I wrote a 7-part essay series for Coil Mag (Alternating Current) exploring my love of the problematic Western genre. Part-memoir, part-historical, with original watercolors, “Rhinestone Cowboys” looks at erased stories, forgotten films, rewritten history, and memory, asking: AT WHAT COST? WHY AND HOW IS THIS GENRE, STILL, SO SIGNIFICANT?
You can read the full, seven-part series here (and each chapter below). You can find some of the watercolors (and more of my art) here.
Part 1: All Down But Nine
Part 2: Crooked as a Virginia Fence
Part 3: Acknowledging the Corn
Part 4: Shoot, Luke, or Give Up the Gun
Part 5: Beat the Devil Around the Stump
Part 6: Rode Hard and Put Up Wet
Part 7: Flannelmouthed Liars
Eternally grateful for Leah Angstman and everyone at Alt Current/Coil for giving me the space to discuss these films, the Western genre. Eternally grateful to y’all that came on this ride with me.
