After-Hours: Davor Bakara

Another visitor from Germany, this time it's Davor Bakara from Stuttgart. Davor has been an illustrator for past eleven years, working in both Berlin and Stuttgart for a variety of clients. This was his first visit to New York.

Two of his classmates—who graduated a year ahead of him at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart—were Christoph Nieman and Thomas Fuchs. His professor was the inimitable artist and designer Heinz Edelmann. The bar had been set high. And Davor will admit to being intimidated by both Christoph and Thomas, yet he came to realize he was his own artist and that was just fine.

Davor was one of founders and editors of Moga Mobo and now concentrates on editorial illustration. He has been honored by Freistil, Zelxs and 3x3 and exhibits his work in Germany and New York. And is a member of the Illustratoren Organisation—Germany's illustration organization.

Our three-hour conversation compared the US to Germany with respect to art directors, assignments, fee structures and promotion. One of his favorite landmarks in the world is the Brooklyn Bridge, he'd eyed it from afar on his computer and after his walk across a new drawing appeared in his sketchbook. He had arrived. We have a feeling he'll be back.