Andrei Palmer is a car guy.
He is also a truck guy, an SUV and RV guy, a golf cart guy, an appliance guy, and a plumbing fixtures guy. Over the past 20 years, Andrei has built hundreds of scale models of motor vehicles and other machines and devices.
Born in Romania and raised in orphanages until he was adopted by Tim and Cathy Palmer at age 6, Andrei, now 39, discovered art as a creative outlet during his early years of school. Later he started “scratch building”—the process of making a scale model using household materials. For Andrei, that means recycled cardboard, poster paper, packaging plastic, dowel rods, toy wheels, fabric, foam, spray paint, and glue—lots of glue. A glue gun is his main tool.
While living in Atlanta, GA, from 2008–2016, Andrei had a booth at Folk Fest, a nationally known annual folk art exposition. He became a rock star in the field. Raw Vision magazine, the bible of folk art in America, did a profile on him. People began to collect him.
An art museum in Denmark invited Andrei to the opening of an exhibition that featured his cars. He enjoyed the expenses-paid trip with his mother. Bob Zielsdorf saw Andrei’s work at an art show in Florida and commissioned him to build two cars—an Excalibur and a Porsche.
“Andrei’s caricature models of cars and trucks epitomize his particular talent for artistic whimsy, blending playful exaggeration with remarkable craftsmanship,” said Zielsdorf, who lives in Hilton Head, SC. “That he does it all primarily with household materials allows him to achieve uniquely charming results.”
After moving to Artesia in December 2024, Andrei entered the recycled art show at the city library and won a blue ribbon for his model pickup truck. His latest piece is a 1930s Studebaker racecar that will be going to the National Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana.
“I just know they are going to love it,” Andrei predicted.
After 20 years, Andrei still loves what he does.
“When the Studebaker was finished, I felt a mixture of relief and joy and pride with the way it turned out. I enjoy making these models because I like cars, especially the classics. It’s also a challenge for me to see how realistic I can make these cars, but at the same time they are art. I feel like I’m an actual mechanic working on an actual car that I get to keep or sell, and it makes me happy to see the smile on people’s faces and their excitement when they buy my art. I also remind myself that even though I’ve made these beautiful creations, it’s God who gave me this gift, and to always thank Him. When I make these cars, I can see how God felt when He created humans, and He was so excited about His creation. We are God’s pieces of artwork.”
Article originally published in Focus on Artesia 2026 Spring edition.
