▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁in ▁California ) ▁is ▁an ▁American ▁artist ▁special izing ▁in ▁av iation ▁art . ▁ ▁Background ▁▁ ▁L on nie ▁Or te ga ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Southern ▁California ▁and ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁six ▁children . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Western ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Ana heim , ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁and ▁continued ▁on ▁to ▁Cer rit os ▁Junior ▁College ▁in ▁Cer rit os , ▁California ▁to ▁study ▁art . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁L on nie ▁en rolled ▁at ▁Cy press ▁Junior ▁College ▁in ▁Cy press , ▁California ▁to ▁play ▁baseball . ▁During ▁his ▁time ▁at ▁Cy press ▁Junior ▁College , ▁he ▁was ▁draft ed ▁by ▁the ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Card inals . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁offered ▁a ▁full ▁athlet ic ▁scholar ship ▁to ▁play ▁baseball ▁at ▁Chap man ▁College ▁in ▁Orange , ▁California . ▁However , ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁L on nie ' s ▁baseball ▁playing ▁days ▁ended ▁with ▁a ▁serious ▁kne e ▁injury . ▁ ▁Career ▁▁ ▁The ▁injury ▁turned ▁out ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁bless ing ▁in ▁dis gu ise ▁- ▁with ▁his ▁baseball ▁dream s ▁sh atter ed , ▁L on nie ▁chose ▁to ▁concent rate ▁on ▁his ▁art . ▁ ▁L on nie ▁was ▁h ired ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁to ▁work ▁for ▁the ▁Mc D onn ell ▁Douglas ▁A ircraft ▁Company ▁in ▁Long ▁Beach , ▁California ▁( now ▁known ▁as ▁The ▁Bo