Shoosty 2024 Artist Statement

The 2024 Artist Statement for Stephen Shooster aka Shoosty. Includes the seeds of a new art movement that artist calls Chromatic Fusionism and and a deep introduction to his work.

Shoosty ® 2024 Artist’s Statement

Contents 4

Short Biography

5 6 CHROMATIC FUSIONISM: A NEW ART MOVEMENT Artist’s Statement 23 Official Field Guide to Shoosty Bugs 29 Shoosty’s Groovy Artist Manifesto: A Beatnik Bop for 2024 30 Introduction - Original Watercolors 31 Interview with Jenni Craig 34 Suggested Art Criticism

Shoosty® 2024 Short Biography

Stephen Shooster, aka Shoosty, is a fine artist and writer born in 1958 in Chester, Pennsylvania. Before joining the family’s small tele- phone-answering service business, he earned a BFA from the Univer - sity of Florida. A self-taught computer and telephony engineer, he both initiated and built a call center with his family that serviced some of the finest companies in the world, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Modern Museum of Art (MoMa), The Art Institute of Chicago, S.E. Toyota, Hermes, Wolford, Zara, Crate and Barrel, Vineyard Vines, The Kentucky Derby, and more. Operating under the nom de guerre Shoosty® , his work ranges from digital to paper and, most recently, silk. He displays multiple themes and styles, concentrating on music, landscapes, conceptual art, and bugs. His work on bugs has earned the most attention. Shoosty Bugs seem to be taking on a life of their own. Shooster is an avid writer and has authored over 20 books. He says his artistic process begins with writing, which he describes as “think - ing on paper.” Among the titles are Artist’s Statements through the Years , a collection of all of his artist statements from the beginning; The Shoosty Catalog Raisonné, a three-volume collection of every piece of art he ever made; The Horse Adjutant , a true story of a sur - vivor of Auschwitz during WWII, and Herman Shooster , his father’s biography. Stephen’s art is influenced by his early life experiences, his career in technology, his extensive writing and exploration of the Holocaust and most importantly his inquisitive nature. His commitment to freedom and his belief in art as an expression of that freedom are key influenc - es in his work. Stephen believes that art history teaches us who we are as a civiliza - tion. He sees art as a profound expression of life, a challenge, and a mission of discovery. He believes that art is the ultimate expression of freedom, and in making it, we honor Democracy and those who have sacrificed to maintain it. Seeking a new lexicon to describe his work, Shoosty coined the term Chromatic Fusionism , focusing on the combination of the Science of Art and the Humanities. “If you draw every day, in time, you will discover yourself.” - Shoosty 2024 2

CHROMATIC FUSIONISM: A NEW ART MOVEMENT

Chromatic Fusionism: Art Meets Innovation The history of art is a vibrant tapestry woven from movements that inspire and influence each other. While some movements, like Im - pressionism, reveled in aesthetics, others, like Bauhaus, championed a more functional ap - proach. Chromatic Fusionism bridges this gap by fusing artistic expression with practical ap - plication through the power of technology. A New Canvas: Printing Reimagines Art Painting offers exciting possibilities for artists; Chromatic Fusionism embraces its poten - tial. Today, Artificial Intelligence is the rage, while old school and hand-made digital artists dig into their turf; Chromatic Fusionism extends both of these paths with industry. A revolution in printing is occurring, and at the same time art is evolving. With networked integration, we can extend our designs in a way we never dreamed about, applying them to products in a scalable fashion. We have the ability to create high-quality low-cost printed materials sourced worldwide, making art affordable to a much wider population. Beyond the Gallery Walls Reconciling unique artistic expression with mass production is a challenge. Chromatic Fu - sionism tackles this with customization. Gone are the days of limited-edition prints with low volumes and high costs confined to museums, galleries, and wealthy collectors. Chromatic Fusionism is art for the people. It envisions a world where high-quality art becomes an integrated part of ev - eryday life. Imagine vibrant prints not just in gal - leries but also on clothing. By wearing the art, you become part of the art movement.

A Platform for Artistic Expression Chromatic Fusionism is not just about making art ac - cessible; it is about empowering artists. It allows artists to showcase their work and connect with a broader audi - ence by providing a platform for wider distribution without sacrificing creative vision. This paradigm allows for mul - tiple exhibitions running simultaneously, all showcasing stunning, high-quality silk prints representing an artist’s unique vision. The Long Tail of Creativity Traditionally, the art world has been limited by the phys - ical constraints of production. Chromatic Fusionism dis - rupts this model. The “long tail” of digital creation allows for endless possibilities, all saved in digital files. We can choose an image like a playlist on a music app. It is delivered to a drop-shipper that prints, manufactures, and ships directly to the client. The costs associated with warehousing and the waste of mass production are greatly reduced. This data trove of art can also be trans - formed into books, digital galleries, and various products, all readily available to a broader audience at the touch of a few buttons. The Wearable Art Movement Chromatic Fusionism is not limited to wall art. It includes fabrics, accessories, projections, car wraps, VR, AR, gaming, and more. This paradigm embraces wearing the art to the gallery. Doing so makes you part of the exhibi - tion—the best part! We are trying to foster a deeper con - nection between art and everyday life, allowing people to integrate artistic expression into their daily lives. Embrace Art for the People Chromatic Fusionism represents a new chapter in the story of art history. It embraces artistic heritage, technological innovation, and modern manufacturing. By harnessing these elements, Chromatic Fusionism has the potential to make art more accessible, create a platform for artistic expression, and foster a deeper connection between art and the everyday world. Wear the Art / Become the Movement™ 3

tional or significant to understand about your work, mention it here. - Inspiration and Influence: Discuss what inspires you to create your art. This could be anything from personal experiences to broader themes or issues you’re passion - ate about. - Personal Philosophy: End with a de - scription of your personal philosophies. This is where you can share your thoughts on the role of art in your life and society. Can you provide similar information about your own work? ##Shoosty My name is Stephen Shooster. I am a fine artist and writer born 1958 in Chester, Penn - sylvania and I grew up in a combination of Cherry Hill, NJ and Hollywood, Florida. As an artist I am an explorer. I do not con - form to a single style. I study art all over the world and bring it into my work as patterns and forms, echoes of the world. I am a ra - dar dish for content. I ask everyone I know to send me pictures of bugs and patterns. I seek out whatever captures my attention and then I dig in and think deeply about it while making my own version. By tracing the lines of world pattern spend a lot of time thinking about each one.

Artist’s Statement Stephen Shooster, aka Shoosty Nov 29th, 2024

Arguably, the artist’s statement is the most critical short introduction an artist can pro - vide. The approach to making one is as im - portant as what you write. An artist’s state - ment is a chance to meet the artist. There are no defined rules.* On April 19, 2024, I discussed building my art - ist statement with Microsoft Copilot, an artificial intelligence chat bot. Sharing the whole conver - sation with you is more revealing about who I am than just showing you the summary. ##My Initial Prompt to Copilot Please help me write an artist statement. Please provide an outline and prompt me along to build a few paragraphs. ##Copilot Sure, I’d be happy to help you write an artist’s statement. Here’s a general outline to get us started: - Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and your art. Mention the medium you work in and the key themes of your work. - Artistic Process: Describe the process of creating your art. If there’s anything unconven -

*Note to my fellow artists, do not get caught in the trap of someone else’s idea of what an artist’s statement should be. Artists, by defini - tion, are creators. Show us.

When you work for long hours on something artful it talks to you. Not in words, in composition, form, color, texture, all the things you can imagine while touching a paint brush to a canvas. A similar yet more nuanced thing like this hap - pens in the computer. My artist statement should be a con - versation between me and my computer. Not in an AI way, but in a complex set of tasks that just seem to flow. My hands fly on the keyboard. I have tons of windows open and apps galore. My methods are process oriented so it all flows. The key is documentation. More then anything else by organizing my work and refining its meaning I can’t help but evolve. In the age of discovery they used wooden ships with tall mast to expand the world, I use information. Content is a powerful tool if you pay attention to the details.

SILK MOTH SHOOSTY 2024

“The thread that binds my art to the grand tap- estry of human history is as delicate and endur- ing as silk itself. Each glistening strand, spun by the tireless silkworms, becomes the foundation upon which I celebrate the intricate beauty of the insect kingdom. It’s a remarkable convergence, this marriage of artistic expression with the very creatures that birthed this extraordinary mate- rial. From the dawn of human creativity, artists have sought inspiration in the natural world, and here, I find myself echoing that timeless pursuit. It’s a humbling realization, a testament to the profound artistry woven into the very fabric of our existence.” - Shoosty 2024

SILK COCOON

Shoosty Landscapes , Using a technique I call vector painting, I start by working on location with Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils . Then I paint right over them with a flat guache. I Airdrop that into the iPad Pro , allowing my vectors to perfect the shapes and colors. I may print these or build a canvas based on the results. Shoosty Bugs V2 . Finding a subject that is so easily loved is rare. As annoying as bugs can be, they are crucial to life on this planet. Shoosty Bugs are so inventive, they seem to crawl and fly everywhere and are easily scalable. I can create endless types of patterns, all by hand, using my techniques. The results are perfect for clothing, accessories, all kinds of products, books, and more. At scale they are remarkable.

Most artists are told to find their own style; it was drilled into my head, “You need a single style.” This is wrong-headed and limiting. In this modern world, where we have access to the Internet unlike anything our forefathers had, we can learn far more than any single style. Shoosty Styles: The Art of Music , Pen and ink, live sketches of bands while they are playing, using a frenetic drawing technique, I start drawing when the music starts and stop when they stop, working as fast as I can. I never know what I will end up with. It is a form of speed drawing.

Artistic Process ##Shoosty

My latest gallery pieces are printed on luxurious silk, a fabric with a rich history dating back to Neo - lithic China around 3,500 BC according to archae - ological evidence. To achieve the vibrant colors and intricate details in my work, I rely on the Apple iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil and a state-of-the-art duplex fabric printers. This innovative technology allows me to print the same image with a subtle color shift on the reverse side, cre - ating a sense of wonderment. ##Copilot Thank you for sharing, Stephen. Your diverse back - ground and the range of mediums you work with are genuinely fascinating. Your work on Shoosty Bugs sounds particularly intriguing, especially with its con - nection to art history and its various applications, from gallery showings to fabric design.

I spend my days and nights thinking and dream - ing about making things. When I wake up, I do my morning routine, topped off with a tall glass of brisk, iced tea. Then, I aim for the flow state. I do this by writing. Everyone’s heads are jumbled. You may know your thoughts, but try writing them. You will quickly see there is more to it than the fleeting thought. Writing clears the cobwebs and sets the tone. Writing leads toward poetry and music. Con - stant writing sharpens your ability to communicate. Writing is thinking on paper. Writing preserves well- formed memories. I write for at least two hours every morning. Fre - quently, I’ll spend the whole day writing, building a layout, and refining it until each page is a work of art. As of this writing, I have published over 20 books.

Let’s move on to the next part of your artist statement.

“My artwork is a Chromatic Fusion — a blend of color theory, science, and the human experience.” - Shoosty 2024

Do you know how dancers start their mornings? They warm up. I do the same. Years ago, I started making small drawings of bugs. I never expect - ed those drawings to become a signifi - cant part of my life. I find them crawling, buzzing around, and generally being productive everywhere. All my friends send me photos of bugs. Just hashtag #shoostybugs on any platform, and I will do my best to see them. Bugs are small, allowing me to finish small exper - iments in a few minutes or I can work as elaborately as I want. Some of my work takes months to refine. Bugs are miraculously adaptable. They come in every color, survive ad - verse conditions, thrive in debris, fly, dig, hunt, mate, give birth, manage complex civilizations, pollinate the world, and spread disease, all while displaying a beauty that defies imagination. My approach to making bugs is not just about nature but also art history. I me - ticulously create examples of patterns from around the world and then paint the bugs with these patterns. Each bug I draw challenges me to find something new; this combination of joy and discov - ery keeps me intensely engaged. I call myself a vector painter. It took the advent of the iPad Pro to free me from my desk. Untethered in a comfortable chair or waiting for an appointment, I can retain productivity throughout the day. Vector painting combines mathe - matical precision with artistic expres - sion, resulting in visually striking and infinitely-scalable professional artwork. Everything about my environment is made for productivity. Digital ink does not spill. The iPad never runs out of paint, I have an unlimited digital color palette, and it has precision-designed tools to provide a quality experience

that keeps updating. My physical studio is also highly organized, with oil paints set up like an art store and empty sketch pages loaded in my backpack. Wherever I go, I draw, especially at music events and museums. When I am touring the goal is two drawings per day. At my best I will merge the daytime drawings with the night, combining mu - sic with art history. Digital Leap: Switching to iPad Pro in 2016 doubled my artistic output, which has continued to grow exponen - tially. This surge is documented in my comprehensive Catalogue Raisonné (a rare feat for an artist to create them - selves!), encompassing works from 1958 to 2023. It’s a remarkable record and a personal time machine. In my digital work, I gravitate toward vectors for many reasons, but the main reason is control. Vectors are dots on an invisible grid. They are pin-sharp, OCD heaven; they allow me to approach my art like a jeweler. What I do with them is a form of precision engineering. With just a few vector points, I can create a complex flowing line, formed to perfec - tion, and then repeat it effortlessly. The tools I use are evolving rapidly. It is hard to keep up with all the new apps and features. I go out of my way to find the edges of these applications, practicing every day. I will never run out of opportunities to learn. I have a sim- ple goal for education: to move from Swiss Cheese to Muenster—big gaps in thinking to small gaps. No one can be an expert in everything. I like to work with other people, especial - ly engineers, artists and gallerists. Hir - ing an expert for a short-term project is easy in today’s gig economy.

Besides being highly productive, my tools have given me one thing that is more precious than any - thing: Freedom. More on this later. ##Copilot Thank you for sharing your artistic process, Ste - phen. Your art is not just a hobby but a way of life for you. Your morning writing routine and clearing your mind set the stage for a strong foundation for your creative work. Your fascination with bugs and their intricate details is evident in your work, and your use of vector tools allows you to capture these details precisely. The way you describe your process is engaging and gives a clear picture of your dedication and passion for your art. Let’s move on to the next part of your artist state - ment. Inspiration and Influence What inspires you to create your Art? Are there any personal experiences, broader themes, or issues you’re passionate about that influence your work? ##Shoosty When I was 18, I had most of my teeth removed due to a congenital disability. My permanent teeth never grew in. I learned years later that my grand - father had a bag of dentures; he could never find one that was comfortable enough. My parents vowed to do better for me. They researched and decided upon implants. Today, you see them ev - erywhere: titanium implants, solid as a rock, life - long companions for life without dentures. How - ever, in 1976, they were far from being a settled science. Titanium is one of the only metals that can bond to bone. We didn’t know that then and they used steel blades instead. These were different from today’s log-shaped implants. They were designed as a blade about two teeth wide with a hole in the center and a post on top. That blade drops into a thin trench cut into the bone. The idea is that the

bone will grow between that empty space, locking it into place. I was sent to one of the top dental sur - geons in the world, a specialist in this procedure. He gave me a little pill, and I was awake as he pulled all my teeth; that little pill wore off in the elevator on the way back to where we were stay - ing. I have never felt that kind of intensity of pain, combined with the embarrassment of no teeth and a bloody mouth. Soon after, I went back, and they shaved the bone smooth, then drilled trenches into my jaw to place the blade implants. Months later, after it was healed, they added the teeth. I was beyond pain at that stage, just being resigned and tired. Being surrounded by this group of experts at a young age while my senses were heightened by severe pain, I decided to do something useful with my life. This is where I got my love of technology and its connection to humanity. I healed and got a beautiful set of permanent dentures at 18. My friends could not even begin to comprehend. My brother is the only person who can relate to what I went through. He had the same procedure a few years before me. Not many years later, for both of us, those im - plants failed. And when they failed, they took some bone with them, making it harder for the following procedure. On my third major procedure around age 50, science finally got it right; titanium implants combined with zirconium teeth. Zirconi - um is a manufactured diamond. That’s the kind of strength you need not to chip your teeth. By this time, however, the bone in my upper palate was too weak to support new teeth. I was sent to a maxillofacial surgeon. This kind of doctor can reconstruct your face if you are in an accident. He was tasked with rebuilding my upper jaw using the bone from my chin. During the hours of discomfort and drilling in the chair, I taught my - self to teleport to a warm beach. I heard many dental drills, but they must have been the blender for the Pina Coladas.

COMBINING THE ORGANIC WITH THE NON-ORGANIC STEPHEN SHOOSTER 1979

STEEL BLADE IMPLANT

TITANIUM IMPLANTS

Health is a huge aspect of everyone’s life, and so are finances. In 1971, when I was fourteen, my dad lost his job. He was the CEO of a public com - pany that he founded. He was 47, with four kids ready for college, a medic in WWII with post trau - matic stress, and no income. But he was the first of his family to graduate college with a degree in Marketing and he was married to an eternal opti - mist — my mom. A year later, we moved to Florida. He said that if he had to start over he could just as well do it in Florida. We moved, and he floundered until he bought a small telephone-answering service busi - ness. I finished high school and went to college. Those were tough times for him. I was 15 and clueless. We ‘jokingly’ moved to a suburb of New York, which happened to be in Hollywood, Florida, and I switched from studying science to art. As I be - came more interested in art, my dad said, “You

13 During those 30 years, we built that answering service with 10 employees into a modern call cen - ter that peaked at about 3,000 agents before it was sold in 2019. Along the way, my entire family joined the company. I was in charge of technolo - gy. I did not want to buy equipment off the shelf; I wanted to build it myself. And that is exactly what 11 can’t be an artist for your career.” Michaelangelo’s father said the same. To appease him, I minored in Architecture. My claim to fame was being the only art student to take Calculus; I got an A in that class. Upon graduation, I was accepted for a Master’s of Architecture, at Ohio State. As the day ap - proached, my dad asked me to stay home and help grow the business. I stayed, and we had lunch together for the next 30-plus years. That was a master’s class in business and leadership. Towards the end of his career, he won The 2012 Sun-Sentinel Businessman of the Year Award . He was 89. I was 55.

BMG Music Group, MoMa, Lane Bry- ant, Lincoln Properties, Justice, Tory Burch, Vineyard Vine, Omni Finan- cial, Lane Bryant, Ally Bank, Orvis, Michigan State Parks, Super Bowl, Jacksonville Jaguars, and more. Towards the end of my engineering ca - reer, my dad told me to learn about the Holocaust. This quest turned into multi - ple trips to Poland and my first book, The Horse Adjutant . The book is about Leon Schagrin, a survivor of Auschwitz. Leon is 96 as of this writing, and his memory is still sharp. This book taught me how to write a book and prepare the layout for publish - ing. These tools have become invaluable to me.

I did. I built the call center from scratch, writing software and wiring switches. In doing so, I earned a patent in software engineering, discovering a critical process in modern call centers. Today, this is the de facto standard of the industry. By the time we sold the company, I had a team of 35 engineers reporting to me. And at night and on weekends, I made art. By then, my wife and I also had four kids. They all turned out to be artists: three musicians and one comic-book artist. Our company became highly respected in the industry. The client list speaks for itself: Toyota, Zara, Crate and Barrel, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Kentucky Derby, Wolford, Lacoste, Hermès, The Wall Street Journal,

14 SHOOSTER AND SCHAGRIN SPEAKING AT THE DEERFIELD BEACH HISTORICAL SOCIETY, JAN. 27TH, 2023, THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE THE DAY AUSCHWITZ WAS LIBERATED. BACKGROUND PAINTING, THE PARTY FAVOR, OIL ON CANVAS, 6’ X 5’, SHOOSTY. PHOTO BY BEAU BRECKENRIDGE 12

Art = Freedom

The takeaway of the Holocaust book is that without freedom, we have nothing. I believe that making art is the ultimate expression of freedom. Many people have fought for and died for us to exercise this right. We honor them by using it. ##Copilot Thank you for sharing your inspirations and in - fluences, Stephen. Your experiences, from your early life to your career in technology and your exploration of the Holocaust, have clearly shaped your perspective and your art. Your commitment to freedom and your belief in art as an expression of that freedom is genuinely inspiring. Finally, let’s move on to the last part of your art - ist’s statement. Personal Philosophy This is where you share your thoughts on the role of art in your life and society. You’ve already touched on this with your discussion of freedom, but feel free to expand on this or bring in other philosophies that guide your work. For example, “Art is a powerful tool for communication and change. Through my work, I strive to challenge perceptions, provoke thought, and inspire action.” Can you provide similar information about your own personal philosophies?

##Shoosty Foundations of My Art

Art history and mythology inspire me. They reveal who we are and the wonders of our existence. Visualization fuels my creative process, allowing me to explore and refine ideas through writing and painting. These creations deepen my understand - ing and serve as bridges to share these worlds with others. The Scope I am a multimedia artist who has worked on ev - erything from coding to painting. Although I spend most of the day on the computer, I also covet the times I work on canvas. In 2023, my artistic practice significantly shifted towards working with fabrics. While I’ve always en - joyed the tactile experience of painting on canvas, the unique qualities of fabric – its drape, texture, and potential for large-scale creations – began to hold a strong, artistic allure. Additionally, working with fabrics offers practical advantages for exhibi - tion. The ease of setup and reduced need for fram - ing and storage translates to less hassle allowing me to create a higher volume of work. This shift towards fabrics also opens doors to exciting pos - sibilities in the realm of luxury goods and fashion, starting with my current exploration of high-quality silk scarves. Humility and Focus: The Keys to Creation Daily practice is essential. Whether it’s a small sketch or exploring software limitations, I dedicate focused time to hone my skills. While mastering a few mediums is crucial, I see my artistic jour - ney as a continuous learning process – gradually filling the gaps in my knowledge. Learning has its own rewards.

Collaboration for Legacy Building a sustainable artistic legacy requires collaboration. Museums dedicated to preserving and sharing art perfectly align with my vision. I envision global partnerships inspiring future generations. This journey requires a dedicated team that understands “passing the torch.” While leadership has been rewarding in my past career, a lasting legacy demands a collaborative approach. Shoosty Bugs My project, Shoosty Bugs , exemplifies my fascination with nature and culture. These artistic creations serve as educational tools and a platform for global collaboration and artistic expression. Artist Statements Throughout the Years In 2022, I compiled a book called Artist Statements Throughout the Years . It is a collection of all of my artist statements. I updated it by including this statement for 2024. Flipping through these pages will show you the lines in the sand I marked over the years and how, with a little luck and a lot of passion, it kept getting just a little better. “Each of us has a journey, writing or painting your name on a rock as you take each step is very satisfying.” - Shoosty 2024 Foundations A note about foundations: We are given a set of cards at birth. It is important to rec - ognize that whatever we are given is a gift, regardless of how rich or poor the environ - ment. Marking that, even if it is just a few paragraphs, will draw a line in the sand. The very best stories have the biggest gaps. Filling those gaps with goodwill and love for each other is the greatest gift of all.

To see all of my books please visit www.shoosty.com they are FREE.

SILK MOTH PROFILE, SHOOSTY 2024

SILK MOTH STANDING ON GLASS, SHOOSTY 2024

Books by Stephen Shooster www.shoosterpublishing.com Foundations The Horse Adjutant

Dorothy Shooster Herman Shooster Thematic Books

Shoosty Bug V 1 Shoosty Bugs V2 Shoosty Bugs V1 Coloring Book Shoosty Landscapes The Art of Music Shoosty Catalogs

Shoosty 2019 Solo Fine Art Exhibition Artist Statements Throughout the Years

Shoosty 1958-1989 Shoosty 1989-2002 Shoosty 2003-2009 Shoosty 2010-2015 Shoosty 2016 Vol 1 Shoosty 2016 Vol 2

Shoosty 2017 Shoosty 2018 Shoosty 2019 Shoosty 2020 Shoosty 2021 Shoosty 2022

Shoosty Catalog Raisonne 1958-2017 Shoosty Catalog Raisonne 2018-2021 Shoosty Catalog Raisonne 2022-2023

All books are FREE at www.shoosty.com or for purchase on Amazon

Timeline of Art Shows

2004

2005

2018

2019

2022-2023

CutSheet

Show Book

Deerfiled Bch Historical Society Old School House Solo Show Deerfield Beach, FL

Iron River Museum Group Show Iron River, MI

The Boca Museum of Art Plein-Air Society of Palm Beach. Group Show Boca Raton, FL

The Weisman Center Solo Show 50 year Retrospective Delray Beach, FL

Deerfield Bch Historical Society Solo Show Shoosty Landscapes - Gabriela Camperl 2023, Jan.Florida

Art Show Timeline

2022-2023

2023

Show Book

Show Critique

CutSheet

Show Book

City Arts Center The Art of Music Kat Quast, Curator Orlando, Florida

Mills Gallery Solo Show Shoosty Bugs - Jennifer Coolidge, Curator Orlando, Florida

Color Senses Group Show Daria Rushenko & German Chavez, Curators Miami, Florida

Art in Chambers Solo Art Show Shoosty Bugs Virginia Poe, Curator Sanford Florida

The Fabric of Life Group Show Shoosty Bugs Rich- ard Colvin, Curator Leesburg, Florida

2023 November, - Baan Pittalew Art Gallery - Pai, Thailand; 2024 March, - Sketchbook Exhibition in Yokohama: A Glimpse into 27 Artists’ Visual Diaries Additional Shows: 17

Shoosty Bugs, Volume 1

Shoosty Bugs, Volume 2

Within the oeuvre of Shoosty’s (artist Ste - phen Shooster) many-faceted work, Shoosty Bugs represents a category of illustrations de - picting fanciful insects. The fascination with both real and imaginary insects goes back at least as far as the sacred scarabs of ancient Egypt. Shoosty’s contributions to the genre are at the highest level of creativity and originality. The anatomy of his creatures, while familiar, is more at home in Alice’s Wonderland than in Linnaeus’s taxonomy.

Official Field Guide to Shoosty Bugs

If comedy is the most difficult to write, then whimsy is the most difficult of com - edy writing. Like the exquisite care with which Shoosty Bugs are represented, the fact that the subject is light gives no lee - way from the precision with which they must be represented. The concept of creating a gallery of fan - tastic insects is in the tradition of art that insists on the participation of the viewer. Both the artist and the viewer know that the bug in question does not exist in the real world. Except that it does exist in the mind of the artist and of the viewer where it stimulates that most potent human attri - bute — imagination. In a fantasy, the key is not merely to write descriptive copy but to capture the whimsical mood of the art and to sustain the illusion that the world they create is real. The poet Marianne Moore once said, “Poets create imaginary gardens in which we find real frogs.” That’s what we are do - ing here.

Fantasy is illusion. And illusion always has an aspect of reality to it that anchors the viewer/reader — something familiar to ease the way to the strange. In a non-fiction book of insects, we might find accompanying text that describes the context within which the insects appear in various circumstances and cultures. Shoosty Bugs borrows the style of such text (the familiar) to present a strange, but somehow plausible scenario. With Edward Lear on one shoulder and Lewis Carroll on the other, we dove fear - lessly into the deep.

Jim Boring, Editor

The Art of Music Examples of Frenetic Drawing

Shoosty Landscapes

Examples of Vector Painting

Nothing Happens in a Vacuum

I need to pay homage to the following (I’m positive there are many more): Herman Shooster 1924-2013 Father

Body, Soul, Mind, Be a Whole Person

Dorothy Shooster Diane Shooster Jason Shooster Anna Shooster Jaime Shooster Carly Shooster Cassidy Shooster Albert J. Angel Jean-Michel Basquiat

1925- 1969- 1990- 1991- 1991- 1995- 1999-

Mother

Optimism

Wife Son

Passion, Commitment, Vulnerability

Practice and Flow

Daughter

Adventure

Son

Empathy, Mindfulness

Daughter Daughter Producer

Art History, Feminism, Sequential Art

Persistence, Empathy The Details Matter

1954-2024 1960-1988 1944-2024 1882-1963 1887-1985 1940-2021 1452-1519 1923-2011 1848-1903 1995-

Artist

Stay Loose

Jim Boring

Writer/Poet

Critical Thinking, Writing, Poetry, The Banality

Georges Braque

Artist

Broken Space, Cubism Stone has a Spirit

Michelangelo Buonarroti Simoni1475-1564 Artist/Sculptor

Marc Chagall Chuck Close

Artist Arist Artist Artist Artist

Be Poetic

Portrait Abstraction

Leonardo daVinci Jake Edmondson Catriel Efrony Paul Gauguin Kevin Gore David Hockney Albert Hoffman Marcia Isaacson David Kremgold Wendy Leuchter Max Leuchter Henri Matisse Pearl Nipon Albert Nipon Pablo Picasso Ad Reinhardt Steve Jobs Henri Rousseau Leon Schagrin Nate Shiner Michael Shooster

Never stop, find your flow and be prolific Thoughful Discourse, Humor Drips are Paint, Let Go, Be Free

Musician/Film

Color on Exotic Locations

1970- 1937-

Lyricist Artist

Freedom Fighting

Simplify

1924-2018

Soldier/Writer UF Professor Engineer/Artist UF Professor

Honor, The Joy of Writing The Discipline of Drawing

1945-

1955-2011

Vision

1944- 1961- 1961-

Scalable Design

Sister

Effervescence and Common Sense Determination, Constant Learning Determination, Comraderie, Character Quality, Style, Distinction, Exercise Psychic Income, Chopping Wood Mythical Lines, Cubism, Freedom Patterns Black Paint - all of the Colors of the Rainbow

Brother-in-Law

1869-1954

Artist

Jennifer McInnes Coolidge 1965-

Artist/Fundraiser

1927-2018 1927-2022 1881-1973 1913-1967 1844-1910

Aunt Uncle Artist Artist Artist

Patterns

1926-

Holocaust Survivor Courage, Vigilance, Freedom

1944-1984

UF Professor

Painting, Tai Chi

1955- 1966- 1954- 1938- 1954- 1961- 1991- 1952-

Brother

The Power of No and the Beauty of Honesty All Kinds of People Make the Difference

Alizabeth Shooster Frank Shooster Ivan Sutherland George Booker-Tandy Candy Tandy Richard Tandy Cappy Thompson Vincent Van Gogh

Sister-in-Law

Brother Engineer Musician Musician Musician

Civil Rights

Inventor of Vector Art

Extraordinary Professionalism Extraodinary Professionalism Rapid Thinking, Focus Grisaille Glass Painting Modern Painting, Laughter Honor our Ancestors, Political Art Swirls and bright color, Impressionism

Artist Artist

1853-1890 1917-2003

Hiram Williams

UF Professor

Lawrence Yuxwelupton

1957-

Artist

Special thank you to nature, butterflies, fresh water and trees.

Materials

Woodless #4 Soft Pencils Watercolor Pencils A High-Quality Electric Pencil Sharpener Kneaded Erasers Fabriano Acquarello Watercolor Paper, Cold Pressed, 100% Cotton, Grana Fina, 140 lbs Uniball .05 mm and .07mm black ink pens HP Wide Format printer - Z6100 series HP Canvas A Large Stable Easel A Mobile Easel # 2 Long-Handled Bristle Brushes A Complete Set of Bristle Brushes Palette Knives

Balance, Weight, Softness, Flow Derwent Inktense Pencils Good Drawings Require Sharp Pencils Hand Exercise, Precision Clean-Up Stability, Tooth, Permanence Needlepoint Pens that Flow Precisely Scaling, both Size and Quantity Wide Format Ready Indoor Painting Plein Air Painting Favorite Brush Strong Brushes to Push Heavy Oils Mixing and applying Oils Easy Clean-up, Clean Colors Wide Color Gamut, Safe and Permanent Beautiful Colors Oil Medium with a Gloss Finish Simple Light Oil for Thinning Paint Always Ready to Create Advanced Mobility Convenient Audio Affinity Designer, ArtRage Photoshop, InDesign, PDF, and more The Earth Heals backups - Backups - BACKUPS High Volume Printing Brain Food Custom Binding in my Studio Essential Book Clean-up Silk Painting Silk Setting Colorful Wire Fast and Accurate Pointing Web Development Stack Digital Mobility

Wax Paper Palette Gamblin Oil Colors Gamblin Transparent Oil Colors Gamblin Galkyd Medium Poppy Oil MacBook Pro A Gamer’s Mouse Wordpress Apple iPad / iPencil Apple iPhone LG-Tone Headset iPad Apps Adobe Cloud Ceramics DropBox OKI Printer C931 Books, Audiobooks, Newspapers, Magazines, The Web Fastbind - Perfect Binding Triumph 4850 Cutter Silk Dyes Silk Steamer Telephone Wire

SEATED MODEL AND SCULPTOR STUDYING SCULPTURED HEAD PICASSO, 1933

After I built the artist’s statement I asked AI to turn it into a beatnik poem. This is the result. Shoosty’s Groovy Artist Manifesto: A Beatnik Bop for 2024 This ain’t your daddy’s artist statement, man. Forget stuffy galleries and preten - tious pronouncements. This is a heart-to- heart with a shot of espresso, a fire-escape serenade for the creator in all of us. Dig this: I’m Shoosty, a multimedia art - ist on a nonstop exploration. From coding to canvas, I chase the muse wherever it leads. Words are my paintbrush, books my time machine. Each sketch, a fleeting butterfly, finds its forever home bound be - tween pages. But the groove don’t stop there, daddy-o. I’m feeling the pull of the future, the indus - trial symphony of machines. Silks printed with my art – that’s the kind of collabora - tion that gets my motor running. It’s a chal - lenge, a wild riff waiting to be played. Here’s the secret sauce, the key to un - locking the creative cosmos: daily practice, baby. Whether it’s a quick sketch or wres - tling with a new software, I put in the hours to hone my craft. Mastering a few skills is cool, but this is a lifelong jam session, man. There’s always a new melody to learn, a gap in my knowledge waiting to be filled.

And dig this, cats: collaboration is the name of the game. Building a legacy ain’t a solo act. Museums that share art, global partnerships sparking inspiration – that’s the future I see. It takes a crew, a band of dedicated cats who understand the art of “passing the torch.” Leadership is cool, but a legacy needs a whole orchestra to truly shine. Shoosty Bugs , that’s my jam right now. It’s a fusion of nature’s beauty and cultural grooves. These buggin’ creations are edu - cational tools, a platform for global collabo - ration and artistic expression. In the end, it’s all about the journey, man. Every step on this artistic path is a chance to leave your mark, to write your name on a rock. It’s about passion, about sharing the gifts we’re given, no matter how big or small. Check out my website, www.shoosty.com, where you can grab my books for free (reg - istration’s a must, though). Let’s keep this creative fire burning, cats!

Keep on groovin’ – Shoosty 2024

Introduction - Original Watercolors

From Sketch to Museum Showcase: A Bug’s-Eye View of Art In 2007, a simple sketch of a bug ignited a creative spark in me. Recovering from injury, I was in a silly mood and made a bug watercolor. By this time, I had been painting for almost 50 years. As a child, I was also a stamp collector. Collecting stamps naturally led to organizing my art, eventually becoming The Catalog Raisonné of every piece I have ever made. Flipping through this book is like entering a time machine. It starts with the crayon drawings I made at age 7 in 1965 and currently goes to 2023, 65 years. It is three volumes and 1,600 pages. I make a lot of art. I do not know of any other living artist who has done this. It is a remarkable achievement and has become an invaluable resource that has proven instrumental in attracting the attention of key figures in the art world. In 2019, acting as curator, Jennifer McInnes Coolidge propelled my work into the spotlight. Recognizing the unique potential of Shoosty Bugs, she proposed a solo show. At the time, I was mastering vector drawing on the iPad Pro, creating scalable, high-quality images. Perfect for her concept. I flooded the gallery with large-format prints of giant bugs painted with the world’s textures. On the show’s final day, Zach Zacharias, curator at MOAS, was captivated by my work. His enthusiasm led to a relationship with MOAS and the opportunity of a lifetime to share my life’s passion.

story, and then I spent the next Seven years alone finishing it. Every morning, I sat for two hours and thought about him, gathering his story. Working with my dad and our family was a great honor and put me on a solid course my whole life. Our client list speaks volumes about the kind of people I have worked with in my career. Here is a short list: Crate and Barrel, Zara, New York Times, Hermes, Wolford, JM Family - S.E. Toyota, Her- shey’s Chocolate, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, PBS, Time Magazine, National Geographic, The Kentucky Derby, The Chicago Art Institute, and MoMa. Building a business from the bottom up afforded me the Freedom to care for my family and com- munity while spending quality time making art and writing. I am very prolific as a creator. I love how making art is an exercise in discovery. 2007, I was recovering from an injury, so I had some extra time. For whatever reason, I drew a simple outline of a bug and filled it in with colorful patterns. I was encouraged to do more of them, so I did. By this time, I had been painting for almost 50 years. 2011, I started writing books. I found the exercise similar to making a large painting. My first book is called The Horse Adjutant. It highlights the story of a survivor of the Nazi Holocaust, Leon Schagrin. He was a Jewish prisoner at the Auschwitz death camp in Birkenau, Poland. This book inspired the Polish town it was written about to explore its his- tory and embrace its Jewish past. Today, there are new monuments at the graveyard and giant murals depicting the families all over town. In 2021, Jim Boring, my long-time editor, wrote the foreword to my first book on Shoosty Bugs. I asked him how can I be the author of a Holocaust book and a book on bugs. He masterfully complied, equating my bugs to the scarabs of ancient Egypt. In 2024, Jim passed away. In 2022, acting as curator, Jennifer McInnes

Interview with Jenni Craig Please share your background as an artist and how your journey led to this exhibit. As a child, I was a stamp collector. Sorting and or- ganizing those small pictures naturally led to or- ganizing my art, eventually becoming The Catalog Raisonné of every painting and drawing I have ever made. Flipping through this set of books is like entering a time machine. It starts with the crayon drawings I made at age 7 in 1965 and currently goes to 2023, 65 years later. It is three volumes and 1,600 pages. I do not know of any other living artist who has created a comprehensive book of their art. It is a remarkable achievement and has become an invaluable resource that has proven instrumental in attracting the attention of key figures in the art world. I graduated from The University of Florida (1976- 82), earning a degree in Fine Art with a minor in Architecture. At the time, my dad, Herman Shoost- er, said you can’t be an artist for your career. Mi- chelangelo’s father said the same thing to his son. Instead, my dad asked me to defer my education and join his small business. He wanted the business to grow. I stayed with him. He owned a small tele- phone answering service. It had wooden switch- boards that we rented from the phone company. Then, in 1988, AT&T released 800 numbers to the world, and I decided to build a call center. I was young and unfazed by the scale of the effort. Artists like to make things, so I built it from scratch and learned all the nuances. I found myself deep in the heart of software for years. It led to a career of over 40 years, resulting in a team of 35 engineers work- ing directly for me, and our company grew from 10 employees to thousands. One of the best parts was that the whole family joined the business. We were four brothers and sisters, all our spouses and parents—a true family business. In 2012, my dad earned The Sun Sentinel Excalibur Businessman of the Year Award for Broward County, Florida. Four days later, he was diagnosed with Leukemia. We spent the next seven months together writing his

Coolidge propelled my work into the spotlight. Recognizing the unique potential of Shoosty Bugs, she proposed a solo show. At the time, I was mas- tering vector drawing. Vector drawing allows me to create scalable, professional works of art. These were perfect for the show Jennifer was suggesting. Jan 2023, I flooded The Mills Gallery in Orlando with large-format prints of giant bugs covered with the world’s patterns. On the show’s final day, Zach Zacharias, curator at MOAS, made it to the show. His enthusiasm led to a relationship with MOAS and the opportunity of a lifetime to share my life’s passion with you. I want to thank the team at MOAS for giving me all the nurturing an artist needs to work with a muse- um. While working together, I learned that this op- portunity is extremely rare. They have never done a solo show for an individual artist. Your artwork extends far beyond insects, though “bugs” is the central theme at the MOAS exhibit. What do you find to be so inspiring/compelling about bugs? I love making art. It hardly matters to me what the theme is; I always find a way to put my twist on it. This show is not just about bugs. It is about patterns of the world and, ultimately, about the extent of the human imagination. How can anybody not admire bugs when they are not causing mischief? Bugs represent the widest range of diversity in the animal kingdom. The more I work on this project, the more I learn about bugs. Here are some of the highlights: • Silk is created from a gland near the mouth of the caterpillar. • Pollinators are crucial to life on this planet. Most flowers depend on bugs to pollinate them. • The white silk moth Bombyx Mori only eats white Mulberry leaves. This is the same plant used to make paper in Japan! The moth form does not poop or eat. Its sole purpose is to mate.

• Ladybugs bleed a smelly fluid from their knees when upset. • If you collected all of the Leaf Hopper Bugs in the world, the weight would equal all the hu- mans. • Ants don’t have lungs. They breathe through their bodies. • The Dragonfly has a 95% kill ratio, the highest in the animal kingdom. • Dung Beetles are the strongest animals in the world based on weight and effort. What is your favorite piece in this exhibit? I like them all. Each has a story to tell. I especial- ly like the main piece in the show. It comprises five panels, 20 feet by 12 feet: The Japanese Beetle, Scythian Horned Beetle, Stripped FireBug, Ameri- can Cockroach, and Ukrainian Megascolia. All of them were created in 2024 and printed on 18mm Silk Twill. It was a collaboration with the MOAS team. They pushed me to new levels I didn’t realize I had. What is the range of styles of artwork you create? My main themes are: Shoosty Bugs - World patterns applied to insects. The Art of Music - Speed drawings of musicians while bands are playing. Shoosty Landscapes - Post-processed plein-air landscapes. Conceptual Art - Taking ideas and mashing them up. Indigenous Art - Studying ancient art is at the core of my learning. The Holocaust - If you want to understand the val- ue of Freedom, read a book on the Holocaust. World Patterns - I actively collect patterns to use in all of my work. Where can you see your work? Floating Manatee , 40” 36” Oil on Canvas, 2023 -

Nov. 2024- Nov 2025 The Orlando Airport Gallery, Terminal B as a part of the Fusion Festival. Historic 5th Avenue , 7 ft x 5 ft, oil on canvas, 2014 - Nov. 2024-Nov. 2025 The UF Innovation Center, second floor Shark Valley, 48” x 48”. Oil on Canvas, Permanent Display - The UF Reitz Union. The student center is on the bottom floor on the east side. The Shoosty The Catalog Raisonné www.shoosty. com Follow the web links to see the free online flip books. Tell us about your creative process. How did you generate the initial ideas for this particular col- lection? If you paint long enough, eventually, you will find yourself. It took me thousands of hours to learn that my paintings are about painting. My subject is the painting itself. When you internalize this, you will have the greatest sense of Freedom. I begin by finding a bug that interests me. I then choose a pattern from my personal library patterns. The idea is to tell a story by making a theme. To come up with ideas, I study a lot of art. The Internet makes it easy. It also helped that I run a few Face- book groups about art with over 30K members be- tween them: Art Nouveau and Art Deco, Art Brut, I combine silk, one of the world’s oldest materials, with the most advanced techniques to design and print. The result is cutting-edge. While working, I need to consider the inks, fabric, printers, and packaging. I pay special attention to duplex print- ing. The silk is printed on both sides at the same time. Each piece of fabric requires two identical drawings except for a color shift. and Japanese Woodblock Printing. What design challenges do you face?

What do you want guests to take away from Shoosty Bugs: An Art Infestation? My show centers around a deep exploration of ar- tistic discovery. It highlights the power of patterns and the boundlessness of human imagination. I hope my work leaves people spellbound, eyes wide open, full of imagination. I want them to imagine my patterns on everything from cereal boxes to clothing, car wraps, and giant murals. I want to fill the world with beauty and color that heals our bod- ies and souls. If there is a question I didn’t ask that you want to answer, go for it. We aim for magazines to hit mailboxes the week of your opening. What is it about Fine Art that has kept you en- gaged all of these years? For me, studying art is one of the only skills I can do by myself. It allows me to work at my pace, which is very fast, yet the act of painting itself is like med- itation, slowing me down. I can easily see working on my art for my entire life, always discovering new things. End Jenni Craig Interview.

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