Visiting the R. Brian Baylis studio in January is a story the Tenspeed Heroes must tell over several cups of coffee and quite possible over several posts. Titles such as Brian Baylis…The Man; Brian Baylis…The Frame Builder; Brian Baylis…The Masi Guy; Brian Baylis…The Painter; Brian Baylis…The Collector; Brian Baylis…The Mad Scientist are all equally fitting.
But we will call this, Brian Baylis, The draughtsman. On short notice after our Joe Bell visit, we stopped by his studio, which, under extensive remodeling was full of treasures. I would lie if I said the first thing we noticed was a box full of sketches of his frames because it is impossible to concentrate on one thing when you are with him. Nonetheless, this humble box of sketches, geometry, cataloging, and notes, was casually pushed off to the side of his shop. In between stories about his life and history of frame building, designing and painting, we photographed a dozen or so sketches. They are working sketches, stained, tattered, and reminiscent of parchment but most likely just loved butcher paper.
