1958-1989 Artist Statement

Stephen 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 compiling 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 explored many concepts and materials, they range from child art to abstract expressionism, and surrealism. In 1982 he graduated from the University of Florida, College of Art, with a BA degree and a minor 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 college, lost his job and the family moved to Florida, 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 Master’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 volumes 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.

“If I was successful what would I want to do with all of my time?”

Make Paintings! - Shooster

METAPHYSICAL BOTTLES FIRST OIL PAINTING 1976 (AGE 18)