Edna The Elephant

James Cole is a North Lake Tahoe sports and product photographer by trade, with a degree from Brooks Institute of Photography. He has developed a love for building engineered art incorporating various metals, lighting and fire. Over more than 2 and a half decades James has created art mainly for Burning Man, Including a honorarium in 2008 “Legends of America” as well as building mutant vehicles “Edna the Elephant” & “The Pugg.” 

James is an instructor at the Truckee Roundhouse, a makerspace at the Truckee airport. His love of helping others through their artistic challenges is what lights the fire within himself and brings him great joy in seeing others go from concept to reality and being there to offer help through the challenges they might have along the way. The Truckee Roundhouse has made it possible for James to create bigger and more intricate art over the years. His work process can be seen on instagram @jackalotus

Edna the Elephant is a project James and many friends have worked on for the last 8 years with the intention of bringing together art, fire, interactivity and high fidelity sound with the intention of bringing a loving community with similar interests together.  Edna the Elephant is at many local community events including North Tahoe’s Snowfest and downtown Reno’s “House Party” events at Locomotion plaza. Edna is an ongoing project that will be evolving over the next decade.