Rocky's warriors

Air Classics, Jun 2000 by Thompson, Jim

THIS ARTIST HAS DEVELOPED HIS OWN UNIQUE STYLE OF AVIATION ART

J.W. "Rocky" Gooch is a baby-boomer USAF Brat. He studied in the Studio and Commercial Arts at Lindenwood and Florissant Valley Colleges in Missouri during the mid-1970s, Rocky worked at every possible job in the pre-computer printing industry before becoming a graphic artist at a company that catered to the pharmaceutical industry worldwide - if you've had a prescription filled, you've likely seen his artwork. Over the years, Rocky enjoyed rendering in pastels -- specializing in transforming the subject matter of black and white photographs into color paintings.

In 1994; Rocky founded New Century Graphics and Printing, providing graphic arts services to primarily the health care field. An avid aircraft modeler and painter of subjects of the World War Two era, Rocky began drawing aircraft on his computer out of his own interest. The technique involved in creating the art is more akin to assembling a model kit than painting an artwork. The aircraft art soon took on a life of its own and New Century graphics made the art available on prints and wearables, mainly to justify the amount of time and effort spent drawing the aircraft instead of really working! Instead of drawing generics - the Spitfire, the Stuka, the Sturmovik -- Rocky studies a particular combat pilot and his aircraft of the WWII and Korean War era for each art piece, again, modelers wiH empathize. The logistics of-research, of keeping track of and making available several hundred artworks of aircraft and unit emblems is no easy task. Rocky is constantly juggling several projects at anyone time and the list of subjects

does and will continue to grow, Consequently; Rocky gained the attention of several of his own pilot heroes and crews, their families, their friends, and various organizations. He is honored and delighted to work toward seeing a combat veteran aircraft rendered as accurately ds possible thanks to anyone who would have an interest in sharing knowledge or necessary information, Rocky is especially proud of his friendship with the 352nd Fighter Group, 362nd Fighter Group, and the American Fighter Aces Association plus the (George and Bill) Preddy Memorial Foundation, all whom have most astutely gathered what Rocky set out to accomplish. Rocky has a regular feature "The Planes the Aces Flew" in the American Fighter Aces and Friends Bulletin of fighter aircraft rendered in a watercolor style that comes across nicely on the fine quality paper of the journal. Rocky encourages all aviation history enthusiasts to join the terrific AFAA organization.

The "Big Picture" of this whole endeavor is meant to be fun and in the interest of promoting and preserving history. Rocky is the :art director and a contributing editor for the Warbirds Resource Group Internet web site created by his friend Scott Rose. The site includes the original Luftwaffe Resource Page, the newer US Army Air Forces, US Naval Aviator, Warbirds Restoration and Aviation Modeler's Resource Groups (www.warbirdsresoureegroup.org). Forthcoming are the WWII Allies, WWII Axis and Modern Aviation Resource Groups (encompassing the past-WWII end) and anyone may join in the fun.

Rocky has a focus on the Army Air Forces and Naval Aviator webpages and compiles most of the information to be seen there as best as he can. Rocky in no way considers himself to be an expert of any kind and has a great and healthy respect for the historians and-authors whose work he does not aspire to but must reply on.

For an illustrated flyer of Rocky's numerous endeavors along with a complete listing, please send a #10 selfaddressed stamped envelope to New Century Graphics. 2420 Ambelwood Lane; O'Fallon, MO 63366-3504, fax 314-- 240-8955, rock352@aol.com.