The Cowboy Way

Curatorial Statement

For as long as I can remember, the cowboy has been a prominent figure in my family’s household. I grew up going to rodeos, listening to country music, and watching every western movie my dad and I could find. The cowboy is important to me as he is the reason my dad and I have such a strong bond and for that, I will be forever grateful. My goal for this exhibit was to take my admiration for the American Cowboy and expand upon the knowledge I grew up learning. While the cowboy already has a reputation, my goal was to show a whole new side to cowboys that one typically wouldn’t think about when talking about the prominent historical figure.

My hope is that viewers of this exhibit will leave with a well-rounded introduction to The Cowboy Way of life in all its diversity, values, and faults and gain some knowledge into what actually makes someone a cowboy. I also hope that the viewer will leave with an appreciation for those who live the cowboy lifestyle today, and are committed to keeping the American cowboy alive. In order for this exhibit to be successful, I strategically chose objects that depicted the cowboy way of life as well and were also taken by photographers who had personal connections to the rodeo, wild west shows, or western culture. Many of the photographers of the images in this exhibit made an incredible impact in the world of cowboys whether it was changing the way rodeos were photographed, exploring cultures outside of the “typical” cowboy description, or even capturing some of history’s most fearless women.

Many of the movies and books we see and read today depict the stereotypical version of the cowboy – gruff white man in a cowboy hat and boots – and it was important for me to show the impact many people from diverse backgrounds bring to cowboy culture today. The white man wasn’t the first cowboy, in fact, the first cowboy came from Mexico and his contributions changed the western world forever. Black men overcame slavery and made a name for themselves as cowboys and entertainers to in Wild West Shows and continue to make a difference in cities and urban areas today. Woman are rarely talked about in the same vein as the cowboy but, there were women who lived for the thrill of rodeo and death-defying stunts who paved the way for many cowgirls today that I believed should get the recognition they deserved

While the cowboy way is nowhere near perfect, it was important for me to show viewers that, even in their differences, those who live by the cowboy way are all living under the same cowboy code. Their differences make them unique and allow them to bring diversity to the western world but their love for the cowboy way will always bring them together.

-Averie Clare

Biography

My name is Averie Clare and I am a senior at Northern Arizona University majoring in Humanities. I am someone who considers myself and “elder graduate” as I will be thirty-one when I earn my diploma. Continuing my college career ten years after graduating from high school has come with many challenges but I also have so much more appreciation and pride in my studies than I did when I was eighteen so it’s been a wonderful experience for me. When I’m not in school, I work in the Human Resources department at a fortune 50 company and I’m excited to see how earning my degree can enable me to further myself in my already established career and allow me to make a true difference in the workplace.