Baeder: Pleasant Journeys and Good Eats Along the Way

Note to the easily confused: this is not a Baedeker guide travelogue focused on great dining. Produced and directed by Curt Hahn in association with the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, GA, this DVD shares its title with a 2007 book featuring the art of John Baeder, a Nashville artist best known for his realist paintings of American eateries, specifically diners. Hahn's 29-minute biographical film, more like a big wet kiss than an in-depth profile, reveals little about Baeder's technique or non-painting past (in discussing the early years of his artistic career, Baeder recalls only one difficulty—that his storekeeper father was insufficiently encouraging). Of greater interest are the DVD extras, which include a portfolio of 275 images, mainly of paintings Baeder created during a period of more than 50 years; nearly 200 depict diners or small cafes—some still open, many abandoned—while others show the lunch wagons and taco trucks he's added to his repertoire within the past decade. An optional purchase. Aud: P. (F. Zoretich)