March 31, 2009

Part I of a new series called "What is Art" has been posted in the words section, and you can view it here. The other parts will be posted soon, so check for updates... Enjoy.

Feburary 9, 2009

SHADOWCHASERS.COM is turning ten this year. It is also beginning the process of morphing into an entirely different site. For the last decade it has been primarily a virtual folio showcasing the work of a nationally known artist, Murad Saÿen, in painting, photography, writing and knifemaking. While these galleries will still be available, the new form will be primarily focused on becoming both a blog and a resource site, offering content, information and links to other sites that will be of value to people in a wide variety of areas.

ART: As a lifelong painter and a photographer for over 35 years, I can offer suggestions as to materials, techniques and sources for everything from art materials to inspiration. There will be a ‘how to’ section for painters and one for photographers as well, with step–by–step images of how a painting progresses from start to end and how to achieve professional results with your digital camera.

There will be links to sites that review digital cameras and there will be galleries and slide shows of work by both myself and other artists of merit. I retired from knifemaking in 2005, so the knifemaking will continue to be simply a gallery of unique pieces that are representative of those produced over a 30 year period.

Philosophy of Art: Throughout my life I have felt that art and life go hand in hand. To separate one from the other is to deny the nature of human existence. To this end it is possible to view life as art, and vice versa. There will be content on how art informs, enriches and transforms the world as we experience it. And there will be a discussion on living one’s life ‘artfully’.

There will also be an ongoing discussion of the meaning of art, including a penetrating look at the puzzle presented by ‘modernist’ genre, and the lessons learned from the rich history of art down through the ages. Many people feel either perplexed or downright frustrated by so–called ’insider art’, and well they should feel that way. My energy will be directed towards revealing the ‘king’s new underwear’ and there will be links to other sites where the writers are also debunking what we have been told was ‘fine art’ for generations now is offered. Do not expect me to be one of the people in the admiring crowd who ooohs and aaaahs as the king rides by. He’s buck–ass naked folks, and it’s not a pretty sight. Don’t think so? Over the coming months I will build a strong case to show that he is.

Philosophy at Large: As we look at the society we live in, it becomes ever more obvious that some long held ethical standards are changing, and doing so very quickly. As an ethicist, I will be offering some thoughts on what the end result of this change will be, if we fail to step–up and take a stand. I will be posting a serial book: The Death of Honor. It will discuss the origins of the concept of Honor, and argue that if our fundamental concepts of personal integrity and corporate/institutional responsibility are allowed to atrophy—if we are so foolish as to let the idea of Honor and Right Conduct become obsolescent—that we will end up with a society that is verging on becoming unlivable. Some would argue that we’re almost there.

Storytelling: I will be posting several novels in serial form. Above and Beyond is the story of a Vietnam veteran who has PTSD, goes to Europe and encounters his own ‘ghosts’ in those of a WWII German fighter pilot. It’s a story of Feminine Wisdom, healing and the effects of war on a man’s soul.

Skana is the story of a Puget Sound fisherman who meets a Kwakiutl shaman, and is asked to help save the Pacific Ocean from dying. It is an ‘eco–thriller’ about what we’re doing to our planet and where we will find the will to change our behavior.

So, please check back regularly and see what is happening here. If you are an art-lover, and a seeker of insight into the mysteries of life, I believe you will find some ideas and art works here that are worthwhile.

Murad Saÿen, in the foothills of western Maine, winter ‘09