John Baeder has had, and continues to have, an interesting artistic career. He is most well known for his realistic paintings of diners, but he has also photographed and painted other points of interest on his travels across America.

His oil painting, pictured above, Col. Poole’s Pig Hill of Fame, 1995, is part of  Morris Museum of Art’s permanent collection. The museum is the oldest in the country dedicated to the art and artists of the American South. The subject of the painting, Poole’s Bar-B-Q, is located in Ellijay, Georgia. When you visit Poole’s you can purchase a wooden pig that they will paint your name on to add to the hill seen in the painting.

Baeder has created several books of his work including Sign Language, which focuses on his photos of handmade signs he’s found on his travels. One of his Instagram accounts, is focused on these signs, and another on vintage postcards from his collection.