THE REVEAL
After a lifetime dreaming of my work in a museum, and two years of relentless, 10- 12-hour days—crafting a 3D model, ani - mations, vector graphics, a new book, and pushing past my discomfort to connect with others—it all clicked.
Christian Traverson , Planetarium Manager and Assistant Curator of Science. Katie Wedderstrand , Planetarium Ed - ucator. Jim Boring , my editor, murmured, ‘The world lags behind,’ softening my self-doubt and framing a first edition’s flaws as its soul. J.J. Royer , Chief Advancement Officer, envisioned programs to elevate my work and engage the community—fellow artists, take note: step into her shoes and ask, “How can I serve the community to lift the muse - um and, in turn, our world?” Countless others made this possible: the selfless staff—from security to facilities, in - stallations to the front desk, store manag - ers to the COO and CFO—and the docents, donors, and visitors who fuel this timeless institution. I applaud you all. Above all, I owe this to Diane , my wife and executive producer; our kids, who’ve shaped us beyond imagining; my parents— Dorothy Shooster , 100 and a social media star, and Herman Shooster , who taught me humility, gave me freedom to dream, and built a financial foundation through his own business vision; my friends, steadfast through thick and thin; and dreamers eager to take my work further—I’m yours, truly. To all of you, I dedicate every ounce of my - self. #foreverthankful With Diane, my unwavering rock, I stood trembling at the VIP opening. As the cur - tain swept back, the mezzanine blazed to life—scale, colors, and details so vivid they stole our breath. The evening hummed with magic, tears brimming in our eyes. Warm speeches hailed how my work lands and resonates—a rush I can distill to one word: exhilarating. Stephen Shooster
This milestone owes much to key people: Jennifer McGuiness Coolidge , The Bug Curator, steered my relentless art-mak - ing into insects, a lane where she saw my dreams, inventions, and hunger to learn could reach a wider crowd. It worked! Zach Zacharias , Sr. Curator of History at MoAS and fossil hunter, unearthed my work like one of his finds and flung the door wide. Tabitha Schmidt , CEO of MoAS, bet on my vision and handed me the reins. Tamara Joy , Curator and Fabric Expert, shaped public perception and refined my vi - sion. Jenelle Codianne , Director of Design, wielded tech wizardry to wrangle my stub - born, runaway muse. Stephanie Shaw , Registrar Ryan Lowry , Exhibitions Manager Caleb Handlin , Preparator Seth Mayo , Astronomer turned engineer - ing ace, mapped software and space like a star chart for my bugs. Clair Mitchell , Marketing Director, wove community ties with insight.
17
Made with FlippingBook Annual report maker