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About
Contact Info
| Address | Jay Thompson 7 Marjean Ct. Kirkwood, MO 63122 United States |
| Daytime phone | 314-966-2079 |
| send message | |
| Web site | www.catworks-online.com |
| Jay Thompson is a 64 year old curmudgeon who lives in Kirkwood, Missouri as well as Deerfield, IL. His lifetime companion and wife Victoria has mostly managed to tolerate him. His one daughter Aimee, and two grandchildern Jessica, and Adam nicely fill out the family. Jay has been a digital artist from the time of the first Macintosch in 1985. |
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This is a mysterious collection of works that has been in hibernation for well over a century. These curios have been collectively titled “CAT WORKS”.
Their origin is not known. This cabinet of curiosities had lain in an abandoned coal cellar, within a forgotten steamer trunk until 1909, when it was discovered by my grandfather. He became the first curator of this bizarre, almost surreal, collection, which includes over 200 hand-colored photographs, daguerreotypes and glass plate negatives as well as notes, letter fragments and other cryptic and arcane communication references.
They defy definition and even, in some cases, description. Certain pieces appear to have futurist elements, while others have obscure historical footnotes. Almost all reflect a stark understanding of place and self awareness.
Inexplicable subject matter abounds. For example: the cult of the machine, the symbolic arrangement of elements, and the society of narcissism. There are also analogies and speculations of philosophical, scientific, naturalist tendencies. Many oddities are unexplained.
The following are selected excerpts – equally mysterious – from my grandfather’s journal:
There exists a shadow reality where rules of biology have drastically diverged. How this has come about is matter of debate; most believe that it was dreamed. In this scenario the ostensibly benevolent yet ruling species is feline. Others exist.
A broadcast mutation gene has mixed a group of organisms and made the species capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring, a MARVEL of biodiversity. Homo-sapiens in their original form have disappeared from this stage, but are NOT forgotten. Indeed, they are admired, copied, even at times worshiped. Flotsam and jetsam of the originators have washed ashore. Various concepts and ideas are held in high esteem.
This reality appears to be stuck in a pocket of time that ripples from the early to mid-twentieth century.
Through family inheritance this collection has come into my hands. After a considerable internal debate I have decided to release a limited selection, while preservation, classification and analysis continue. It is my hope that you will find them as beautiful, curious and mysteriously satisfying as I have.
Jay Thompson
Current Curator
About Cat Works
Cat Works represents my attitudes, my beliefs and is mixed generously with my sense of humor. However, (as I'm sure you've noticed) that the actors in my melodramas have the HEADS OF CATS!
Are these the surreal snapshots of the imagination? Or...are they something more? The hy-bred creatures shown here are completely self-aware. They offer no apology for their existence.
In fact their existence is unique. Their society, their moral code their very history ALL mirror the viewers'. BUT there is a predatory under-current that permeates the collection. Fang and claw...just out of sight, reminds us of our base nature and our more primitive urges.
Further, it is because of this existence that we are reminded of what Mark Twain said... "if man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
Then again these may just be, the surreal snapshots of the imagination.
This Just In:
Dangerous and whimsical, full of randonish factisms! Cat Works entertains on many levels. Just because you can't understand it, doesn't mean it isn't true.
-Reviewed on Flickr
Their origin is not known. This cabinet of curiosities had lain in an abandoned coal cellar, within a forgotten steamer trunk until 1909, when it was discovered by my grandfather. He became the first curator of this bizarre, almost surreal, collection, which includes over 200 hand-colored photographs, daguerreotypes and glass plate negatives as well as notes, letter fragments and other cryptic and arcane communication references.
They defy definition and even, in some cases, description. Certain pieces appear to have futurist elements, while others have obscure historical footnotes. Almost all reflect a stark understanding of place and self awareness.
Inexplicable subject matter abounds. For example: the cult of the machine, the symbolic arrangement of elements, and the society of narcissism. There are also analogies and speculations of philosophical, scientific, naturalist tendencies. Many oddities are unexplained.
The following are selected excerpts – equally mysterious – from my grandfather’s journal:
There exists a shadow reality where rules of biology have drastically diverged. How this has come about is matter of debate; most believe that it was dreamed. In this scenario the ostensibly benevolent yet ruling species is feline. Others exist.
A broadcast mutation gene has mixed a group of organisms and made the species capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring, a MARVEL of biodiversity. Homo-sapiens in their original form have disappeared from this stage, but are NOT forgotten. Indeed, they are admired, copied, even at times worshiped. Flotsam and jetsam of the originators have washed ashore. Various concepts and ideas are held in high esteem.
This reality appears to be stuck in a pocket of time that ripples from the early to mid-twentieth century.
Through family inheritance this collection has come into my hands. After a considerable internal debate I have decided to release a limited selection, while preservation, classification and analysis continue. It is my hope that you will find them as beautiful, curious and mysteriously satisfying as I have.
Jay Thompson
Current Curator
About Cat Works
Cat Works represents my attitudes, my beliefs and is mixed generously with my sense of humor. However, (as I'm sure you've noticed) that the actors in my melodramas have the HEADS OF CATS!
Are these the surreal snapshots of the imagination? Or...are they something more? The hy-bred creatures shown here are completely self-aware. They offer no apology for their existence.
In fact their existence is unique. Their society, their moral code their very history ALL mirror the viewers'. BUT there is a predatory under-current that permeates the collection. Fang and claw...just out of sight, reminds us of our base nature and our more primitive urges.
Further, it is because of this existence that we are reminded of what Mark Twain said... "if man could be crossed with the cat it would improve the man, but it would deteriorate the cat."
Then again these may just be, the surreal snapshots of the imagination.
This Just In:
Dangerous and whimsical, full of randonish factisms! Cat Works entertains on many levels. Just because you can't understand it, doesn't mean it isn't true.
-Reviewed on Flickr
Best of the Best
Visitors 504
46 photos
Created 23-Jan-12
Modified 23-Jan-12
A Little Bit of Everything
Visitors 487
98 photos
Created 23-Jan-12
Modified 23-Jan-12
Art and Artists
Visitors 120
21 photos
Created 26-Jul-11
Modified 26-Jul-11
Military Time
Visitors 123
6 photos
Created 18-Feb-11
Modified 18-Feb-11
Square Images
Visitors 134
14 photos
Created 31-Dec-11
Modified 31-Dec-11
Strange and Bizarre
Visitors 212
6 photos
Created 10-Aug-10
Modified 10-Aug-10
Political Statement
Visitors 81
7 photos
Created 26-Jul-11
Modified 26-Jul-11
Egyptian and Greek
Visitors 111
9 photos
Created 10-Nov-11
Modified 10-Nov-11
Featured
Visitors 444
33 photos
Created 23-Jan-12
Modified 23-Jan-12
Ballerina
Visitors 224
3 photos
Created 10-Aug-10
Modified 10-Aug-10
Cat Works the Book
Visitors 75
1 photos
Created 13-Oct-10
Modified 13-Oct-10
A Little Bit of Everything
Visitors 487
98 photos
Created 23-Jan-12
Modified 23-Jan-12
Best of the Best
Visitors 504
46 photos
Created 23-Jan-12
Modified 23-Jan-12
Featured
Visitors 444
33 photos
Created 23-Jan-12
Modified 23-Jan-12
Square Images
Visitors 134
14 photos
Created 31-Dec-11
Modified 31-Dec-11
Art Cards
Visitors 17
13 photos
Created 16-Nov-11
Modified 16-Nov-11
Egyptian and Greek
Visitors 111
9 photos
Created 10-Nov-11
Modified 10-Nov-11
Art and Artists
Visitors 120
21 photos
Created 26-Jul-11
Modified 26-Jul-11
Political Statement
Visitors 81
7 photos
Created 26-Jul-11
Modified 26-Jul-11
Featured
Best of the Best
Visitors 504
46 photos
Created 23-Jan-12
Modified 23-Jan-12
A Little Bit of Everything
Visitors 487
98 photos
Created 23-Jan-12
Modified 23-Jan-12
Art and Artists
Visitors 120
21 photos
Created 26-Jul-11
Modified 26-Jul-11
Military Time
Visitors 123
6 photos
Created 18-Feb-11
Modified 18-Feb-11
Square Images
Visitors 134
14 photos
Created 31-Dec-11
Modified 31-Dec-11
Strange and Bizarre
Visitors 212
6 photos
Created 10-Aug-10
Modified 10-Aug-10
Political Statement
Visitors 81
7 photos
Created 26-Jul-11
Modified 26-Jul-11
Egyptian and Greek
Visitors 111
9 photos
Created 10-Nov-11
Modified 10-Nov-11
Featured
Visitors 444
33 photos
Created 23-Jan-12
Modified 23-Jan-12
Ballerina
Visitors 224
3 photos
Created 10-Aug-10
Modified 10-Aug-10
Cat Works the Book
Visitors 75
1 photos
Created 13-Oct-10
Modified 13-Oct-10
Art Cards
Visitors 17
13 photos
Created 16-Nov-11
Modified 16-Nov-11
257 photos
Visitors 1704
© Jay Thompson Cat Works