The Photographic Performance Series (originally called "Night Light")

is a site specific performance whose central strategy is the re-staging of archival photographs in the tradition of tableau vivant.  

The Animal Series 

 Carlson has made a number of works in collaboration with animals.   These include;  Animals (1988), Milk (1988), Dead (1989), West, (1996), Grass/Bird/Rodeo (2000),  Madame 710 (2007), Animal Dances (2017), Doggie Hamlet (2017).  

The (real) People Series 

Beginning in 1886, Carlson began a series of works that are made with and performed by people gathered together by a common profession, relationship or shared passion.  The first work of this series was "Sloss, Kerr, Rosenberg & Moore" a work performed by four NYC based practicing attorneys.  John Sloss, Charles Kerr, Scott Rosenberg and Tom Moore performed this work originally at Performance Space 122.  They continued to perform this work intermittently for twenty five years.    Carlson has made work in collaboration with a wide variety of people, among them; nuns, basketball players,  security officers, maintenance workers, development directors, pediatricians, gardeners,  anglers, poker players, boards of directors.