H.C. Westermann

was born in 1922 in Los Angeles, California and died in 1981 in Danbury, Connecticut. Westermann is an American draftsman and sculptor whose art constitutes a scathing commentary on militarism and materialism. His sculptures frequently incorporates traditional carpentry and marquetry techniques. 

Westermann worked in logging camps as a rail worker in the Pacific Northwest. During World War II he served as a gunner in the U.S. Marine corps on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise, witnessing numerous kamikaze attacks and the sinking of several ships. He toured the Far East as an acrobat with the United Service Organization, and enrolled in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1947.

In 1950, Westermann re-enlisted in the Marines for service in the Korean War. After his discharge, he returned to The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and completed his studies in fine art. The psychological effects of his wartime experiencies were an underlying them in his work. 

The extent to which Westermann's work and life are intertwined is shown by the fact that he built his own log house and atelier for himself and his wife. Not only in art, but in life itself he was a craftsman who is practically unparalleled. In 1967, he was one of the celebrities featured on the cover of the Beatles' album,  Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, designed by Peter Blake.