Artist Journal Entry:
Over the duration of my career photographing cowboys and various ranches, I have come across many cowgirls who have also stood in front of my lens. I have ridden horseback alongside them, branded calves in the dustiest conditions, laughed together in their homes, watched them raise their kids, said thank you, ma'am, for every home-cooked meal, and admired their tenacity to get the job done, no matter the task. Hell, I'll be honest, there are a handful that I know who work harder than most men. The cowboy is an icon of freedom, but the cowgirl amplifies it.
She had to carve out space in a male-dominated and unforgiving landscape. These women keep ranch culture alive. They raise the kids, help run the ranches, guard the heritage, and make sure the traditions survive another generation. The cowgirl is the West’s embodiment of earned strength, independence, generational continuity, and raw authenticity, all wrapped in the tension between elegance and grit. I have sat down next to women covered from head to toe in dust with nothing but smiles on their faces, and a cold beer in their hand, as they continued to drink most of us in the room under the table. There's a balance of playfulness and charm that each of them wears on their sleeves. These women know how to elevate those around them, always challenging those to become the best version of themselves. In a world obsessed with authenticity, the cowgirl is the antithesis of manufactured femininity. This photograph is dedicated to the women who make our lives better and know how to get their hands dirty while still maintaining a care-free and witty personality when times get tough. This one is for the cowgirls.