Sophie Blackall Quotes

#1. Odd things happen in New York, which is why it's such a great source of stories.

Sophie Blackall

#2. I dismiss posts where one or other of the couple was wearing anything named by brand, or you know, baseball caps, or sweat pants, because I don't like drawing them, and I don't have to please anyone but myself.

Sophie Blackall

#3. I usually draw in silence, but listen to music or public radio when I'm painting, after all the important decisions have been made.

Sophie Blackall

#4. I look for ambiguous messages to illustrate ... I like some detail but not too much detail.

Sophie Blackall

#5. There are also dozens and dozens of success stories; many couples have emailed me with their original posts. I love reading these stories, but confess I am not as interested in drawing them as the unfinished, elusive ones.

Sophie Blackall

#6. There are more than a few messages from lonely people wondering why they never find themselves described ... I illustrated one, "How come no one ever misses me?" They kill me, those.

Sophie Blackall

#7. There's arrogance for you. I think all artists insert themselves into their subject matter.

Sophie Blackall

#8. I've illustrated many children's books and I feel awfully lucky to be able to do something I love so much, and yes, to be able to pay the rent, but there was a yearning to do something more grown up, and something where I didn't have to cater to anyone; I was just waiting for the material.

Sophie Blackall

#9. Some people have recognized their friends in my paintings, but I'm not directly responsible for any hooking up as far as I know!

Sophie Blackall

#10. I toyed with making portraits based on people's discarded shopping lists found on the street, or old diaries bought on eBay, or other forms of borrowed stories. When I stumbled across the Missed Connections listings, I knew immediately I'd found it.

Sophie Blackall

#11. Nothing is known for sure, even the person who was there isn't entirely sure he or she had the same response as the other in that moment. One person might have fallen head over heels, the other might have been thinking about what to have for dinner and inadvertently making eye contact.

Sophie Blackall

#12. Many messages are just thanking a stranger for a kindness ... I love those ones, because I imagine everyone else reading them feels encouraged by such examples of humanity and generosity and tenderness. And if they encourage us to reach out to strangers more often, that's a good thing.

Sophie Blackall

#13. I have had people come to the site from all over the world. The US and Canada predominantly, but also Brazil and South Africa and Greece and Indonesia and Hong Kong and Ireland and Argentina and Spain and Israel and Australia.

Sophie Blackall

#14. On the other hand, I'm drawn to top hats, and spats, and mustaches. I haven't read a Missed Connection yet with someone wearing a monocle, but rest assured I'll snap it up if I do.

Sophie Blackall

#15. But mostly I think two people do share a moment, and we all know that feeling, and it can put a spring in your step for the rest of the day.

Sophie Blackall