Letter From Home)
    Collin County Courthouse (McKinney, Texas)                       (Colonel Travis)
    Hunt Oil Corporation (Dallas, Texas)                                   (Colonel Travis)
    Holocaust Museum (El Paso, Tx & Meisler Museum in Co) (Children)
    City of Mesa (Arizona)                                                           (Newsboy)
    University of Arizona (Tucson, Az)                                       (Newsboy)
    City of Texas City Hall                                               (Cornerstones of Freedom)
    City of Golden, Colorado                                                           (Children)
    City of Golden, Colorado                                       (Fences & Heart of The West)
    City of Golden, Colorado                     (American Pieta-Cornerstones of Freedom)
    Lake Forest, Ill. Pvt. Museum                                               (American Pieta-Dance)
    The GOW School (Southwales, NY)           (Cornerstones of Freedom)
    City of San Dimas (City Hall & Library)     (Cornerstones of Freedom)
    Gettysburg Battlefield Museum                         (Saving the Flag)
    Scottsdale Healthcare Hospitals (Arizona)         (Caduceus @ 3 locations)
    Briscoe National Western Art Museum (San Antonio,Tx)   (Colonel Travis)
    Morrison Pioneer History Museum (Colorado)       (Sons of Liberty)
    U.S. Historical Military Museum (Colorado)           (Some Gave All)
    Palmerton High School & NAU University             (Band of Brothers)
    Pioneer Park/Lake Creek Historical Society (Bend,OR)       (Dance)
    First United Methodist Church (Dallas, Tx)             (Walk With Me)
    Larson Newspapers (Sedona, Az)               (Lil Liberty-Let Freedom Ring)
    Cowboy Plaza-City of Sedona                     (Dance & Heart of The West)
    Sedona Humane Society (Sedona, Az)         (Heart of The Hound-Soul of The Cat)
    Feiger, Kenney & Johnson (Michigan)           (Lady Justice)
    Aspey, Watkins, Diesel (Flagstaff, Az)   (Lady Justice & Cornerstones of Freedom)
    Veteran's Affairs Medical Center/Hospital (Prescott, Az)   (Some Gave All)
    Cedar City Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Park (Utah) (Some Gave All)
    Veteran's Freedom Memorial Park (Cary, NC)     (Some Gave All)
    Loveland Veteran's Memorial Plaza (Loveland, CO) (Some Gave All)          
    New Mexico Military Institute/Hogan Library (Roswell, NM) (Rescue Under Fire)
    Sheridan Historic Inn (Sheridan, WY)             (Dance)
    Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, Az)     (Band of Brothers)
    Remington Arms for NRA Headquarters (Virginia)   (Band of Brothers)
     

    Source: website of the artist; submitted by Linda Muir




    Biography from Altermann Galleries and Auctioneers, IV


    Photo of James Muir

    James Nathan Muir has built upon his fame as an historical military sculptor to create an ever-expanding array of artistic commentary on the human social, political, and spiritual condition in order to exemplify the highest qualities of man. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Muir had an early interest in history and the military which was reinforced by his experiences as a West Point cadet. He also credits his time at West Point with finalizing his personal code of honor, a way of living that he puts into his sculpture.

    In 1979, Muir's deep involvement with horses, his business degree from Indiana University and his continuing quest for a spiritual truth led him away from Indiana, and into the vast spaces of the American West. Unlike many artists, Muir came to his vocation relatively late in life; after working at ranches in both Texas and Arizona, Muir finally settled in Sedona, Arizona, and there embarked on a career in sculpting, specializing in equestrian subjects of the American Frontier and Civil War.

    In his bronzes, the artist pays meticulous attention to details and also expresses his observations of human experience.

    Muir is a member of the Society of American Historical Artists. His bronzes reside in the U.S. Cavalry Museum at Fort Riley, the Gettysburg Battlefield Museum, and the Atlanta Historical Society. Other collections in which his work can be found includes St. Louis University, the City of Loveland Park, Southern California Christian College, Paul Harvey News Broadcasting Headquarters, and private American collections.

    Although his sculptures of the Civil War and the Western frontier gained him his initial acclaim, in 1990 Muir expanded his subject matter. In keeping with his deep spiritual convictions and social consciousness, Muir's sculptures now reflect not only the past, but also the critical nature of the times in which we live. However, whether historical or contemporary, "the golden thread that ties it all together is still my never-ending quest for the essence of life— for Truth in its purest form."




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