Bare Blass by Bill Blass

Bare Blass by Bill Blass

Photo books that make me smile are rare. Sandy Carson's I've Always Been a Cowboy in My Heart is one of them for this Scotsman has an eye for the absurdities of daily American life. - F-Stop Magazine

I've Always Been a Cowboy in My Heart is Carson's outsider's observations of the weird happenstances that present themselves on the great American road trip, as seen through the wide eyes of a Scotsman. After relocating from his native homeland of Scotland in the 90's, he has now spent half his life in Texas. This 12-year project chronicles his fascination with everyday occurrences in the social landscape and explores the spaces between clarity and imperfection, composing a personal slice of America. When put into a photographic context, the aesthetics convey recurring visions of scrutiny, Scottish humor, absurdity and empathy, transforming the most banal scenarios into a nostalgic connection for Carson to his background.

The first image in I've Always Been a Cowboy in My Heart, the new book by photographer and veteran Chronicle contributor Sandy Carson, is a pretty good indicator of the kind of work you'll see throughout its pages: firmly rooted in place - unquestionably the U.S., and most of the time pretty obviously the western half; marked by the unexpected or surprising; keenly observed; artfully composed; wry. -The Austin Chronicle

The American West may be fundamentally ineffable, but Carson has managed to impose his own order upon it. To him, it's a visual playground of long roads, arid spaces, and cultural incongruities. Each photo captures a minor absurdity. A tree advertised with a Free sign. A store called Die Mart. A formal chair set in the river shallows. A deserted sedan is full of currency. And so on. Fans of David Graham, Phil Bergerson, and Zoe Strauss will find a lot to like here. - photo-eye