From Seaholm to 'Star Wars' ... and beyond ...

Birmingham native, Seaholm graduate, Hollywood illustrator... Jay Shuster is all of these things.

Excerpt:

Few professionals can say a key point in their career choice happened at age 6. But PIXAR Design Director Jay Shuster said, "I knew at that young age that the Star Wars movie would inform every step of my career from that point on."

Shuster, a 1989 graduate of Seaholm High School, grew up in Birmingham, the son of Stuart and the late Eleanor Shuster. "Building models, seeing models and helping with model railroads were always important in the life of our family," said Shuster. "It was our life style."

As a Derby Junior High School student, Jay Shuster drew a city in outer space. This framed drawing hung in the office for many years. It was given to Stu Shuster who recently looked at the detail with a magnifying glass. "There is a robot exactly like WALL-E. How cool is that," said a surprised Shuster.

Art teachers throughout the Birmingham schools nurtured Jay Shuster's talent. "I especially remember Mr. William Tall and Mrs. Julie Sanco at Seaholm," said Shuster.

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