A master of classic Americana, John Baeder is known for his success in Photorealist portrayal of roadside diners and eateries. Born in Indiana, Baeder was raised in Georgia and attended Auburn University in Alabama—his frequent trips between the latter states instilled an early interest in the rural, roadside landscape. In the 1960s, Baeder worked as an art director at agencies in Atlanta and New York, during which time he became thoroughly versed in the material culture of America. Inspired by the work of photographers for the Farm Security Administration such as Berenice Abbott and Walker Evans, Baeder was compelled to create work of his own; in the early 1970s, he modeled his first paintings from postcards of roadside America; he would soon turn to using his own photographs as reference, which he would take on countless backroads pilgrimages.