Steve Thomas’s contributions to the arts community of the Pomona Valley range from his innovative photography to his resourcefulness as a curator and administrator. It is no exaggeration to say that the art world of the region would be a very different place without his creative vision.
Steve was awarded a BA in studio art from UC Riverside in 1986 and an MFA in photography at Mills College in Oakland in 1989. He taught courses at Chaffey College, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal State San Bernardino and University of California Extension. Steve co-founded the non-profit Ontario-based ARTREACH, a program providing low-income community residents with introductory classes in visual arts. His other early-career part-time occupation was with the RIMS California Art Project (RIMS CAP) as a visual arts instructor focusing on professional development for K-12 classroom art teachers.
From 1995 to 2006, Steve changed career paths to become Curator of Collections at the UCR/California Museum of Photography at the University of California Riverside, yet still maintaining close connections with RIMS CAP. In 2006, Steve accepted the position of Curator of Education at the Riverside Art Museum then served a museum curator at the Ontario Museum of History and Art, from which he retired on December 13, 2014 (12-13-14).
In retirement, Steve continues arts advocacy for others through efforts as an active board member of the Chaffey Community Museum of Art and the Arts Council of San Bernardino County.
