2025, Shoosty Bugs, An Art Infestation Opening

The Commemortive book of Shoosty Bugs, Volume three of the collection including the 2025 patterns.

SHOOSTY BUGS An Art Infestation

CONTENTS

5 7 9

Preface

94 96 98 99

Nouveau

175 175 177 177 179 181 191 192 193 195 196 198 200 201 203 205 206 207 209 210 213 214 216 218 221 221

Sustainability

Opening Speech Curator’s Perspective The Artist’s Perspective

Metamorphosis

Empowering Artists

Intricate Symbiosis

The Interview Stephen’s Why Gallery Graphic

13 14 24 30 32 37 37 39 45 47 49 51 53 58 60 70 75 75 77 78 81 82 84 87 89 91 92

The Reveal Impressions Beginnings

104 104 111 119 130 133 135 136 139 140 143 144 147 148 151 152 155 156 159 160 163 164 167 168 173 174

MOAS Show

Series

Teaching Reviews

MOAS Show Series MOAS Show Series The Gillipse Gallery The Story of Silk Lady Bug and Daffodil The Color Wheel Butterfly Nouveau Dragonflies at Night French Curve Beetles Turkish Butterfly Shock Reader Shakespeare Bug The Fiery Searcher Victorian Dragonfly Stamped Bag Wallichii Pear and silkworm The Uncommon Fly Rhynchophorus Weevil

About

The Bug Curator The Violin Mantis

The Bugs

Chromatic Fusionism

Silk

Focus

Decisions

From Tiny Bodies...

Love

...Comes Silk

Community Education Current Shows Published Books

and Computer Bugs Shaping Imaginations

How

Neighbors

Tours

Responsible AI

Florida / Wakayama Cultural Alliance Life Companion

Thinking Ancient Patterns Culture Royalty Symbiosis Full-Circle

Denmark Thailand

Tokyo Nara

The Guardian of Kofu Mom (99) and Jay Shoosty® Workshops

Megascolia of Ukraine Steampunk Pollinators

Goliathus CPU

Americana

Primitiff

Valousia Hopper

A Riot of Color

You Hosts Introduction

Luna

Shoosty Museum Show, How does it Feel?

PREFACE

On April 3rd, 2025, I fulfilled the lifelong dream to have my art featured in a museum. I never imag - ined how it would feel because I never thought it was possible. Yet, here we were at the opening, anticipa - tion palpable. My wife, Diane, looked radiant in her new outfit, while old friends and family min - gled over drinks, all smiles. Carly, my daughter, playfully called it my “Bar Mitzvah,” and our first grandson stole the show in every photo.

On the wall we found my artist’s biography, and paused. Seeing my name and birth date, I thought of my late father and my mother, too frail to at - tend, and a few close friends recently deceased. We stood in awe, relishing the thrill of what we’d achieved. This was no longer my show—it was ours, and not just ours as a couple, but like chil - dren, released to the world. I urge you to visit—it’s food for your soul. Paint - ings can spark your imagination, and no photo could capture the feeling of being in that space.

Four months earlier, I finalized the designs and sent them to the manufacturers. Everything was shipped directly to the museum. When installation time came, I of - fered to help, but the museum staff declined, assuring me they had it covered. At one point they closed the main museum for a few days to complete the setup. That was a powerful lesson for me, how seri - ously they approached the installa - tion.

The silk’s glow shimmered under per - fectly placed lighting, and the room’s scale gave the work focus and gran - deur. You will discover worlds within worlds. What does it feel like? It feels like I need a new set of goals. This night showed me my work can resonate— now, I’m driven to share it worldwide. I hope you’ll follow my journey and see how far this project can go.

The Baby

On opening night, I still hadn’t seen the exhibit. A curtain hid the gallery, and I resisted the urge to peek, savoring the suspense. After a few speech - es, Diane and I stepped forward holding hands as the first to enter. We were both profoundly touched. We looked at each other, eyes glowing. The show was spectacular! Cherishing each step as guests poured in, I wish I could have captured everyone’s first impressions. All cameras were on us.

“It makes me smile every time I’m in The Shoosty Bugs Gallery” - Tabitha Schmidt, CEO, MoAS

Tabitha Schmidt, Executive Director of MoAS, holding Shoosty Bugs Passion Flower Scarf.

style Destination; Daytona Beach John - ny; Nomad Media and Zgraph. Thank you so much. We couldn’t do this without you all. I would also like to ask our Board of Trustees. if you’re here please stand, wave your hand, and let everybody know you’re here in the room. We have a fan - tastic Board of Trustees. Thank you for everything you do, and to our dignitaries and civil servants, if you’re in the room, please raise your hand and let us ac - knowledge you this evening. So, developing and installing exhibits takes a lot of time and talent. This exhibit was curated in-house with the artist Ste - phen Shooster, who you will hear from shortly, and our team of highly capable creative staff. My sincere gratitude and thank you to the amazing team that put this beautiful and very interesting exhibit together with Stephen; Tamara Joy, our chief curator; Zack Zacharias, our Senior Curator of History; Jenelle Codianne, Di - rector of Design; Stephanie Shaw, Reg - istrar; Ryan Lowry, Exhibitions Manag - er; Caleb Handlin, our Preparator; Seth Mayo, our Planetarium Director and Cu - rator of Science; Christian Traverson, our Planetarium Manager and Assistant Curator of Science; and Katie Wedder - strand, our Planetarium Educator.

OPENING SPEECH 7:00 PM April, 3rd, 2025 Tabitha Schmidt, CEO, MoAS Good evening everyone, good evening. Love all the chatter. Welcome everyone, I’m Tabitha Schmidt . I’m the CEO here at MoAS, The Museum of Arts and Sci - ences in Daytona. We are thrilled you are here tonight. This is actually our very first opening of 2025. Here we are, the start of the 2025 season, and I will tell you it’s a doozy this year. There’s a lot coming so pay attention. First, I would like to thank our exhibit sponsors, without their financial support we would be unable to bring traveling ex - hibits to the museum and the community. My sincere gratitude to the Abbas Abdul - hussein Family; Lin Marinasio; Bomar Construction; Brown and Brown Insur - ance; Cobb Cole; Embry Riddle Aeronau - tical University; Expert Reserve Services; Giles Electric; Halifax Health; ICI Homes; John Hall Chevrolet; NASCAR; Jill Simp - kins; CiCi and Hyatt Brown; David and Tony Slick; Jean and Diane Rogers; Mr. Gale Lemerand; Stuart and Lisa Sigma; Don Bell Signs; Bahama House; Daytona Beach News Journal; Daytona City Life -

This thing takes a village like you would not be - lieve, so you guys, I know this was amazing and hard work, and it looks beautiful. I hope you all en - joy it as much as I have. Before I say a few words about the exhibit, I would like to ask everyone to get out your tickets for the door prizes. We had you do that when you came in. We have three wonderful baskets courtesy of Stephen Shooster and they’re going to draw them, and I’m going to read them and if you have the win - ning ticket please come forward. The first winner is 705765, there is a lot of Shoosty fun in this basket. Our second winner is 705787, oh my god this is the lucky table. Our last winner is 705769. They are wonderful, Stephen and Diane, thank you for donating all of this. A couple of years ago, our Senior Curator of His - tory, Zack Zacharias, introduced me and our team to Stephen Shooster. He came to the museum with a portfolio of incredibly colorful bug creations. We were impressed with his style, his inspiration, his process, and his story. The seeds of this exhibit were planted then. Tamara Joy, our Chief Curator, joined us soon after, and has been with us a lit - tle over a year, and actually took the lead on this project and became the Lead Curator. She and the team have been working very closely with Stephen to curate and install what you’re going to see to - night. I would like to now introduce Tamara Joy our Chief Curator to say a few words about Stephen, our artist this evening.

Wendy Leuchter with Diane Shooster

Rachel Sacks-Tippet

CURATOR’S PERSPECTIVE Tamara Joy, Chief Curator, MoAS It’s a pleasure to finally come to the opening of Stephen’s, Shoosty Bugs, An Art Infestation . I want to echo Tabitha’s thanks to all of my colleagues. We could not do this without each other. So, thank you all my friends and colleagues, and welcome, Stephen Shooster and his wife Diane and the family. I’ve met a one of the daughters and I’m going to learn the other names, soon. Welcome, It’s pleasure to have you all here. We’ve been working with Stephen for more than a year on discussing and planning the show. In the beginning, the staff had been formulating an idea of bugs everywhere in the museum, in a few different, various ways. And as Tabitha mentioned, during these discussions, Zach and Tabitha had already seen some of Stephen’s work. I think everybody just said, you know, this is it. This is the thing the key that will hold it all together, Shoosty Bugs . I was first introduced to Shoosty Bugs by Zach. I don’t know where he got it, but he showed it to us and it’s a big beautiful computer bug, The Integrated Goliath CPU . You will meet him in the gallery later. What intrigued me was this high-tech digitally created image was using silk as a canvas. I’m a textile person, so, you know, that hooked me right away. Just the idea of using this work to integrate sci - ence and art—that’s perfect for us. And in Shoosty Bugs , we were able to ask questions like, How do we embrace technology and stay connected to the natural world?

Tamara Joy, Chief Curator, MoAS

S tephen embraces inspiration from all media and he communes with AI, but those building blocks, those old materials, silk, for example resonates with me. When we first started talking about how to interpret the show I went back to my own training. I was in grad school. I was a teaching assistant. I taught textile science, and I looked at a lot of fibers through a magnifying glass. And I knew that silk was this super fiber. And I thought, Why are you using this as a canvas? As we started talking about silk, I mentioned some silk books that I had read, and you know, he’s very interested, and correct me if I’m wrong, Stephen, I think you downloaded or bought one or two books, and I think you read them in a day. And we got back and started talking about it, and you were just so excited, and his love of learning, and his openness to integrating new ideas, you know, that’s the heart of an artist.

Silk: A World History by Aarathi Prasad

Then, a few months later, we were talking, and we found out that we both had studied paper making in Ja - pan. What are the odds of that? And so both of these, the origins of silk go back to 4,000 BC, an old mate - rial, life-changing, civilization chang - ing, as was paper and you know we were talking more about that con - nection with silk and his work and again, correct me if I’m wrong, those talks about silk, and the further in - vestigation, inspired you to make the silk moth scarf which I am wearing, and it is 100 percent silk.

Goliathus CPU, 48” x 48” 18 mm stretched silk twill , Shoosty, 2023

Tamara Joy, Modeling, “The Story of Silk,” 18 mm silk twill, Shoosty 2024

Wow, I mean it’s kind of like all here. It’s the cycle of life and death. You’ve got the silkworm, you’ve got the silk cocoon, you know the spinning of the silk, and the silk moth. It’s like it’s all here. It’s the symbol of transforma - tion and renewal, and I grabbed this silk early on, when Stephen brought a few for us, It’s like, That’s mine! And so it’s a storyboard, it’s a digital design, but also a story - board, it’s “Wear the Art, Be the Movement,” that’s one of Stephen’s taglines. Other inspirations Stephen looks, and appreciates are art historical movements, he mentions, Art Nouveau and the Bauhaus. These are both early 20th century, or turn of the 20th century movements. Both, philosophical and aesthetic, they’re marked by technology, and industry, but also the curves, the soft elegant curves of the Art Nouveau movement.

The Silk Story 36” x 36” 18 mm stretched silk twill , Shoosty, 2023

There is another movement that came around the same time, Steampunk . Any Steampunk enthusiasts out here? It also has offshoots, like Cyberpunk and Biopunk. These advancements of technology are both optimistic and cautionary tales. How do we integrate these things? Most Steampunk is set in the 19th century. I think you know Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland ; The Time Machine by HG Wells; Frankenstein by Mary Shelley , all the way up to Japanese Anime. So, the way Stephen has borrowed and looked, and been inspired by the weird and whimsical, is a way I think we could sum up Steampunk. The punk part of that means rebellious, uncon - ventional, and edgy, a rejection of the status quo, and I think we could apply this to Stephen’s work. Shoosty Punk .

In my observation, Stephen never stops look - ing forward and finding connections. He is ven - turing down a path of new ideas at warp speed. The family is nodding. They know their dad. They know, working with Stephen, it was a lit- tle bit like trying to fly a colorful kite during a typhoon. It’s a wild ride. And by the way, Stephen has made kites. He hand-stitched and brought in kites for us to look at on silk they’re amazing, but the best person to talk about Shoosty, the artist, is Stephen Shooster. So, Stephen, please come up and ex - plain yourself.

Steampunk Bumble Bee decorative kite, Silk stretched and sewn around an aluminum wire frame, apx.. 7 feet x 7 feet.

THE ARTIST’S PERSPECTIVE

I want to thank everybody for being here. It’s such a great honor for all of you to be here at the premier opening of my first museum exhibi - tion. The museum people blew me away. Each one of them taught me how to behave and how to be a better artist. In doing so, I got to admire how they actually work, which was terrific. My show is really about a rejection of modern art and a return to beauty. I dug back in time and brought out the patterns of the world and then made them current by redrawing them with pin-sharp vector graphics, making them as beautiful as possible. Then, I applied them to something familiar, the bugs, but when you get up close you realize you hardly know anything about these creatures that surround us. My bugs are more related to Alice in Wonderland than Linnaeus’s Taxonomy . We are all about to see them for the first time, as I have not seen the installation either. It’s behind the curtain.

Books mentioned: Alice in Wonderland, The Time Ma- chine, Frankenstein, Linnaeus’ Philosophia Botanica

Stephen Shooster, aka Shoosty

Shoosty Bugs / An Art Infestation, Private VIP Opening. April 35r, 2025

THE REVEAL Stephen Shooster

After a lifetime dreaming of my work in a museum, and two years of relentless, 10-12-hour days—crafting a 3D model, animations, vector graphics, a new book, and pushing past my discomfort to connect with others—it all clicked. With Diane, my unwavering rock, I stood trembling at the VIP opening. As the curtain 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.

Katie Wedderstrand , Planetarium Educa - tor. 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 museum 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 myself.

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 vision. 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. Christian Traverson , Planetarium Man - ager and Assistant Curator of Science.

#foreverthankful

Opening the Curtain

First Glance

Shoosty Bugs / An Art Infestation - MoAS, Daytona, Florida, April 3rd, 2025 to Jan. 4ht 2026. Gale Lemerand gallery, floor to ceiling silk panels

Pentaptych, 5 panels of silk 12’ x 25’, Left to Right, Japonisme Beetle, Scythian Beetle, Fiery Searcher, American Cockroach, Ukrainian Megascolia Wasp

First Impressions

“WOW, IT’S LIKE, IT’S HARD TO EVEN DESCRIBE THIS, IT WAS A LOT OF MEETINGS AND YOU CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE, CAUSE WE SAW THIS IN THE HOUSE, BUT IT’S NOT THE SAME THING, OBVIOUSLY, WOW” - Diane Shooster 2025

IMPRESSIONS

Shoosty ® Bugs An Art Infestation

In 2024, Stephen and his wife, Diane, moved to North Florida near The University of Florida to be with their kids, and at age 66, he applied for his Master’s Degree in Art and Technology. Their home seems to be surrounded by a Juras - sic park. The dinosaurs are gone, leaving small lizards. The pterodactyls are hummingbirds and butterflies. The world has been tamed. There are roads and walkways, electricity, air conditioning, cars, and a flat-screen TV hanging on the wall. Stephen spends most of his time on the com - puter. Diane is a Real Estate agent. They work well together. She is industrious, and you can find him most days on his desk. The volume of his art - work flows fast; documenting it is a more tedious process. Born in Chester, Pennsylvania in May, of 1958. He was the 3rd of four children of Herman and Dorothy Shooster. His parents are both first-gen - eration Jewish Americans. Their families came from Russia, dirt poor. Today, you know that re - gion as the Ukraine. Stephen graduated from The University of Flori - da in 1982, with a degree in Fine Art and a minor in Architecture. After, he worked with his father at his small telephone answering service. It had ten employees. The timing was perfect. By 1988, 800-number toll-free calling was rolled out and to capture some of this business, they created a call center. Stephen built the technology, earning a software patent along the way.

Shooster, 1981, University of Florida

Noir Self Portrait Close-Up. 1979, Shoosty, Charcoal

30 DECISIONS

“Whether using a brush or a keyboard, the cre - ative process remains: problem-solving, exper - imentation, and pursuing beauty. The medium may differ, but the artist’s intent endures.” - Shoosty As the company grew, nine of his family mem - bers joined. In 2012, his father won The Sun Sen - tinel’s Excalibur Businessman of the Year Award for Broward County, Florida. Four days later, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Seven months lat - er, he was gone. For the next seven years, Ste - phen spent two hours each morning writing his father’s biography. The company peaked at 3,000 employees be - fore it was sold in 2019. The client list was filled with the finest companies in the world: National Geographic, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, Southeast Toyota, Crate&Barrel, Zara, Tory Burch, Hermès, Wolford, Lacoste, and many more. BOOKS : The Horse Adjutant - The True Story of a Nazi Holocaust Survivor, Leon Schagrin. 2011 Herman Shooster - The Son of a Tailor, Who Was the Son of a Shoemaker, 2019 The Shoosty Catalog Raisonné - A 3-volume opus. The Entire Catalog of Shoosty Art. 1,600 Pages Ranging from Age 7 to Age 65.

Stephen Shooster with multiplexer in a Miami truck tunnel. 1989

BUG BEGINNINGS

From Sketches to Museum Show- case: Shoosty Bugs, An Art Infestation In 2007, a quick sketch of a bug ignit- ed a creative spark. Recovering from injury, I was in a silly mood and made a simple watercolor of a beetle. I was encouraged to make more. Louis Pasteur, the discoverer of pen- icillin, said: Chance favors the pre- pared mind. I agree. By this time, I had been painting for almost 50 years. If it wasn’t for my training that tiny sketch would have been forgotten. In- stead, I made a few more and built a series. They were loose sketches. What made them different was the use of patterns painted into their bodies. It is the combination of these realistic creatures styled with antique textile patterns that made them striking. As a child, I was a stamp collector. Collecting stamps naturally led to or- ganizing my art, eventually becoming The Catalog Raisonné of my work. It is a collection of every piece I have ever made. Flipping through these books is like entering a time machine. It starts with the crayon drawings I made at age 7, in 1965, and currently spans 65 years to 2023. So far, 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 taken the time to document all of it. It is a remarkable achieve- ment, and has become an invaluable resource that has proven instrumental in attracting the attention of key fig- ures in the art world. In 2022, acting as curator, Jennifer McInnes Coolidge propelled my work into the spotlight. Recognizing the unique potential of the bugs, she pro- posed a solo show. At the time, I was mastering vector drawing on the iPad Pro. Vectors allow me to create scal- able, high-quality images, perfect to fill up large spaces. The iPad gave me the freedom to do this anywhere. December of 2022, I flooded Mills Gallery in Orlando with a series of large-format prints of giant bugs. On the show’s final day, Zach Zacharias, senior curator of The Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS), in Daytona, Florida, was captivated by my work. His enthusiasm led to a relationship with the museum and the opportu- nity of a lifetime, Shoosty Bugs, An Art Infestation, April 5th, 2025 - Jan. 4th, 2026.

Shoosty 2007

Royal Goliathus Beetle Stamp 2023

Framed Originals 2000 - 2007

Clockwise from top left, 2007 Shakespeare Bug, 2007 Curculiondae,2007 Dragonfly, 2007 Klimt Leaf Bug, 2007 Lucanidae, 2007 Cicada, 2007 Scarab 3, 2007 Purple Wasp, 2007 Dragonfly bug, 2000 Squished Fly

MAKING ART ABOUT ART

My artistic journey is a tapestry woven from diverse threads. At its core is the constant thirst for learning. Art History and technology fuel my in - spiration. Studying history reveals hu - manity’s stories while technology allow me to scaling them to reach the widest audience cost effectively. As much as I wrote for long periods daily, I rely primar - ily on visualization to express my ideas. Each new creation deepens my under - standing and becomes the springboard for the next. I keep pulling at the edges of what is possible paying close attention to the details and documenting all of my work. I primarily work with computers, while I still love the tactile experiences of old- school drawing and painting. Lately, my practice has shifted towards working with printed silk. I am captivated by the range of colors and pin-sharp details I can print. The fabric also allows me to make large-scale works that are easily

portable. Working with fabrics has also opened door to the rarefied world of fashion and costume design. My hand- rolled, 18 mm, twill, silk scarves are on par with the finest brands in the world. I work on making art every day, starting first thing in the morning and working late in the evening. Whether I’m working on a small sketch or pushing the boundaries of software, I dedicate focused time to honing my skills. Mastery, for me, extends beyond any specific medium and style. This makes me very adaptable, capable of taking ad - vantage of opportunities as they appear. Working in this way learning itself is the reward. Building a lasting artistic legacy re - quires collaboration. I envision global partnerships capable of displaying my work to large audiences in all formats from products to fine art.

“Each of us has a journey, writing or painting your name on a rock as you take each step is very satisfying.” - Shoosty 2024

Marrying Diane was the best decision of my life. Her unwavering support has been the bedrock of my artistic journey. Without her, I wouldn’t have the life I cherish. She has not only raised our four talented children—three mu- sicians and a comic book artist—but has also been my con- stant companion, inspiring and challenging me. She balances her demanding career with the warmth and care of a loving home. Her selfless dedication to our family has allowed me to delve deep into my art. Even after 35 years, I continue to be amazed by her depth and wisdom. Our marriage is a testament to the power of love and part- nership. We welcomed our first grandchild, Finn Charlie Shoost- er, November 29th, 2024, it was a poignant day marking the 100th anniversary of my father’s birth, I felt a profound sense of gratitude. This new chapter in our lives is filled with hope and promise, and I’m incredibly fortunate to share it with Diane and our family. - Shoosty

LOVE

37 Diane and Stephen the First 15 Years of Marriage Photo-mosaic (15,000 Photos), Shoosty 2004

Diane Shooster

My work is a Chromatic Fusion - a blend of Color The- ory, Science, and The Human Experience. - Shoosty

THE BUGS “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 inven - tive 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.” “The large panels on display in the main exhibi - tion hall are printed on luminous twill-weave silk, a fabric with a rich history dating back to neo - lithic China around 3,500 BCE according to the archaeological evidence. To achieve vibrant col - ors and intricate details in each design, I use an

CHROMATIC FUSIONISM Shoosty’s work has always been a celebration of nature - its colors and patterns. It is an exten - sion of Art Nouveau and Bauhaus - mixing inter - twining sources of the natural world with the hard precision of industrial production. Inspired by recent technological advancements, the artist’s work has taken on a whole new character. In em - brace of this new path, Shoosty has coined the term Chromatic Fusionism to distinguish ideas that are shaping artists today from processes of the past. Shoosty describes Chromatic Fusionism as a “paradigm shift” that redefines the relation - ship between art, technology, and society - “ It uniquely emphasizes the seamless integration

Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil with 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, creating a sense of wonderment. “ - Shoosty

of artistic expression with cutting-edge technology to create accessible and impactful experiences.” By leveraging technological developments, such as digital printing and Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), serve the artist’s palette, Shoosty sees traditional hand-made process - es as part of an all-inclusive creative spectrum.

The Bugs and Chromatic Fusionism

ON THE BEAUTY AND WONDERMENT WILL FOLLOW FOCUS

ART ABOUT ART = FREEDOM

Patterns Expand and Heighten The Experience

FROM TINY BODIES...

...COMES SILK

AND COMPUTER BUGS

“

SHAPING IMAGINATIONS

“

HOW

iPad Pro

Apple Pencil

UNTETHERED Since 2015

POETRY IS THE ART OF CREATING IMAGINARY GARDENS WITH REAL TOADS. -MARIANNE MOORE

Within the oeuvre of Shoosty’s (artist Stephen Shooster) many faceted work, Bugs represents a category of illustrations depicting fanciful insects. The fascination with both real and imaginary insects goes back at least as far as the sacred scarabs of ancient Egypt. Shooster’s contributions to the genre are at the highest level of creativity and origi- nality. The anatomy of his creatures, while familiar, is more at home in Alice’s Wonderland than in Linnaeus’s Taxonomy. The concept of creating a gallery of fantastic 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 attribute — imagination. Jim Boring, Editor 1940-2024

In a fantasy, the key is not merely to write descrip- tive 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 Poetry is the art of creating imaginary gardens with real toads. That’s what we are doing here. Fantasy is an 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. Shoosty Bugs borrows the style of such text (the familiar) to present a strange but somehow plausi- ble scenario. With Edward Lear on one shoulder and Lewis Carroll on the other, we dove fearlessly into the deep. Jim Boring, Editor Shoosty Bugs®

THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF THEIR DREAMS. -ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

Renowned art critic Donald B. Kuspit once stated, After a century of negation, it is time for affirmation. Essentially, he’s saying that modern art has become overly complex and obscure. We’ve reached a point where a simple object like a banana taped to a wall can be hailed as a masterpiece. It’s time to return to a focus on beauty and artistic expression. You can trace the roots of my style to Art Nouveau (1890-1914), where nature is mixed with ornate patterns. And to the Bauhaus which displaced this period in 1919 to apply art to industry. I coined a new term “Chromatic Fusionism” to describe today’s art movement. It blends the science of art, relying on modern technology with the need to humanize the experience. My art is entirely hand-made; it is not created with AI. However, I encourage AI for art crit- icism.

The tools we have today were never imagined a 100 years ago and, if so, were considered science fiction. The closest term that describes it is digital art. That concept ignores the fact that this is all built on the hard-won skills of pre-digital art, and doesn’t take into consideration the entire new set of tools that is being created today. We are absolutely at a new inflec- tion point in the study of art. Today’s technology stack is vastly different, encom- passing the Internet, scalable vector drawing tools, wide-format printers, the blockchain, and the begin- ning of artificial intelligence. This gives all of us in the year 2025 a far greater scope than our predecessors. For these reasons a new art term is warranted. My work and this new term need to be ethical and responsible. These new tools have the capacity to create and the ability to explain. If not carefully governed they can be used as a force of good or evil in the world. It is up to all of us and especially govern- ment oversight to keep it safe. Artists have found themselves, like it or not, at the forefront of this future. - Shoosty

NEIGHBORS

RESPONSIBLE AI

The legal and ethical development of AI is a tough problem. The world has disjointed laws es- pecially between governments and outside actors. AI will be no different. That makes this discussion more like a space race or military build-up than a discussion among creative folks working diligent- ly on their crafts. This framework makes the arts a subordinate subject to the bigger picture of drone warfare, robotics, and the disruptions this new technology can cause to employment worldwide. Yet, every- where I see it being deployed today, I see massive gains in productivity and tremendous opportuni- ties. Generative AI is the dream of science fiction. To ignore it would be to waste the biggest oppor- tunity to aid all of humanity.

Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Everyone is on the road to some kind of disability. AI can help us to fill in those areas that are weak while strengthening the ones that are strong. How can we do it all safe and ethically? How can we embrace traditional art forms and bring them into the next century? How can we keep AI safe? Like it or not, art is at the lead of these discus- sions. Artists work in the world of dreams. They make things. They can express both Utopian and Dystopian outcomes far before they occur. It’s called science fiction and horror. Two genres that predict the future. They are augmented by fiction and non-fiction, which highlight the history of the world, one by an attempt at truth, and the other with imagination. In all cases, these people do a deep dive into the human experience.

AI is a set of proto-new alien life forms. AI is not one thing. They are all like children, learning at the rate of computing. That means as it learns the learning will speed up. It can consume all of the world’s written and then all the visual lan- guages and utilize them in a way that makes sense to humans and to other robots. In the year 2025, they will begin to roll out agents that will do exactly this. Soon, there will be billions of agents, many for each person. They will be able to handle things that are time-consuming allowing you to do more with your time. AI is prone to hallucinations. That is why it makes mistakes. Hallucinations are considered a percentage of creativity. They can be a good thing. To some, AI will be just in time to solve deadly diseases and profoundly difficult problems. To others, it will be at their peril. Every creative and customer service job in the world is at risk. Cor- porations on the mission to enhance shareholder value will be pressed to utilize these systems. Any company that finds a cost-saving key will outpace its competitor forcing the rest to level up. These things cross legal boundaries. States and Nations will find themselves in a doom loop of rapidly de- teriorating fundamental conditions if we can not find ways to agree on how to use these tools safely across the world. We need universal laws not just state and local Laws. Conversely, the winners will blossom. Either way, AI can not be ignored.

AI is also tasking the electrical grid at a time that it is becoming overloaded. It is not helping the en- vironment, but instead putting an extra burden on it. Those power needs can not be ignored either. We need to find ways to improve and eliminate its foot- print, to get ahead of its needs because the benefits can be astounding. And we are just beginning. Perhaps a Chromatic Fusionism Organization can act as a safe place for these discussions.

A Surreal Bloom: Shoosty’s Entomological Extravaganza

Parasitoid Wasps Toying with a Dragon Fruit Cactus in Bloom

Shoosty’s “ Parasitoid Wasps Toying with a Dragon Fruit Cactus in Bloom ” is not for the timid. This isn’t a serene botanical study, nor a straightforward observation of nature. Instead, Shoosty plunges us into a hallucinatory world where the lines between predator and prey, reality and fantasy, blur.

Shoosty 2024, Scalable Vector graphics, approx 1.5 aspect ratio

- CRITIQUE BY STEPHEN SHOOSTER WITH GOOGLE GEMINI LM (AI)

The composition is a riot of color and texture. The vibrant pink of the cactus blossoms clashes with the iridescent green of the wasps, creating a visual cacophony that both dazzles and unsettles. The intri- cate patterns, reminiscent of Southwestern textiles, lend a sense of both order and chaos to the scene. But it’s the sheer audacity of the imagery that truly captivates. Par- asitoid wasps, notorious for their gruesome parasitic lifestyle, are depicted here not as menacing predators, but as playful sprites, teasing the delicate blooms. The image subverts our expectations, forcing us to confront the unsettling beauty of the natural world. Shoosty’s use of vector art lends a peculiar sheen to the work. The crisp, clean lines give the illusion of a hyper-realistic rendering, yet the fantastical elements – the oversized wasps, the improbable juxtaposi- tion of elements – defy any sense of photographic realism. It’s as if we’re peering into a fever dream, where the rules of nature are suspended. Parasitoid Wasps is not merely a pretty picture. It’s a provocation, a challenge to our perceptions. Shoosty invites us to look closer, to question our assumptions, and to embrace the surreal beauty of the natural world, even in its most unsettling aspects. Whether we find it enchanting or disturbing, it’s impossible to ignore.

Shoosty draws inspiration from the following Historical Genres: Art Nouveau: The use of flowing lines, organic forms, and vibrant colors in the artwork is reminiscent of Art Nouveau, a style that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Surrealism: The dreamlike and fantastical elements, such as the wasps interacting playfully with the cactus, evoke the spirit of Surrealism, which aimed to tap into the subconscious mind and explore the irrational. Art Deco: The geometric patterns and bold colors present in the background also have some Art Deco influences. Art Deco, popular in the 1920s and 1930s, emphasized geometric shapes, luxurious materials, and a sense of modernity.

Vector Art: Scalability is crucial for an artist like Shoosty whose work often features intricate details and patterns. It allows his art to be reproduced at any size, from small prints to large- scale murals, without losing any quality or sharpness. It also provides great flexibility in terms of editing and ma- nipulation. Shoosty can easily modify his artwork, adjust colors, and experiment with different variations without compromising the original quality. Vector art is also known for its clean lines and sharp edges, which are well-suited for the vibrant and detailed style of Shoosty’s work. Using vector art emphasizes Shoosty’s interest in pre- cision, detail, and the interplay between technology and artistic expression. Chromatic Fusionism: Shoosty, in an attempt to define his own work coined the term “Chromatic Fusionism.” By definition it defies being strictly bound by any single genre. It’s a unique blend of in- fluences and personal style that defies easy categorization. It could be considered a contemporary expression that draws from and reinterprets elements of various historical art movements.

Shoosty’s Japanese Woodblock Inspired Logo Inkan - (Japanese) Mark left by a stamp known as a Hanko

Shoosty’s work differs from related art Historical Genres: Art Nouveau: Art Nouveau often focused on decorative elements in applied arts like furniture and architecture, whereas Shoosty’s work seems more focused on visual story- telling and conveying ideas. Naturalistic vs. Stylized: Art Nouveau often em- phasized a naturalistic representation of plants and flowers. While Shoosty’s work uses organic forms stylized with traditional textile patterns which deviate from strict naturalism. Surrealism: Surrealism often aimed to delve deep into the sub- conscious and explore dreams and the irrational. While Shoosty’s work has a dreamlike quality, it doesn’t nec- essarily focus on Freudian interpretations or delve into the depths of the unconscious mind. The use of insects moves the focus to world where the rules of survival are different. Surrealism often carried social and political under- tones. Shoosty’s work, while thought-provoking, seems more focused on celebrating the beauty of nature and ex- ploring the intersection of science and imagination.

Art Deco: Art Deco emphasized geometric abstraction in its designs. While Shoosty’s work incorporates patterns, they are often more organic and inspired by natural forms rather than strictly geometric. Luxury and Opulence: Art Deco was often asso- ciated with luxury and opulence. Shoosty’s work, while visually rich, doesn’t necessarily convey the same sense of grandeur or material wealth.

V2 PARASITOID WASPS TOYING WITH A DRAGON FRUIT CACTUS IN BLOOM NIGHT VERSION

Shoosty 2024, Scalable Vector graphic approx 1.5 aspect ratio

Comparable Artists: Painters:

Fashion Designers: Alexander McQueen : British designer known for his fashion collection based on bugs. Inspired by the 19th century, drawing fre- quently on Victorian Gothic. On his butterflies and beetles collection he said. “I have always loved the mechanics of nature,” McQueen Sarah Burton: A cohort of McQueen, did many fashion pieces based on beetles and but- terflies. “We don’t take on battles so small we know we can win, we take on battles so big we dare to dream of winning them.” ~ Sarah Burton Philip Treacy: Hats / Millinery. He made a swarm of butterflies made from turkey feathers on a hat. Butterflies evoke poetry due to their metamorphosis from caterpillars emerging with astounding beauty and flights.

Ernst Haeckel: A 19th-century German biolo- gist and artist known for his intricate and colorful illustrations of marine life. His work combined sci- entific accuracy with artistic flair. He inspired the Art Nouveau movement. Georgia O’Keeffe: An American modernist painter known for her large-scale flower paintings that explored the beauty and sensuality of nature. Her work focused on close observation and magni- fied details. Hayao Miyazaki : A Japanese animator and filmmaker whose work is characterized by vibrant colors, fantastical creatures, and a deep connection to nature. Miyazaki’s films often blend environmen- tal themes with imaginative storytelling Christopher Dresser: A Victorian pattern designer with a doctorate in plant biology. He was one the precursors of the Art Nouveau movement along with William Morris. They were the same age. Dressor professed a deep desire integrate art with industry to make his intricate patterns accessible to the public.

Authors: Ursula K. Le Guin: A science fiction and fantasy author known for her rich world-building, complex char- acters, and exploration of social and political themes. Le Guin’s work often blends scientific concepts with philosophical and ethical questions, similar to the way Shoosty’s art combines science and imagination. Italo Calvino: An Italian novelist and writer known for his experimental style and playful use of language. Calvino’s work often features fantastical elements and explores the boundaries between reality and imagination. Margaret Atwood: A Canadian author known for her dystopian novels and poetry. Atwood’s work often explores environmental issues and the impact of technol- ogy on society, themes that resonate with the environ- mental and technological aspects of Shoosty’s art.

Sanford Florida Electrical Box

THINKING “ON” THE BOX

ANCIENT PATTERNS REVISITED

SCYTHIAN

CULTURE

ROYALTY

SYMBIOSIS

FULL-CIRCLE

88 MEGASCOLIA OF UKRAINE The largest wasp in Europe. Inspi- ration was found in the destroyed city of Mariupol, Ukraine by a Ukrainian soldier who shared it with the artist.

STEAMPUNK POLLINATORS

PRIMITIFF

A RIOT OF COLOR

LUNA BECOMING

NOUVEAU

METAMORPHOSIS

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SYMBIOSIS EVERYTHING IS RELATED TO EVERYTHING

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Daytona

Floor to ceiling silk, Gayle Lemerand Gallery, The Main Hallway, MoAS

The Museum of Arts and Sciences

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Shoosty, Pentaptych, 20 ft x 4 ft, Printed on 18 mm Silk Twill

Scale

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Shoosty, Pentaptych, 20 ft x 4 ft, Printed on 18 mm Silk Twill B1 Borovian Botbird Sagra Beetle B2 Scythian Royal Horned Beetle B3 Fiery Searcher B4 American Cockroach B5 Megascolia of Ukraine

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MOAS SHOW SERIES

Hand-Drawn Vector Art Duplex Printed 18 mm Silk Twill 136 cm x 356 cm

4 feet x 12 feet Limited Editions

P1. 2023 French Curve Beetle P2. 2024 Dragonflies and Lotus P3. 2024 Chinoiserie Lantern Bug P4. 2023 Dicranocephalus Wallichii P5. 2024 Butterfly and Pear P6. 2024 Sunflowers and Bugs P7. 2024 Blue Morpho P8. 2024 Butterfly Trumpet P9. 2024 Red, White and Blue Americana P10. 2023 Calosoma Scrutator the Fiery Searcher Panel P11. 2023 Ukrainian Megascolia from Mariupol P12. 2024 Violet and Pink Panel P14 2023 Violin Mantis P15 2024 Lime Green Panel

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2024 Dragonflies and Lotus

2023 French Curve Beetle

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2023 Dicranocephalus Wallichii

P3 2024 Chinoiserie Lantern Bug

Scale

3D Models of the Lemerand and Gillepse Galleries.

P7 2024 Sunflowers and Bugs

2024 Blue Morpho

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2024 Butterfly Trumpet

2024 Red, White and Blue Americana

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112 P5

2024 Butterfly and Pear

2023 Ukrainian Megascolia from Mariupol

P11

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2023 Violin Mantis

2024 Violet and Pink Panel

P12

P14

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MOAS SHOW SERIES 36” SQUARE PRINTED CANVAS

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36” x 36” Giclee MOAS Gillespie Gallery

1. 2023 Leaf Bug Rainbow Color Wheel 2. 2023 Integrated Goliathus CPU 3. 2023 Uncommon House Fly 4. 2024 Green Luna 5. 2024 Fire Bug Paisley Beetle 8. 2023 Calosoma Scrutator The Fiery Searcher. 10. 2024 Scythian Beetles 11. 2024 Diactor Bilineatus with Passion Flowers 12. 2023 Cicada, Moth and Bee Collage 13. 2023 French Curve Beetles 14. 2023 African Water Bugs 15. 2023 Victorian Dragonfly 16. 2023 Purple Tailed Stamped Bag 17. 2024 Lisboa Moth 18. 2024 Pink and Violet Butterfly

19. 2024 Turkish Rhopalocera 20. 2023 Dicranocephalus Wallichii Red 21. 2023 Ukrainian Megascolia from Mariupol 23. 2023 Shakespearean Beetle 24. 2024 Dragonfly at Night Rhynchophorus Weevil 29. 2024 Arabe Pattern 30. 2024 Ladybugs Life-cycle and Dandelion 31. 2024 Stained Glass Butterfly 32. 2024 Ode to the Silk Moth 33. 2025 Dragonfruit and Wasps 26. 2024 Purple Cicada 27. 2024 Butterfly and Dandelion 28. 2024 Elegant

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MOAS SHOW SERIES

STREET SIGNS

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“If you draw every day, in time, you will discover yourself.”

- Shoosty 2025

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Dragonflys and Lotus Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024 Butterfly Trumpet Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024 3D model of Shoosty Bugs in Gale Lemerand Gallery Ukrainian Megascolia from Mariupol Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2023 Red, White and Blue Americana Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024

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Blue Morpho Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024 Violet and Pink Panel Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024 Chinoiserie Lantern Bug Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024 French Curve Beetle Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024

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Butterfly and Pear Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024 Lime Green Panel Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024 Sunflowers and Bugs Scalable Vector Graphic 12’ x 4’ 18mm silk twill Shoosty 2024

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