[5][4][6][7] He also fulfilled freelance commissions for companies and organizations including Sports Illustrated, Nestlé, the Montreal Canadiens, National Geographic, and Kodak.
[4] After graduating from Technical Memorial High School in Erie,[10] where he was taught by Joseph Plavcan,[11] he studied illustration at Columbus College of Art and Design.
[12] He completed a ten-week training course with Hallmark Cards during his junior year but plans to return were interrupted by his conscription into the United States Marine Corps in April 1966.
[16] By 1986, they had worked for a variety of publications, including Sports Illustrated, TV Guide, and National Geographic, and clients such as Kodak, Wrangler Jeans, and Nestlé.
[21] Part of Gaadt's creation process for his military paintings was to conduct extensive research, including interviewing veterans and their families, to ensure accuracy and precision.
[33] Throughout his life, he was a very involved member of the Sewickley community, contributing four large historical murals to Monongahela Valley area revitalization efforts in 1989[34] and participating in local events such as workshops, lectures, exhibitions, and photography competitions.
[41] A military history buff, Gaadt participated in Great War reenactments as a German soldier, as a nod to his ancestry, for more than 30 years.