$300 SOLD!

ADAM BAYER - GROSSE POINTE, MI
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what's the idea behind your dolls?
everyone is familiar with the music of johann strauss, jr: 'the blue danube', 'the emperor's waltz'... but how was he able to write such incredible music? my doll tries to explain what is behind the genius of the 'king of the waltz'. literally peel away the layers of der kaiser's body to find the root of his genius!

red vines or twizzlers?
the east coast is definitely twizzler-country. having grown up in the new york metropolitan area, red vines were not even present. twizzler was sole lord in the licorice feudal system. it wasn't until my residence in portland that i had even heard of red vine. although i can see why one would prefer red vines over twizzlers, i truly feel that licorice is one of those foods that is best at its worst and least sincere. like macaroni and cheese. and chicken nuggets.

what contemporary artists are you inspired by?
i don't follow the arts much. i never have, really. but i would have to say (and i think it is an obvious choice) that i find chris ware's illustration, storytelling and color pallet impecable and fascinating. especially the little mini-stories within his jimmy corrigan volumes.

last piece of art acquired?
i was just given a small oil painting of a bunny coming out of what looks like a hat. it was painted by my fiance.

tell the audience what movie/book/album/website/tv show/magazine you love that most people haven't seen/read/heard?
i guess this counts: i have been very fascinated by 78 rpm 10" records lately. they have such beautifully designed labels. i have a victrola talking machine from 1911. there is such an incredible, eerie and etherial life to the whole artform. it is such a simple machine and really feels like you are in a time warp. it is amazing to find mint-condition albums of records; 60-year-old relics that look and sound like brand new. some favorites include: 'south pacific' album and 'porgy and bess' album.

how did you get to where you are now?
i have always been an illustrator since very early age. i was never into comic books, however. i DID like newspaper comics and textbook illustrations. in college i found a love for design and typography and soon thereafter got jobs working in THOSE fields, almost abandoning illustration. luckily, working for and at foreward-thinking places, i was allowed to still do some drawing. for the time being my life is consumed by a music-related career, but still do some freelance design and drawings for whomever needs it.

favorite place in your town?
i love a restaurant called 'artisinal' on park avenue in new york city. it is a french restaurant that specializes in cheese. they have their own 'cheese cave' where they mature raw cheeses from around the world. the restaurant smells so bad in the best possible way. my favorite cheese is a mild dutch cow's milk cheese called 'primadonna'. it is somewhat common. look for it at a local fromagerie.

favorite place in the world?
my favorite place in the world is the main concourse of grand central station in new york city. everything is so perfect. even the lamps of the ticket booths are beautiful. thanks to jacqueline bouvier kennedy onasis for saving its life. too bad she couldn't have done the same for the orignal penn station in new york. looking at old pictures, it was probably the most beautiful building in the states. the main reading room ain the new york public library ain't too shabby either.

i would not be an artist if it were not for _________ ?
patience, a steady hand and the ability to stay awake for 48 hours straight.