The Longest Journey

The Longest Journey is the Journey Within

As one approaches the Peace Garden, a seated figure emerges dappled by sunlight. It exudes a calm that prompts passersby to soften their voices and fall into contemplation.

In the stillness of this private moment, your mind might drift toward thoughts of seeking and fulfillment. There is a temptation to look towards this seated sage for answers and direction. Such musings are exactly what the “Holy Grail” was designed to reflect: humanity’s individual and collective search for enlightenment.

Artist James N. Muir, a scholar of history and symbolism, has devoted much of his life to the quest of this truth. “For centuries, mankind has sought the mystical ‘Holy Grail’ as a material object to be found… if we but only look to see our own reflection in the mirror of the soul.”

Muir chooses his words carefully. Though few, each holds a flourish of detail.

Approaching the “Holy Grail’, you are almost compelled to grasp the lifelike hands that reach out from textured folds of robe. There is room to either side to sit and ponder, shoulder to shoulder. And should your eyes seek assurance from those beneath the hooded cloak, comfort shall come from a familiar face.

“The longest journey,” Muir softly explains, “is the journey within.”

James N. Muir was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1945. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point for one and a half years, completed his B.S. Degree at Indiana University, and served six years in both the U.S. Army and Air Force. His professional art career as a sculptor began in Sedona in 1980. Here, he has continued to be a full-time professional artist for over three decades.

Originally sculpted in clay, his sculptures are cast in bronze using the classical “Lost Wax” process. He has completed over 100 sculptures to date, with over 60 life-size and monumental sculptures placed in public locations across the U.S. and abroad.

His meticulous attention to detail and insightful grasp of the human experience have resulted in exquisite works of art. Some of the public collections Muir’s work resides include: West Point Military Academy in New York, U.S. Cavalry Museum at Fort Riley, Booth Museum in Georgia, Birkenau Museum at Auschwitz, St. Louis University, Gettysburg Battlefield Museum, Pearce Western Art Museum, Sons of The American Revolution Headquarters, University of Arizona, NRA Headquarters, Palmerton Borough Park, Atlanta Historical Society, Paul Harvey News Broadcasting Headquarters, George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Scottsdale Healthcare Hospitals, and some of the most prominent private collections in America.

Additional information about Muir and his work can be found at GoldensteinArt.com.