Love is Blind Contour

Not an artist myself, but inspired by art-type friends - I’ll be posting a blind contour of every person I go on a date with. “Blind contour drawing is an exercise where an artist draws the contour of a subject without looking at the paper.” - Wikipedia “Love is taking that dive, then getting really comfortable and peeing in the pool.” - Bo Burnham Instagram: love_is_blind_contour

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This is Dominic, drawn by his wife Maren. When I arrived at their house in Vermont for a weekend visit, the first thing their [extremely cute, equally hilarious] daughter said to me was, “Do you have a family?” I responded, “Hmm...I have a family the way YOU have a family, but not the way your mom and dad have a family. I’m a child with parents and a brother; I’m just like you. Only 28 years older.”

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In my most substantive non-date yet, I came across this traveling software engineer at “Stranger Things” Night at the local barcade. He is vegan (+1000000 points in my boy-rating book), from Tennessee, and his parents have accents but he does not. After I drew him on a coaster, we had a lively debate about the meaning of Elton John’s “Daniel.” Debate was eventually won by smartphone.

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Andy drew his wife, Kate, and our friend, Sarah. They all came to the LiBC 1-year anniversary party after attending an event in support of the future U.S. president; Andy called his blind contour subjects “HRC fundraiser buddies.”

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He is a park ranger and the only inhabitant of an island without running water where he lives in a house that is also a museum. You can't make this stuff up.

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My brother sent me blind contours drawn by both him and his date. I really thought this one was a drawing of him. I cannot reiterate enough: it is difficult to draw women.

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This guy (pictured above) also blind contoured me (not pictured). Technically he did the drawing twice; he unknowingly had the pen retracted for his entire first attempt.

Next Tuesday, October 11th at 8pm, I’ll be celebrating the one-year anniversary of Love is Blind Contour at Novare Res in [the original] Portland. Join me! Maybe I’ll draw you!

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Not surprised to find out that my brother’s date is an artist, because this looks EXACTLY like him. Probably not her first blind contour.

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This dude owns a house but says he has to have roommates because if he doesn’t, he’ll spend all his time drinking wine and talking to his dog in the basement. I personally don’t see the problem…

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This exotic British gent was drawn by guest artist Katie, who also happens to be a very talented comedian. Both she and her date work in pathology and they met in non-pathology-related circumstances! What are the chances! (Note to self: google “pathology”)

Pop quiz: if you’re a United Statesian, and you meet an English guy in Toronto, which of you is the foreigner?

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I did all of my 2016 Olympics-watching during this date. Fun fact courtesy of this guy: there is no women’s 1500m freestyle; women swim 800, men swim 1500. Instated ages ago because of the old dumb idea that women are the weaker sex. Old ideas can often be wrong ideas. Question authority! Love is blind contour!

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Guest artist Rachel (@giantdaughter) drew Matt, to whom she was married for the length of time it takes a wedding band made of ice to melt. It was a beautiful (if brief) marriage, and they remain close friends to this day.

Side note: I was ALMOST beat at my own game when the subject of this guest drawing pretended ignorance of LiBC and attempted to get me to draw him. Nice try!

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This guy sent me a post-date text suggesting I hang the blind contour of him in an art gallery. In my response, I said “haha.” In my head, I said “You don’t even know the half of it, buddy.”

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A big thanks to this week’s guest artist (who is also my brother), because it is the photo of grownup-me wearing his childhood Link costume that garners the vast majority of the attention I receive on dating apps. Yeah, I like Zelda nerds ok so sue me!

Next Thursday night, I’ll be presenting about Love is Blind Contour at Pecha Kucha Kennebunkport; hope to see you there!  http://www.pechakucha.org/cities/kennebunkport

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He’s not nearly as furry as my pen thinks.

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Years ago, when guest artist Sarah had recently gotten out of a relationship, Tommy (pictured above) seized his chance to ask her out. She wasn’t ready to date; he said he’d wait; he waited. I remember his quiet, steadfast, devoted waiting as a little surprising and terribly romantic. They’re getting married this month.

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Exes have a spidey sense for resurfacing via unnecessary, breakup-exacerbating text message at the exact moment you are trying to show your first-date-back-in-the-game a photo of the baby seagull living on your office’s balcony.

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Using desperate guest-contour-requests to find out about my brother’s love life actually works! This is him ( @zole ), courtesy of mystery date woman, who I still don’t know enough about.