William Howard Shuster was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He suffered gas poisoning in France while serving in WW1. Following the war, he was told by his doctor that he had months to live unless he moved to a desert climate. He settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he established himself as an artist. He became a founding member of the Santa Fe Art Colony along with Josef Bakos, Fremont Ellis, Willard Nash and Walter Mruk.