Tom Peyton set a high standard, and Jonathan, with his love of the arts, is carrying his father’s artistic torch. Jonathan’s son, John Thomas, who is a sixth-grader at Alexandria Country Day School, is following in his father’s creative footsteps. Many of John Thomas’ mixed media paintings hang in a place of honor on the “Peyton Art Wall” in their home.
Even as a young boy, Jonathan was involved in many aspects of the Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival. And since 2007, Jonathan has become even more active in the festival and show. He serves as treasurer and the artist and patron database administrator. “As a child, I was very proud of the name recognition of my father, when I would see the banner across Jackson Street. As an adult, I have so much more of an appreciation of the impact of the festival on the local community,” Jonathan says.
If asked, Jonathan modestly says he is not an artist, but quickly extols the talents of his wife, Kellie. Several of her paintings, which are mainly acrylic abstracts, hang in local galleries. The two together are quite the creative pair. Before moving into their new home, the couple wanted to create something unique for the centerpiece for their kitchen. “Over the course of several days, we were able to create an imprint of a City of Alexandria manhole cover with a machinist’s hammer and a sheet of copper. We cut it to a circle and then adhered it to a backboard,” Jonathan says of the copper medallion embossed with the Pelican logo which serves as the backsplash behind their stove.
Jonathan, the president of the board of trustees for Alexandria Country Day School, is a systems virtualization specialist with CMA Technology Solutions and maintains an office inside the home in which he was raised. He is also co-owner of Next Generation Insulation. Kellie is a marketing specialist with STAT Home Health in Alexandria. Their whole family, steeped in such a deep appreciation for the arts as a reflection of the creative beauty of God, is daily helping to prepare for the arts festival in April. The Peyton family would like to extend an invitation to everyone to come out to enjoy the festival.