I would like to introduce my "Big Brother Gil Ortega" to the Lonnie Ortega Aviation Art website.


Gilbert Anthony Ortega was born on September 4, 1937 in Los Angeles, California and is one of six children born to parents Louis and Agnes Ortega.
While growing up in South Los Angeles, Gil being a self taught artist started drawing pictures at a very young age, and like many boys his age he was influenced by the pictures and events that surrounded him in the comic books, and in the movies of his day. He loved “Cowboys, Indians, and Horses”, but because of the influence of World War 2 that was now a part of his life growing up he drew, “Tanks, Ships, and Airplanes”. He also like to draw pictures of the U.S. Presidents and had a strong fascination for history, and on many occasion’s he would draw pictures of family members and friends.
Gil graduated from Centennial High School in 1955, and was now a gifted young artist and he was asked by the Centennial High School Administration to do a series of pen & ink drawings for their graduating yearbook of 1955 which he did with much praise from the school and district administrators. He was also invited by “Art Center of Los Angeles” now the “Pasadena Art Center” where he spent 8 weeks learning design and drawing techniques. After high school and art center, he went to work in a design paint shop of a large grocery store chain (Ralph’s Market) where he started as a trainee sign painter. There he learned about graphic arts, hand lettering along with improving his illustration techniques.
In 1962 he spent two years in the U.S. Army, and after boot camp he was placed in the “Training Aids Section at the Air Defense School”, at Ft. Bliss, Texas. Some of his assignments there were to illustrate missile launches, and hypothetical military situations, as related to ground missile warfare. He would illustrate many of these military situations on large color panels. While in the army he married his sweetheart Naomi that same year 1962. After his military service which ended in 1964 he went back to work at his Graphics Design job where he would eventually become its Department Head. He retired from Ralph’s Market Graphic Design Department in 1995 after 39 years of service.
Gil started doing Air Shows along with his younger brother Lonnie where they teamed up together in 1984 doing the Air Show Circuit for about 3 years together till brother Lonnie went off on his own. He eventually retired from doing Air Shows in 2009. Gil is still very busy these days doing aircraft illustrations, and commission work for art collectors and other clients.
Gil lives with wife of 49 years Naomi in La Habra, California. They have 4 children; Gil Jr., Lisa, Gina, Damon, and 8 grand children.

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