UBA TUBA 48

ORIGINAL PHOTO CONCEPT

SHARK VALLEY, IS A PAINTING BASED ON A SET OF CANDID PHOTOS TAKEN BY THE ARTIST AT SHARK VALLEY STATE PARK, FLORIDA. ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING FEATURES OF THIS PARK IS THE FREE-ROAMING ALLIGATORS. YOU CAN RIDE YOU BIKE AMONG THEM AND STAY ABOUT 10 FEET AWAY.

THE PAINTING DEPICTS A YOUNG ‘GATOR BASKING IN THE SUN, SURROUNDED BY SUN-BAKED WHITE LIMESTONE AND THE COOL FRESH WATER OF A CANAL. VEGETATION AND NATURAL SAND MAKE THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE WARM AND COOL COLORS, CREATING A BEAUTIFUL TRANSITION FROM ULTRAMARINE TO IVORY WHITE. IN THIS EARLY WORK THE SIGNATURE BLOCK IS SIGNED STEPHEN SHOOSTY. LATER IT IS SHORTENED TO SHOOSTY. THIS ISMOST LIKELY THE FIRST TIME I USED THE NAME SHOOSTY. LATER IT WAS TRADEMARKED AND ALL OF THE WORK WAS SIMPLY SIGNED SHOOSTY. I WAS RUNNING A BUSINESS AND SIGNING CHECKS. I DID NOT WANT MY CHECK SIGNATURE TO MATCH MY PAINTINGS.

SHARK VALLEY, IS PART OF THE PERMANENT COLLECTION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA. SHARK VALLEY APPRAISAL=

UF HOMECOMING QUEEN