Jay Gould’s Photography Blog

It was about a year and a half ago that I had a very exciting dream to create a giant, fully-operational drinking bird. You know, those funny glass beaker birds with goofy top hats and insatiable thirsts. I can think of perhaps a few others in my life that also sorta fit that description, but that is for another time. At the time I was very excited with the idea of making these birds and using them for photographs and installations. The technical aspects of the construction was going to elude me until I had some moo-laa, but I figured I was safe for a time… wow was I wrong.

I immediately created this non-working bird for a photograph and was satisfied for the time being. Since much of my work emphasizes the childlike curiosity of my scientist persona, the drinking bird was a nice, highly recognizable item to start with.

to see a larger version visit the ‘field studies’ series on my photographs page.

Now here is where my hopes and dreams were dashed against the chalkboard… A few months ago I came across Daniel Reynolds and his Drinking Bird Project at www.drinkingbirds.com. They are beautiful. Perfect enlargements of the small toy, and there are so many!

I am not bitter now, I never really was, just awestruck that someone beat me to the crazy idea. Daniel did what seems to be a terrific job not only in the presentation of an exhibition of these birds, but also in adding the background process and science to the website.

I no longer plan on making a giant bird, but perhaps look forward to someday exhibiting my image next to one of these marvelous birds.

What Happend to the Monster Trucks? When did America’s awe twist into malice? I had the ol’ tube on the other day and saw an advertisement for a monster truck show coming to Minneapolis. This ad showed little except trucks flipping over to break under their own bulk or spinning until a wheel or two flew off. The voice was the same characteristic shout from my youth, but the images were not what I remember.

First, I should mention that as a child I obsessed about many things, but two topics earned more attention than most: Dinosaurs and, of course, Monster Trucks. I went to indoor shows with huge ear mufflers designed to keep out gunshot volume, and it was just enough for those rediculous, raw engine noises. I watched VHS tapes weekly with slackjawed daydreaming. When the tape was over I sketched and meticulously planned the first monsters I dreamed to someday attempt to build… probably to be ready to strike fear on the road the day I turned 16.

I loved and respected those machines. They were awe-inspiring icons of power and ingenuity… not destruction. In fact, witnessing their constant demise would probably have shattered an idol I held dear. The VHS tapes, specially prepared by the American Hot Rod Association presented each truck as a legend with low camera-angle shots of the beasts coming out of the darkenss with a mythical story involving steadfast heroics appropriate to their name. Looking up to these trucks was harmless. Their drivers, to me, were annonymous. They did not say offensive things or kill a few innocents while driving drunk; the trucks were my imagination’s role models, in a metaphorical sense.

It is for this reason that I disapprove of current monster truck advertisements. Sure, they probably work perfectly, especially for the adults, but I like to think that those trucks are still sparking kid’s imaginations and allowing them to believe that they can design and build anything no matter how strange. Seeing the bohemouths breaking apart so readily doesn’t make all kids scream with red-eyed delight. Some instead see the diminishing of a once strong icon; their invincible warrior slaughtered needlessly in the Coliseum.

I know I am. Finally the new site is up and running. I have been working hard on this, starting all from scratch and hard-coding the entire thing (except the flash content and blog of course.) It was a terrible and wonderful experience worth the trouble I think. I will be constantly writing and adding to this blog as well as adding photography and art whenever it is at a point I can stand seeing it online. For now please enjoy, bookmark me, show it to your pals, and write some words if you are so inclined. Thanks, -J

The new site is up and running. Not all content is complete and online, but on its way very soon. Please check back next week or even during the weekend to see all the exciting new work, blogging and changes. Thanks!