Bio/CV
Bio/CV
  Photo by Karen Skloss

Biography

Sandy Carson is a Scottish photographer, cinematographer, cyclist and musician who moved to the United States in the mid 90's to pursue a career as a bike rider after college and having toured in bands. He then enjoyed a 15 year career traveling the world professionally as a sponsored BMX rider, where he honed his skills as a photographer.

His photography and film practice is a balance of commercial, editorial reportage, short and long form personal projects, a section of which is represented by INSTITUTE.

His commercial clients include New Balance, DELL, Rapha, LEVI'S, Cannondale, Red Bull, ESPN, Sailor Jerry and Atlantic Records. Carson's editorial work is published in The New York Times, The British Journal of Photography, Aperture, Bicycling, Harpers, The Guardian, The Oxford American, The Huffington Post and Rolling Stone, among others.

Sandy's personal work is exhibited widely, both nationally and internationally, including The Contemporary Austin, Houston Center For Photography, Lawndale Arts Center, Houston, Finch & Ada Gallery, New York, Musée de l’Elysée, Switzerland and Street-Level Photoworks, Glasgow.

Five monographs of his work have been published thus far. The first on the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, Paradise Has Relocated , was self-published in 2010. His second, published by Daylight Books-We Were There is a symbiotic study of a decade documenting concert fandom as shot from the pit. His third book-I've Always Been a Cowboy In My Heart -an outsider's observations of the weird happenstances of the great American road trip, was releases in 2019 and a fourth body of work, Passing Place -an intimate portrait of his family and of the Scottish village he grew up was released in November of 2020 by Yoffy Press. His fifth titled 'Pretty Much', a pandemic study of Austin during lockdown was published by Aint-Bad in 2022.

His accolades include 4 times Best Art Photographer in the Austin Chronicle critics awards and top 10 in the prestigious Pilkington Prize in 2015. He is also a finalist in the 2018 Photolucidia Critical Mass top 50 with BJP OpenWalls Arles Editors pick and is the recipient of several funding grants for his on-going bodies of work.

In addition to visual art, he still rides bikes and makes music with SKLOSS in Austin, Texas, where he runs Family Band, an indie film production house producing commercials and documentary films with his wife Karen.

Commercial Clients


New Balance
DELL
Red Bull
Nike
LEVI'S
Rapha
ESPN
Sailor Jerry
Atlantic Records
Indeed
Kodak
Cannondale
Virgin
Disney
Remington
Charge Bikes
Ebay
WE-TV
Knoll
Edelman
Sesame Street Workshop
Fender Music Corp
University Of Texas
Volcom Stone
Dr. Martens
Boost Mobile
Jones Soda Co
Eastpak Europe
Rodale Inc.
Fox Racing Inc.
Transworld Media
ZERO Skateboards

Monographs


Pretty Much Sandy Carson / Aint-Bad 2021
Passing Place Sandy Carson / Yoffy Press 2020
I've Always Been a Cowboy In My Heart Sandy Carson / Yoffy Press 2019
We Were There Sandy Carson / Daylight Books 2018
Paradise Has Relocated Sandy Carson / Cardinal Press 2010
California Golde Sandy Carson / Cardinal Press 2019

Short films


Paul Buchanan & The Church gap. 2022 (narrator)
South Of Marfa. 2020 (producer/camera operator)
Rapha Explore. 2020 (cinematographer)
California Golde. 2019 (cinematographer)
Beneath The Fold.2018 (cinematographer)
Yet, By No Means. 2012 (editor)

Music Videos


Upper Attic by SKLOSS. 2022
Black Freightliner by Western Youth. 2022
Saw A Friend Today by Positive Interactions 2021
This Is How The World Ends by The Well. 2019
Rent by Neutrals. 2020
Enonteca Vespaio by Naomi Ash. 2019

Awards


2020
Best Books 2020! .
Deep Red Press.
75 Photos by 75 Photographers .
BOOOOOOOM.

2018
Photolucidia Critical Mass Top 50.
BJP OpenWalls Arles editors picks.

2017-2018
Austin Chronicle Best of Austin critics picks for We Were There..
Focas Scotland / India shortlisted photographer / artist
Runner up in 2017 Austin Art Billboards competition.
Best In Street category, ATX Squared Project. Austin / TX

2016
Homorable Mention - 2016 Austin Artboards Billboards.

2015
Pilkington Prize Top 10 in 100 Mile Radius Project.
Texas State XC Mountain Bike Champion, Cat 2
Dirty Du Duathlon.2nd place

2013
Best Art Photographer, Austin Chronicle Readers Poll
SPIN's Best Live Photos Of 2013

2012
Conscientious Portfolio Competition, 25 short-listed photographers
Finalist, Picture Black Friday / New York, NY

2011
Best Art Photographer, Austin Chronicle Readers Poll
Runner up, Picture Black Friday / New York, NY
Honorable Mention, New Art in Austin / Austin Museum of Art

2010
Winner, Picture Black Friday / New York, NY

2009
Finalist, Photographer of the Year. Austin Museum of Art. AVA Awards
Best Photographer 2009, Austin Chronicle Readers Poll

Grants and Fellowships


2021 Cultural Arts Core fund recipient - City of Austin Cultural Arts Funding Program
2020 Cultural Arts Core fund recipient - City of Austin Cultural Arts Funding Program
2020 Austin Creative Alliance emergency relief grant.
2019 Cultural Arts Core fund recipient - City of Austin Cultural Arts Funding Program
2018 Cultural Arts Core fund recipient - City of Austin Cultural Arts Funding Program
2017 Community Initiatives Grant recipient - City of Austin Cultural Arts Funding Program

Bio features

NPR/KUT 90.5
KUT Arts Eclectic
DIG BMX
KUT Arts Eclectic
Fairdale Bikes

Selected Print


The New York Times
The New York Times
De Morgen
Rolling Stone Magazine
The New York Times
Texas Highways Magazine
MIT Technology Review
The Wall Street Journal
Bicycling
The Guardian
American Photography 32
American Photography 30
Aperture Magazine
The Times
HUCK
Don’t Suck, Don’t die. Giving Up Vic Chesnutt / UT Press
Contemporary Scottish Plays
Animalities- David Dodd Lee
The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology / UT Press
Basics Creative Photography: Design Principles / AVA Academia Books
A Field Guide to the North American Family: An Illustrated Novella. Garth Risk Halberg / Penguin Books
Yoyeur
Modern Luxury Interiors Texas
UFC 360
Paved
Interior Design Magazine
Intersection Magazine UK
Hamburger Eyes Magazine
SPIN
Vice magazine
Modern Luxury
Austin Chronicle
Portland Mercury
The Ride Journal

Online Features

YIELD Mag
FLOAT Mag
HUCK Mag UK
Sightlines
British Journal Of Photography
PDN
F STOP Magazine
PhotoEye
Lenscratch
DEFGRIP
Bird In Flight
Tortoise Media
Some Days Just Are
Scottish Society for the History of Photography
Photomonitor
Scottish Television
INSTITUTE
Austin American Statesman
HUCK
Bleacher Report
BIKE
PDN
Mull It Over
Juxtapoz
Document Scotland
Photoweenie
Feature Shoot
Conscientious
Huffington Post
NPR Radio Pictures
ESPN
NPR
Esquire Russia
Phaidon
Atlas Magazine
Feature Shoot
Austin Chronicle
Lenscratch
Humble Arts Foundation
Worlds Best Ever
Mossless Magazine
The Daily Dot
Photoshelter

Solo Exhibitions


2021
Passing Place. The Kube Gallery / Glasgow, Scotland

2019
I've Always Been a Cowboy In My Heart- Book Launch . Volcom Garden / Austin, TX

2018
I'm New Here. Volcom Garden / Austin, TX

2017
We Were There. Pump Project Gallery / Austin, TX

2014
Spring Break. Bouldin Creek Cafe / Austin, TX

2013
A Hillage To Pillage. Spartan / Austin TX
Finding The Stoke. Cykel SF / San Francisco, CA

2010
Paradise Has Relocated. Okay Mountain Gallery / Austin, TX

2009
Documentary Works. University of Texas / Austin, TX

2008
Meat Street. Groundwork / Los Angeles, CA

Group Exhibitions

2021-2022
Crit Group Reunion
The Contemporary Austin at the Jones Center
November 20th, 2021- January 16th, 2022

2020
Micro Press Reading Room Exhibition
Southwest School of Art / San Antonio TX
March 04–May 05

2019
Micro Press Reading Room Exhibition
Austin Central Public Library / Austin TX
October 08–November 13

2018
Family Photographs. Flower City Arts Center / Rochester, NY
Life In Analogue. Folk Works Art Gallery / Fort Worth, TX
12x12dnd. Brewdog Brewery, Dundee / Scotland
City Panorama Photomural Public Art installation at King County Metro / Seattle WA

2017
Contemporary Austin 2017 Crit Group Exhibition. Grey Duck Gallery / Austin, TX
Fòcas India: Document Exhibition Shrishti Art Gallery, Hyderabad / India
Fòcas India: Document Exhibition. Street Level Photoworks / Glasgow Scotland
Fòcas India: Document Exhibition. Design Gallery, Gandhinagar / India
ATX Squared. Full Circle Bar / Austin TX

2016
34th Annual Juried Membership Exhibition. Houston Center For Photography / Houston, TX
American Photography 32 Launch: TBA New York / NY
Standpoints : Lawndale Art Center @ FOTOFEST / Houston, TX
Red Dot Art Exhibit. Women & Their Work Gallery / Austin, TX

2015
33rd Annual Juried Membership Exhibition. Houston Center For Photography / Houston, TX
50/50.3 Skateboard Deck Exhibition. Preacher / Austin, TX
Goose Flesh : Stock Take exhibition & zine launch.. Street Level Photoworks / Glasgow, Scotland
2015 People’s Gallery Exhibition. Austin City Hall / Austin, TX
Red Dot Art Exhibit. Women & Their Work Gallery / Austin, TX
Fixe x Seven. Brazos / Austin TX
Humble Arts Foundation : Space Jamz. New York City / NY

2014
32nd Annual Juried Membership Exhibition. Houston Center For Photography / Houston, TX
50/50.2 Skateboard Deck Exhibition. VUKA / Austin, TX
Fixe x Seven. Arthouse At The Jones Center / Austin, TX
Slowing Down. Mingo Gallery / Beverly, MA
Frames 2014. CCA & Merchant Square / Glasgow, Scotland
Slideluck Potshow Austin VI

2013
A Catalogue. Tiny Park Gallery / Austin, TX
East Austin Studio Tour Bike Art Show. Counter Culture / Austin, TX
Fifty Decks, Fifty Artists skatepark fundraiser. FunFunFunFest / Austin, TX
BELL Motorcycle Helmets art show / ARF fundraiser. Historic Scoot Inn / Austin, TX
East of Man, Eternally in Kodak. Needles And Pens / San Francisco, CA
Goose Flesh Volume 1. Coffee, Chocolate and Tea / Glasgow, UK
Fixe x Seven. Arthouse at the Jones Center / Austin, TX
People’s Gallery Exhibition. Austin City Hall /Austin, TX
History IS His Story. End Of An Ear Records /Austin, TX

2012
Yet, By No Means.Center Space Gallery / University of Texas Visual Arts Center / Austin, TX
Slide Project(or). 2012 PhotoIreland Festival / Dublin IRE
The Future Is Not What It Used to Be. Neidorff Gallery / Trinity University / San Antonio, TX
Fixe x Seven. Arthouse at the Jones Center / Austin, TX
People’s Gallery Exhibition. Austin City Hall /Austin, TX
Slideluck Potshow IV. CTC Garden Austin, TX
Teenage Wasteland. Co-Lab / Austin, TX
Tim Kerr & Friends. Kettle Art / Dallas, TX

2011
Black Friday. Finch & Ada Gallery / New York, NY
More Than Architecture. University of Texas Fine Arts Library
Red Dot Art Exhibit. Women & Their Work Gallery / Austin, TX
People’s Gallery Exhibition. Austin City Hall / Austin, TX
Your Name Here. Monofonus Press Gallery / Austin, TX
Storytelling Exhibition. L. Nowlin Gallery / Austin, TX
Slideluck Potshow III. 501 Studios / Austin, TX

Curatorial Work


We Were There mentorship program, 2017
2014 Picture Black Friday Juror
2014 Jackie Lee Exhibition

Education


1992 Higher National Diploma, Communications / University of the West of Scotland
1989 Scottish National Certificate, Media Studies / Motherwell College, Scotland

Other Activities


Director of photography at Family Band.
Photographer/printer/producer at Agatha Print.
Owner / publisher at Cardinal Press books and records.
Team rider for Fairdale Bikes
Guitar wrangler with the music duo SKLOSS
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