By Stephen Shooster
This 98-page volume gathers the earliest surviving work of Florida-based artist Stephen Shooster — known in his later career as Shoosty — spanning three decades from crayon drawings made as a six-year-old in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, through high school experiments, college studies at the University of Florida, time at Penland Crafts School, and figure and color work into 1989. The collection moves chronologically through child art, self-portraits, surrealist landscapes, noir drawings, oil paintings, ceramics, and figure studies, tracing how a child who was handed paper and crayons to stay occu
1 Early Work 1958 - 1989 SHOOSTY STEPHEN SHOOSTER Also Known As 2 SHOOSTY EARLY WORKS 1958 - 2005 THE FINE ART OF STEPHEN SHOOSTER, AKA SHOOSTY SHOOSTER PUBLISHING COPYRIGHT SHOOSTER PUBLISHING, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 441 SOUTH STATE ROAD 7 MARGATE, FLORIDA 33068 Stephen Shooster 3 STEPHEN SHOOSTER AKA SHOOSTY EARLY WORKS 1958 - 1989 CHILD ART 1966-1967 6 THREE BROTHERS 6 STEPHEN SHOOSTER 7 DOROTHY AND HERMAN SHOOSTER 7 MOM 7 DAD 8 FAMILY AND FRIENDS 8 ME AND BLUE BIRD 9 DEER AND BLUE BIRD 9 THREE BROTHERS 10 PRINCE CHASING OUR DUCK 10 FARMER IN A SUNNY FIELD 12 FLAG DAY 13 FLAG DAY 14 GREEN DUCK 14 DUCK WITH EGGS 15 FOURTH GRADE CLASS PHOTO 15 SIXTH GRADE CLASS PHOTO 16 BICYCLE MAP 16 CARNIVAL SPIN ART 17 LYNDA FEMAN HIGH SCHOOL 1971-1975 18 DEAR SOCIETY FOREVER LIVE 19 SELF PORTRAIT 20 SELF PORTRAIT WITH MOBIUS 21 SO THEY PLAY 22 ARCHAEOPTERYX 23 VIVA LA FRANCE 24 SELF PORTRAIT 25 MONKEYS HOLDING A GOWN 26 ... IN THE BEGINNING 27 CITY DREAMS 28 FLORIDA SEMINOLE 29 FISH HEAD 29 INDIGENOUS WITH FEATHERS 30 ARTIST’S STUDIO 31 DRAWING 101 - STILL LIFE COLLEGE YEARS 1976-1982 32 EXISTENCE, GROWTH, LOVE 33 SURREAL LANDSCAPE 34 PAPER BAG STILL LIFE 35 OVERWORKED DRAWING 36 FREEDOM FIRST OIL PAINTING 1976 37 METAPHYSICAL BOTTLES 38 BABY I’M AMAZED 39 CEASAR’S CROWN 39 MEDIEVAL PORTRAIT 40 ORGANIC AND NON-ORGANIC STUDY PENLAND CRAFTS SCHOOL 41 NOIR DRAWING 42 NOIR SELF PORTRAIT 43 NOIR SELF PORTRAIT CLOSE-UP 44 NOIR DRAWING 45 TWO GIRLS AT PENLAND JULY 4TH 46 FIREWORKS 47 FIREWORKS CLOSE-UPS 48 ALUMINUM COVERED END TABLE COLLEGE CONTINUED 1980-1982 49 THE JUICY OCEAN 49 URBAN GEOGRAPHY 50 LIBERATION 51 RESTING FIGURE NEWSPRINT 52 SELF PORTRAIT NEWSPRINT 52 MODEL WITH CURLY HAIR 53 CLOTHED FIGURE NEWSPRINT 54 GAINESVILLE STUDIO APARTMENT 55 CANDID PHOTOS 57 BLUE OCEAN 58 SANCTUARY 59 STUDENT STUDY AFTER COLLEGE 1983 60 OPERATION COMPUNDED 61 FLAT TIRE SERIES 1 61 FLAT TIRE SERIES 3 THE ARTIST 1984 62 THE ARTIST 64 BATTLE OF THE SEA GODS 66 STEELE PAINTING 67 STEELE PAINTING 2 68 STEELE PAINTING 3 69 STEPHEN SHOOSTER UF 70 DAYUMA’S HUT 1985 72 SELF PORTRAIT 73 SELF PORTRAIT DETAILS 74 CERAMIC VASE 75 LINES OF COMMUNICATION 76 FIGURE DRAWING 1987 77 DIANE RUBIN 78 GREATFUL DEAD SKULL AND ROSES 1986 79 FISH TANK 80 CITY SCAPE 81 GOOD THOUGHTS COLOR THEORY 1987 82 ORGANIC AND OBJECTS 83 COLOR STUDY 84 COLOR STUDY WITH ANIMAL SHAPES 1988 85 FIGURE WITH BIG CHAIR 86 PET IGUANA PORTRAIT 87 HAND AND FOOT 88 CHAR BROIL 89 MARRIOT BY THE BEACH 1989 FIGURE STUDIES 90 FIGURE STUDY 91 FIGURE STUDY 92 FIGURE STUDY 92 FIGURE STUDY 95 FIGURE STUDY 96 STILL LIFE 97 COLOR STUDY 4 Stephen Shooster 1969 5 1958-1989 Artist Statement S “If I was successful what would I want to do with all of my time?” Make Paintings! - Shooster tephen Shooster (born 1958, Chester, PA.) is the third of four children of Herman and Dorothy Shooster. By the time he was born his mom had lots of practice with kids. She would give Stephen paper and crayons to keep him busy. He made art and she saved it. Years later when he was compil ing his artwork he stumbled upon some of those pieces. As you turn these pages you will be also watching a young man grow. It may seem like these compositions changed very quickly, but what your looking at took thirty years to produce. This period represents Shooster’s childhood before marriage. He ex plored many concepts and materials, they range from child art to ab stract expressionism, and surrealism. In 1982 he graduated from the University of Florida, College of Art, with a BA degree and a mi nor in Architecture. His claim to fame was the only art student that took calculus and received an A. His father, age 48, with 4 kids ready for col lege, lost his job and the family moved to Flor ida, where he bought a small business, which would eventually envelop his son’s career. Due to a genetic problem, Stephen had all of his teeth removed in a single visit at the age of eighteen. Implants were installed. It took months to heal and years to refine. Those implants were nothing like today’s technology. He had this surgery repeated two more times in his lifetime. Each time was a major affair. He said that the severe pain and embarrassment of having no teeth during those critical years awoke his super consciousness and he vowed to do something significant with his life. The computer revolution was occurring, and by 1988 he would go to California for training. This led to a love of software and continuing education for the rest of his life. At the University of Florida, he explicitly chose to study Fine Art. During the second year, he did a thought exercise by asking himself, “If I was successful what would I want to do with all of my time?” The answer came quickly. “Paint.” When applying for the program they asked which Major he would like to pursue. Fine Art or Graphic Art. He said, Fine Art, I want to work for myself. Back at home, his dad said, “No way. You can’t study art.” Taking his father’s advice he did a minor in Architecture. Upon graduation, he got accepted into a Mas ter’s Degree Program at the University of Ohio in Architecture. Five days before leaving for this program, his father asked him to stay home and instead help to grow the family business. He did. That was in 1982. In 1988, Stephen went to California for advanced computer training. This training changed the course of the business and lead to a software patent and eventually to the success of running a mid-cap company as the Co-CEO with his brothers and sisters. Remarkably, we have these early pieces. As you will soon find out, Shooster documented all of his artwork. The result is over 10 vol umes and 2,000 pieces of art. Welcome to the beginning. One note to the reader. Shoosty® is the trademark of Stephen Shooster. All of his later works are signed Shoosty. This first book was before that concept was created. But we will recognize Shoosty in the title of this book to ensure the reader’s continuity to his life’s work. 6 Child Art 1966-1967 1964 AGE 6 AGE 7 1965 PASTEL ANIMALS CHILD ART Stephen Shooster Three Brothers 7 Dad Mom Dorothy and Herman Shooster 8 Me and Blue Bird Family and Friends Front: Michael, Wendy, Stephen Frank Back: Dorothy, apx 1968 Stephen, Wendy, Michael, Frank in Mom’s Station Wagon, apx 1968 9 Deer and Blue Bird Three Brothers PASTEL 10 Prince Chasing our Duck Farmer in a Sunny Field 1965 CRAYONS CHILD ART Reverse, Signed Stephen, Grade 2, 7 1/2 years old Stephen with King 11 12 Flag Day (reverse side) Pay attention to the authoritarian stiff marching, dead bodies, and non-mechanized army with rifles. Unsigned, Grade 2, 7 1/2 years old Flag Day 13 Flag Day 1965 CRAYONS CHILD ART 14 age 7 signed Stephen S child art Crayons Scratch Art. Cover crayons using strong tag paper with a black crayon and then scrach out a drawing. I was told not to draw anything in the crayons but I did not listen and drew a duck which I know I could find when I started scratching. 1967 Duck with Eggs AGE 7 SIGNED STEPHEN S CHILD ART CRAYONS Green Duck 15 Woodcrest Elementry School - Teacher Mrs. Peter nich - Class of 1968 bottom row (Left to right): Howard Cavello, Dennis, Alan, Barry Greenfield, unknown,unknown, Luis Schlager, rick Levy Middle Row: unknown, unknown, Andrea Co hen, Barbara ?, Andrea Segal, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, Karen ?, unknown, unknown, unknown Back row: unknown, Stephen Shooster, Da vid Goldwasser, unknown, Geof Snyder, Raymond cavello, unknown In 4th grade I created a petition for more recess and I had the entire class sign it! I gave the signed peti tion to the principle of the school.The principle gave it back to the teacher (Mrs. PETER-’WITCH’). she took all the boys into the happway, then pulled each of our hair back while yelling not to do that ever again. Fourth Grade Class Photo Sixth Grade Class Photo Woodcrest Elementry School - Teacher Mr. Garit ty class of 1969-1970 bottom row (Left to right): Unknown, Unknown, Lisa Pear, Jane Levy, Barbara ?, Un known, Unknown Middle Row: Andy bennett, Unknown, Un known, Unknown, Unknown, Andrea Seigal, Un known Stephen Shooster Back row: Keith Nobel, Jason Sokoloff, Unknown, Unknown, Frank ?, Unknown, Dennis ?, Howie Covello, Unknown, Ira Rose I was best friends with Ira Rose. We were insep arable. When we were not in school we mowed lawns together working for my brother Mike and listened to record albums. 16 Bicycle Map 1966 Carnival Spin Art 1970 CARNIVAL ART I rode my bike everywhere. I grew up in Woodcrest, a subdivision of Cherry Hill. My cousin’s father was one of the main builders, Harold Sarshik. they lived two doors away. He had three daughters who were older than me. His wife, Aunt Francis is a close friend of my mom. We had a split-level home at 1791 Country Club Drive. Our phone number was 429-0452. Behind our home was I believe the 13th hole of the golf course. There was a hill that framed the community from the road. and on that little hill, we would go sledding in the wintertime. It was a short run but there was a quick drop-off we called Ball Buster Hill and a bridge over a creek that was off to the side. On a good day, we could go down the hill and cross that bridge. On a bad day, I could end up on the creek. I recall running home after falling into the creek to get the wet clothing off and warm back up. Our house was the meeting place for going sledding and generally a meeting place for all the kids in the neighborhood. Enamal Painting using a spinning machine. Crayon Stephen 7th grade (12-13 years old) 17 High School 1971-1975 Lynda Feman MARCH 26, 1973 PENCIL, GRADE A, CHERRY HILL HIGH SCHOOL EAST My chldhood crush was Lynda. She was into the Grateful Dead, I wasn’t. She was also into Ceramics, I liked that. I wasn’t plan ning to be a fine artist. I was nerdy and being groomed for Science. I was a good student. Lynda, got very sick with menigitis. by the time she got better she had a boyfriend. I was so enfatuated that I followed her to a commune when I started driving. She always had a boyfriend, so nothing ever happened. We are still friends to this day. she moved to New Mexico and does ceramics for a living. She has one child who I have never met. For a very long time she did not embrace social media. She finally came online a couple of years ago and we are still friends. Signed S. Shooster and Shoosty. Shoosty was created later so this was signed Shoosty years later 18 Dear Society Forever Live 1974, FRONT AND BACK ‘Dear Society Forever Live Steve’ - is signed in my blood! - Shooster 1974 Sweet 16 Stephen with Michele Siedman 1974 Sweetheart ball Sue Salzman with Stephen shooster 19 Self Portrait 1974, WATERCOLOR ON THIN PAPER 20 Self Portrait with Mobius 1975 Mobius Strip: Möbius was a pioneer in topology. In a memoir of 1865 he discussed the properties of one-sided surfaces, in cluding the Möbius strip produced by giving a narrow strip of material a half-twist before attaching its ends together. Möbius discovered this surface in 1858. Möbius’s Gesammelten Werke, 4 vol. (“Collected Works”), appeared in 1885–87. Imagine an endless loop with no beginning or no end. That is a Mobius Strip. - Shooster Notice how this paper was ruined with water. Paper is the one of the most difficult material to maintain for legacy purposes. I fully believe my own work will be destroyed in some kind of accident. That has motivated me to document all of my work digitally. 21 So They Play 1974 Stream of conciousness collage, two a figures fly ing with head and wings, the moon on a stand with a crown, A tetrehedral jel ly fish floating stiffly, and a incandesent lightbulb with a large bulb base. All of these shapes hover over a jagged mountain range over look ing a torquios lake. Within the lake are a few mon sters somekind of mining machine and a scuba div er standing erect oblivous to the gapping jaws of the lizard monster. The whole piece feels playful instead of ominous. Pressed on let ters, “So They Play” are in the center of the lake. 22 1975 Watercolor, signed Stephen Shooster Archaeopteryx Collection of Ira Rose Copied form a National Geo graphic, the Archaeopteryx was discovered as the missing link between lizards and birds. Years later it was discovered to be a farce. 23 1967 Viva La France 4th Grade, Ms. Vespe Copied from a book of adver tising and illustration, this pas tel shows Napoleon with deep dark eyes and a chest full of medals. Signed Shooster Later, in college, I made a 4ft x 5ft version of Napoleon and hung it in my bedroom. That piece is lost. I have no idea what happened to it. It was acyrlic on canvas. 24 Self Portrait 1975 I was introduced to marijuana at the age of 13, in 1971. I worked mowing lawns and used some of that to buy weed. I also had old er brothers and could find small amounts easily. Weed had a pro found effect on my conscious. The first time I smoked, I recall being on the ground level of our split level home in Cherry Hill, N.J. I don’t know why be we sim ply climbed the short stairway to the kitchen in my bedroom and in those very few steps I felt as if I was floating. In some ways as I write this at age 64, a piece of me is still suspended just slightly about those stairs. The feeling did not last long and I was func tional shortly after. I was only in Cherry HIll until I was 15 1/2 that’s only a little over 2 years since discovering the feeling of marijuana. During those few years I smoked a lot from many different illegal sources. None of it was legal until just a few years ago. That weed was much weaker than todays. I can’t even smoke todays weed as its far too strong. Back then, it was some times laced with other chemicals. I recall some dangerous times when looking back. During those times it seemed like everyone was doing something like this. It was everywhere. When I moved to South Florida it was different. I was different too. I arrived for my Junoir year in High School 25 Drawing from a large painting where monkeys were holding the dress of a queen. Painting was lost or destroyed. This painting is signed Shoosty but that aka was not invent ed until later. The piece must have been unsigned so I wanted ot date it. - Shooster Hollywood Hills High School, Holly wood, Florida 1975 Monkeys Holding a Gown Teacher Criticism - “1st monkey’s bad. Bends impossible for a vertebrate an imal. A- Nov. 21 should just looked at your prescription sheet” Shooster - Criticism is a part of visual art. It starts early and never stops. The only bad criticism is apathy. The second worse is dismissal. 26 1975 ... in the Beginning From the book of Genesis, Adam Eve an Apple and a child. Signed Steve Shooster WATERCOLOR ON THIN PAPER 27 1975 City Dreams Toying with surrealism, This piece is based on a blank I had of the same color. Take note of the perfect lines in the water. Acylic on Canvas Sandra Tobe, Hollywood HIlls High School Art Teacher, Phi Beta Kappa in Art Education, University of Lousville. 28 1975 Florida Seminole Signed Shoosty, this piece must have been backdated as Shoosty was not created until later. 29 Fish Head 1975 Indigenous with Feathers 1975 30 Artist’s Studio 1975 THIN PAPER , ROUGH CONDITION 1976 University of Florida Stephen with cigarette 31 College Years 1976-1982 Drawing 101 - Still Life 1979 32 Existence, Growth, Love 1977 33 1976 Surreal Landscape 34 1979 Paper Bag Still Life 35 Overworked Drawing overworked sketch of college home signed S. Shooster Poem found on reverse side Motions to mounth, the strike of Match, inhale mouth, hunger - eating - munch, (Tangents) - Phasing, Placid - Static, Pulsation, Dialation - Restriction PENCIL PEN COLORED PENCIL 1975 36 Freedom Abstract figures jumping over barbed wire. Completed at the University of Florida under the direction of David Kremgold, Design 101. Original was given to an unknown collector in Davie, Florida. CUT PAPER GUACHE 1978 37 Metaphysical Bottles 1976 20” X 34” CATAGORIES OIL ON CANVAS IMPASTO Metaphysical Bottles, is the artist’s first oil painting. based on a group of empty bottles sitting on a table. Two earlier paintings can be found in the background. The light in the large wine bottle is brighter than the light in the room. The artist said, “going along with this concept led him to the concept of metaphysics. the light in the mind is greater then the light in the room. Notice the signature block has an earlier style, S Shooster. First Oil Painting 1976 University of Florida, College of Art 38 Baby I’m Amazed 1978 Nate Shiner Teaching Nate Shiner Teaching University of Florida, College of Art This strange piece of furniture is the student rack that is used to store paintings. Being in an art room it is covered in paint. the aritst used a combination of oils and cutouts. We see Picasso’s Guernica, two men jumping as if into a lake, a jet plane, a horse, a man holding a bow and arrow and people congregating on a grassy field. Painted on the wall is the sloagan, ‘Baby I’m Amazed.’ This is a mistake as it should say Maybe I’m Amazed, a tribute to Paul McCartney. It was this song that would later become the wedding song for the artist and his wife in 1989. The painting did not survive the judgmental days of college. Nathan Ruiz ‘Shiner’, was the artist’s professor. Unknown to the students Nate had a heart condition. He was still the prime professor for Shooster when he died suddently. Nate was more than a friend, he was a peer, a bit older, a bit wiser, but none the less someone willing to be a fine artist, which in an of itself say much about his personality. Fine Artists, are by definition impractical in there approach to life. Nate taught about Tai Chi, and being chill. He was deeply focused on his own work which dealt with whimsey. 39 Ceasar’s Crown Medieval Portrait Student Works - the concept is more advanced than the skill to execute. Shooster Stephen Shooster at the Studio University of Florida 1980 40 1979 Organic and Non-Organic Study Shooster is saddled with a hereditary defect known as Oligodontia, a condition where his permanent teeth never grew. at the age of 18 all of his teeth were pulled and his jaw reconstructed with implants by the re knowned dr. leonard Linkow. linkow who was nominated for a nobel prize in dentistry. Shooster said, “the pain was off the chart, and the embarrasment of having no teeth was humbling. however, the experience also woke my super consciousness and I used this to make future life decisions, working hard to do something with my life that could make me proud. This drawing represents the integration of Organic and non-Organic materials. 41 Penland Crafts School Noir Drawing 1979 SUMMER The artist took a summer trip to Ashville, North Carolina, for a class in figure drawing with Robert Godfrey. During the trip Mr. God frey gave him an assignment; Take a few sheets of paper and cover it with charcoal and then walk out on to the large hill nearby at night and draw with an eraser. 42 Noir Self Portrait 1979 43 1979 Noir Self Portrait Close-Up Portrait with three heads and a bag of chips. 44 Noir Drawing 1979 45 Two Girls at Penland 1979 46 July 4th Fireworks 1979 47 July 4th 1979 Fireworks Close-Ups 48 Aluminum Covered End Table In 1979, my father’s grandmother died. We went to her home and I took a momento, a small end table. I have no idea what came upon me but I took aluminum foil and acrylic and covered the whole piece. I was proud my parents were not so happy about it. I have loved this little table ever since then. I use it to hold oil paint and small associated items. It’s always been my companion in the gallery. Dora Shooster 49 College Continued 1980-1982 The Juicy Ocean Urban Geography Stephen 1981 Stephen 1981 50Liberation Digital Newprint and Ink 51 Resting Figure Newsprint 1984 52 Model with Curly Hair Self Portrait Newsprint 53 Clothed Figure Newsprint 54 Gainesville Studio Apartment Dean Payne, Theresa Delfino, and Stephen Shooster, under the aluminum foil. Steve’s Apartment on 3rd Street in Gainesville 55 Candid Photos GAINESVILLE COLLEGE APARTMENT. STEPHEN ON LEFT, SCOTT ROTHSTIEN ON RIGHT. 56 57 Blue Ocean Blue Ocean was my senior thesis painting. I remember complet ing it and my professor flipping out; He loved it! He got the whole art deparmtent to come and see my work. It felt great. I was playing with foil and acrylics. Peter Stubbing, an artist in Fort Lauderdale, showed me how to do this in a small way. I took the foil and taped it together to make it the size of my tryptic. Then I coated the foil with oil using a badger blender brush. Once the surface was covered with oil I painted the surface with a few coats of clear acrylic. When the surface was strong enough to be a skin I painted it with an airbrush. That is why the shapes are so super realistic. Once dried, I peeled the foil off the acrylic skin leaving some for highlights. then I washed the oil off the surface with soap and water and applied the final skin to canvas. Badger Blender 58 Sanctuary AIRBRUSH AND ACRYLIC ON FOIL. FOUR PANELS 36” SQUARE PER PANEL. Feb., 1982 59 Student Study Georges Rouault. The Old King. 1936-37. Canvas 30.25 x 21.25, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburg. The concept is to make a painting that matches source artist. Here is a queen painted by Shoost er that matches the old king. 60 Operation Compunded After College 1983 Dorothy Shooster with Diane Rubin at Ding-a- Ling Answering Service. Notice the paintings on the wall. 1988 61 Flat Tire Series 1 Flat Tire Series 3 62 Socrates is walking away in mockery of the artist’s ego. Surreal Dinosaurs are flanking the crayon columns. The top right figure is holding a Mobius strip. The top left figure is holding an odd musical instrument. Angels with wings man kettle drums and a large symbol. The artist stands on empty paint tubes. In Dante’s poetry, he made three books, Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory. Most everyone focuses on the Book of Hell with all of its tortures till the end of time. However, in his Book of Purgatory, there is a place for the artist. To paraphrase, the artist will wallow in purgatory for 1,000 years wearing a block on his back of 2,000 pounds to purge the ego out of him. Afterward, he gets to go to Heaven. The Artist 1984 The Artist 1984 63 Close up 64 Battle of the Sea Gods 1984 Copy of "Battle of the Sea-Gods" by Andrea Mantegna 1493 engraving 29.4 x 39.1 cm The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Albrecht Dürer copied this same drawing in 1494 65 Close-Up 66 1984 Steele Painting Super realizism, created by pressing foil to a lace doily then paited with a blender brush with oil and coated with acrylic. Then airbrushed and peeled off the foil. The oil is washes with soap and the final piece is attached to a canvas with more acrylic. Dedicated to Harry Margolis In the collection of Rana Margol is-Gorzeck 67 Steele Painting 2 1984 68 Steele Painting 3 1984 Marlyn Roase and Ste phen sitting in front of one of his paintings at the office. Early 1980’s 69 Stephen Shooster UF the University of Florida, Old Fine Arts Building, senoir year. airbrush his shoulders. Working with hand pured concrete tiles. 1982 70 Dayuma’s Hut in 1984 I visited the Amazon Jungle with my girlfriend charlotte. we went with her sister, Jeannie her husband, caento, and their baby. We visited the baby’s grandma, Caento’s mom. it was Fifty miles from the nearest road inside the orienta (the east). The orienta is another name for the Amazon jungle. 1984 Pencil on Paper 71 Front: Jeanne (Caento’s Wife) and her son, Dayuma (Purple) with child. Rear: Unknown Ladies, Dayuma’s Husband, Caento (Dayuma’s Son) Waroni Indians The Cooking Area Missionary plane grass airfield Stephen Shooster with baby Monkey. This monkey slept on my belly all night. - SS 72 Self Portrait 1985 Ceramics, Telephone Wire, Found objects 1985 73 Self Portrait Details 74 Ceramic Vase 75 Stephen Shooster with Painting / Sculpture Computer Paper coated in Acrylic attached to canvas with tele phone wire. Collection of Michael Gorzek. 5 feet x 6 feet. Acrylic, Canvas, Telephone Wire, Com puter Paper Lines of Communication 76 Figure Drawing Sketch based on the work of an unknown artist. 77 Diane Rubin Sketch before we were going out together. My wife to be. 1987 78 Greatful Dead Skull and Roses Inspired by The Grateful Dead 1986 79 Fish Tank ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, COMPLETED DURING A CLASS ON PAINTING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. THIRTY LAYERS OF PAINT FORM VERY DELICATE COLORING. Dedicated to Dora Shooster 80 City Scape 1986 My father said I could not study art as a degree, so, I added Ar chitecture as a minor. I ended up taking all the Architectural Histo ry and prerequisites like Calculus and Physics, and upon gradua tion I was accepted into the Mas ter’s program for Architecture at the University of Ohio. I set up an apartment, found a girlfriend on my first trip, and was ready to move. On the week before I was set to move, my father said to me I would rather you stay home and help me build a business. That business became my career. 30 years after City Scape was creted to perfect it use vectors, gradients and the magic of computers. Check out my land scapes from 2020. 81 Good Thoughts Color Theory exploration Color Theory 1987 82 Organic and Objects 83 Color Study The concept was to paint with colors of the same tone. The idea wa that if the painting was viewed in black and white the colors would disappear. He did not achieve this, yet still the color study has valuable insight into tone. COLOR STUDY IN BLACK AND WHITE 6’ X 5’ 84 Color Study with Animal Shapes The joy of painting 85 Figure with Big Chair 1988 During figure drawing class I made the chail larger then life emphazing the figure. 86 Pet Iguana Portrait I had a pair of free roaming iguanas in my apratment. They normally hung out on the screen patio holding on to the screen. they made a nest in a hanging plant and I found some eggs. I allowed them to run anywhere in the apartment. They are harmless creatures with big smiles. I fed them dry dog food. They are clean animals keeping they dug on the patio making it easy to clean. When my girlfirnd got her tonsils removed and I was at work one day, one of them ended up on her belly. At first she was starte dled but it was just concerned that she was not well. Eventually, I found a holein the screen and they were gone. 87 Hand and Foot 88 Char Broil Dave Rance and Diane Sterling Gainesville, Florida. 89 Marriot by the Beach 90 1989 Figure Studies Figure Study Markers 91 Figure Study Markers 92 Figure Study Figure Study Markers Markers 93 94 95 Figure Study Markers 96 Still Life Dora and Stephen Shooster Dedicated to Dora Shooster 97 Color Study 98 SHOOSTY EARLY WORKS 1958 - 2005 THE FINE ART OF STEPHEN SHOOSTER, AKA SHOOSTY SHOOSTER PUBLISHING COPYRIGHT SHOOSTER PUBLISHING, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 441 SOUTH STATE ROAD 7 MARGATE, FLORIDA 33068 954-537-1200
