2019 ARTIST STATEMENT
2019 was a very busy year for me. My work was very demanding, but I managed to take a few trips. One of the highlights was visiting Vancouver, Canada, where I dedicated a full week to studying the region’s art. I discovered the Emily Carr School of Art and Design during this time. I had the privilege of attending an exhibition by one of my favorite artists, Paul Yuxweluptun, an indigenous contemporary artist with a powerful political voice. The most significant event in 2019 was the sale of the family company. The process, which took two years, culminated over Labor Day weekend at the beginning of September. The actual deal was on a Friday before the long holiday weekend. It was a surreal experience involving a conference call with lawyers ticking off check boxes, followed by an anxious wait for the money transfer. The transfer was scheduled for Tuesday the following week, coinciding with the expected landfall of Hurricane Dorian, a dangerous category-five storm. Maps showed it was directly on course for our building. Fortunately, the storm veered off course, and the transfer proceeded smoothly. All of the lawyers on the call were jubilant. I, however, felt like fresh-cut flowers; I was at the peak of my career, destined to fade. Emotionally, I knew that getting used to not being involved in such a dynamic organization would take time. At
the time of my retirement, I had a direct staff of 35 people who I cared for more than they might have known. We built something very special. I was very fortunate to be able to work on all aspects of it, especially the innovation. We were running a rather large call center and knew that artificial intelligence was just around the corner. Call centers are projected to shrink by at least 50%. We had a lot more to lose than to gain. Nobody even considered a worldwide pandemic. In retrospect, we did the right thing. Managing a company through tough times is very stressful. The best part about retirement is that I can finally relax. I would no longer be on call 24 x 7 x 365 days a year. I was free from professional commitments and could devote my full attention to art and writing.
Road trip with Buddy the golden retriever, Matcha the cat, and Di- ane, my wife.
“Off Duty” Shooster wearing retirement shirt
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