When: March 30 to June 24, 2023
The three Steves (Cahill, Thomas and Walag) first crossed paths at the University of California Riverside in the 1980s and 1990s. Steve Cahill taught photography in UCR’s fledgling art program; Steve Thomas was a student who earned his BA in Studio Art (and later was curator of collections for the UCR/California Museum of Photography); and Steve Walag managed the on-campus Photo Service as a technical photographer following his early employment as a UCR public relations writer/photographer.
It was inevitable that the three Steves would get together to discuss photography in general, and their own approaches to the medium in particular. They entered the digital age together, transitioning from film to pixels, adjusting their styles to fit the new medium. Steve Cahill and Steve Walag remained at UCR while Steve Thomas moved on to become a curator at the Riverside Art Museum, then the Ontario Museum of History & Art, while continuing to hone his exhibition skills and developing his unique photographic style.
In time, Steve Cahill and Steve Thomas discussed how amazing it was to have the same first name and the same passion for photo expression, and thought why not exhibit works of art together? And bring in the third Steve (Walag) who shared the same interests?
The last time the three Steves were together, they agreed it was time to make a Three Steves exhibit happen. The untimely and unexpected death of Steve Thomas added an urgency to this idea, and merged with the opportunity to celebrate his artistic vision and their shared friendship.
Friendships bind artists together, helping each to better define their path. We hope the viewers of this exhibit will see how individuals can use the same art form to produce quite different results – because there is no “right way” to make art, and art tends to take on the personality of the artist.
