PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIKA JOHNSON
Steve Truesdell died in June. Now a gallery show will display his work.
But in addition to all those things, the man they called "Screwy" was a terrific photographer, the RFT's go-to guy for everything from the protests in Ferguson to music shows to a rave in a cave (yes, really). He was both an accomplished commercial photographer and someone with a true passion for capturing the human experience.
And now those works will be on display in a show being mounted at Koken Art Factory this November.
Sean Thompson, who has been a friend of Truesdell's since high school, says that he and the other organizers (which include his widow, Krystal Phillips), have been going through Truesdell's work to select 60 or so images to be mounted in the show. The works will then be available for purchase.
But the event should be a far cry from the hushed tone you may associate with art galleries. The Koken show will feature a full bar and music by performers including Dan Hubbard and Erika Johnson, both longtime friends of Truesdell.
"Mainly, it's just a celebration of Steve's life and his passion," says Thompson. "We've been going through his hard drives and looking at his pictures. It's a chance to get his artwork out there, and for people to get a piece of it."
Thompson said Truesdell had developed a way to print his photos directly onto plywood, creating almost a self frame. The photos will be large — likely two feet by three feet or three feet by four feet — giving magnitude to images that, in some cases, were previously printed on newsprint.
For Thompson, Phillips and others who loved Truesdell, the last few months have been hard. They're looking forward to the chance to celebrate the generous spirit and talented artist they can't stop thinking about.
"We were at a house concert and Saturday night with Krystal, and we were thinking about how much Steve would have loved to be there," Thompson says. "It's emotional. It's been tough on her. For all of us, it's just tough."
See also: RIP Steve Truesdell, St. Louis Photographer and Friend
See also: Meet Steve Truesdell, One of the Best Music Photographers in St. Louis
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