My name is Gavin L. Peterson, and I'm currently attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. I am nineteen years old and I've been drawing in one way or another for most of my remembered life, but I didn't really get serious about it until about 1992.
Now, six years later, I've got a pretty good portfolio of work tucked away. I've never had any formal art training other than a couple high school art classes. Nevertheless, these classes really taught me quite a bit about the art world. I really do have to give credit to my teachers in this area for giving me the freedom to do what I wanted, but still focusing me in a direction that would build a good foundation for what I want to do in the future. Most of my inspiration comes from a long-time friend and mentor, LtCol. Ed Walby, who got me interested in drawing seriously and has helped me distrubute anything I wanted to frame and hang on a wall.
As for my stuff, I've never sold a picture, nor do I plan on it in the near future. I do however, have a couple drwaings hanging up in some pretty important places. I've got a picture hanging up in the 9RW at Beale AFB, that is a part of the Air Force Art Collection, and one in Rep. Larry Combest's office. I've also given away a number of drawings as gifts to close friends and family members.
I work in a number of mediums, concentrating recently on pen and ink drawings, charcoal, and oil paintings. I've also worked in water colors, colored and lead pencils and chalk.
My history is kind of interesting. I was born in Spokane, Washington, and have lived in Texas, California, Michigan and Viginia. I grew up in an Air Force family, and most of my early work was focused on airplanes and other military vehicles. My father flew the U-2, T-38 and KC-135 and has logged more hours of flight time than I could even count. I'm also a pilot, having earned my private pilot's licence at the age of seventeen, but I've only got sixty hours right now. My father has commanded the 99th RS and the 1704th PRS during the Gulf War. He is currently the Air Force Attache to Korea, and lives in Seoul, Korea with my family.
I am currently a Yuk, or sophomore, at West Point. Why did I join the army if I love the Air Force and flying so much? I don't know. But I don't regret a minute of it. I love West Point, and am loking forward to my career in the Army. I am a Mechanical Egineering major, focusing my studies on Aerospace Engineering. I worked with Lockheed Sanders fora year while I was in high school. I worked in a wind tunnel at NASA's Langley Aeronautical Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Designing airplanes is just one of my many interests, and is a good fall backplan if for siome reason I decided not to pursue a career in the Army. My first choice once I graduate in 2000 is to transfer to the Air Force, but I would be just as happy commanding armor or infantry platoon.
Living an ocean away from my parents is difficult sometimes, but I'm getting used to it. I have family and friends all over the country who take care of me fromtime to time, when I need a home for the summer or Christmas.
As for my future, I'm looking forward to a life in the military. Soldiers and artists are not two things most people identify as being similar, but it seems that I am an exception in this case. Both are important interests of mine and I my life would be incomplete without either one.
Here's a little information about myself...