--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I toyed with making portraits based on…" description: "\"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..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/sophie-blackall-27296_borrowed_i-toyed-with-making-portraits-based-on-p_120427.jpg" --- # I toyed with making portraits based on people's discarded… ![“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.” quote by Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/sophie-blackall-27296_borrowed_i-toyed-with-making-portraits-based-on-p_120427.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/sophie-blackall-27296_borrowed_i-toyed-with-making-portraits-based-on-p_120427.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/sophie-blackall-27296_borrowed_i-toyed-with-making-portraits-based-on-p_120427.jpg) > “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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist discovers a rich source for portraiture in anonymous, discarded personal texts, seeing them as windows into strangers' lives. **In simple terms:** Found objects become intimate portrait material. Key Takeaway Everyday fragments can reveal hidden stories. Themes art storytelling found objects Mood curious introspective Type creative reflective When to use this quote - gallery installations - community projects Key Concepts human connection through anonymity Practical Applications - collect and and repurpose public ephemera Questions to Reflect On - What ethical considerations arise when using others' private texts? - How does anonymity affect viewer empathy? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Borrowed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borrowed/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Connections Listings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections-listings-1405461/) [Diaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaries/) [Discarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discarded/) [Ebay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ebay/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Lists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lists/) [Missed connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missed-connections/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Portraits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portraits/) [Portraits Based](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portraits-based-1405460/) [Shopping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shopping/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) ## Related quotes > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/on-the-other-hand-i-m-drawn-to-top-hats-and-spats-and-mustaches-i/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [I did have a couple of people asking me to illustrate their MC in a hope to widen the exposure, unfortunately the messages weren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/i-did-have-a-couple-of-people-asking-me-to-illustrate-their-mc-in-a/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [Someone wrote to me asking me to illustrate a missed connection that "hasn't happened yet." This guy has seen the same girl waiting at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/someone-wrote-to-me-asking-me-to-illustrate-a-missed-connection-that/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [There are a hundred things she has tried to chase away the things she won't remember and that she can't even let herself think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/there-are-a-hundred-things-she-has-tried-to-chase-away-the-things-she-2/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I always seemed to be in the right place at the wrong time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-john/i-always-seemed-to-be-in-the-right-place-at-the-wrong-time/) [Dr. John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-john/) > [No one was to blame for what happened, but that does not make it any less difficult to accept. It was all a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/no-one-was-to-blame-for-what-happened-but-that-does-not-make-it-any/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [“Call When You Say You’re Going To Call. Sometimes being ambivalent about following up with someone (you kinda/sorta like him but you’re not crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-alvear/call-when-you-say-you-re-going-to-call-sometimes-being-ambivalent/) [Mike Alvear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-alvear/) > [The joy of art is particularly sweet, though, because it carries with it the threat of rejection, of failure, and of missed connections. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-joy-of-art-is-particularly-sweet-though-because-it-carries-with/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [“It was all a matter of missed connections, bad timing, blundering in the dark. We were always in the right place at the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/it-was-all-a-matter-of-missed-connections-bad-timing-blundering-in/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [Unfortunately, being physically equipped to hear has little to do with the actual predilection to listen. Sharing a common tongue does not ensure earnest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-hager-cohen/unfortunately-being-physically-equipped-to-hear-has-little-to-do-with/) [Leah Hager Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-hager-cohen/) > [A landline is an anchor - busy signals, long distance bills, missed connections and all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/a-landline-is-an-anchor-busy-signals-long-distance-bills-missed/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“Olga was nice, Olga was nice and loving, Olga loved him, he repeated to himself with a growing sadness as he also realised that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/olga-was-nice-olga-was-nice-and-loving-olga-loved-him-he-repeated-to/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [eBay's business is based on enabling someone to do business with another person, and to do that, they first have to develop some measure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-omidyar/ebay-s-business-is-based-on-enabling-someone-to-do-business-with/) [Pierre Omidyar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-omidyar/) > [A captivating moment was when I realized that people, including myself, were not saying, 'I just bought an item on eBay.' They were saying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-meeker/a-captivating-moment-was-when-i-realized-that-people-including-myself/) [Mary Meeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-meeker/) > [When you're paid $29 for something and 30 or 40 years later you're seeing it on eBay with pages going for $199 or more, it's like, "Dammit!"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-royer/when-you-re-paid-29-for-something-and-30-or-40-years-later-you-re/) [Mike Royer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-royer/) ## More by Sophie Blackall > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/i-ve-illustrated-many-children-s-books-and-i-feel-awfully-lucky-to-be/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [There's arrogance for you. I think all artists insert themselves into their subject matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/there-s-arrogance-for-you-i-think-all-artists-insert-themselves-into/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [I dismiss posts where one or other of the couple was wearing anything named by brand, or you know, baseball caps, or sweat pants,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/i-dismiss-posts-where-one-or-other-of-the-couple-was-wearing-anything/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [There are also dozens and dozens of success stories; many couples have emailed me with their original posts. I love reading these stories, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/there-are-also-dozens-and-dozens-of-success-stories-many-couples-have/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [The fellow who wrote the post about sharing a bear suit with a girl at a party saw my illustration and emailed me, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/the-fellow-who-wrote-the-post-about-sharing-a-bear-suit-with-a-girl/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [Some people have recognized their friends in my paintings, but I'm not directly responsible for any hooking up as far as I know!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/some-people-have-recognized-their-friends-in-my-paintings-but-i-m-not/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/there-are-more-than-a-few-messages-from-lonely-people-wondering-why/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [I look for ambiguous messages to illustrate...I like some detail but not too much detail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/i-look-for-ambiguous-messages-to-illustrate-i-like-some-detail-but/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [Someone wrote to me asking me to illustrate a missed connection that "hasn't happened yet." This guy has seen the same girl waiting at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/someone-wrote-to-me-asking-me-to-illustrate-a-missed-connection-that/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [I did have a couple of people asking me to illustrate their MC in a hope to widen the exposure, unfortunately the messages weren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/i-did-have-a-couple-of-people-asking-me-to-illustrate-their-mc-in-a/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/nothing-is-known-for-sure-even-the-person-who-was-there-isn-t/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [I have had people come to the site from all over the world. The US and Canada predominantly, but also Brazil and South Africa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/i-have-had-people-come-to-the-site-from-all-over-the-world-the-us-and/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [But mostly I think two people do share a moment, and we all know that feeling, and it can put a spring in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/but-mostly-i-think-two-people-do-share-a-moment-and-we-all-know-that/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [I usually draw in silence, but listen to music or public radio when I'm painting, after all the important decisions have been made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/i-usually-draw-in-silence-but-listen-to-music-or-public-radio-when-i/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) > [I glean a few times a week, and it's all about the subject line. I look for the lyrical, "Billowy Red Scarf Girl" or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-blackall/i-glean-a-few-times-a-week-and-it-s-all-about-the-subject-line-i-look/) [Sophie Blackall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) [Explore all 20 Sophie Blackall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-blackall/) ## More Borrowed quotes > [I love awards, especially if I get them. It's up to the courage of the filmmakers to make art in cinema, not just business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gazzara/i-love-awards-especially-if-i-get-them-it-s-up-to-the-courage-of-the/) [Ben Gazzara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gazzara/) > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The combination of such characters, some, as the sacral ones, altogether peculiar among Reptiles, others borrowed, as it were, from groups now distinct from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-owen/the-combination-of-such-characters-some-as-the-sacral-ones-altogether/) [Richard Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-owen/) > [I'm no innovator. If anything I'm a stealer, or borrower. I've stolen or borrowed from more people than you can shake a stick at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/i-m-no-innovator-if-anything-i-m-a-stealer-or-borrower-i-ve-stolen-or/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [Any sizeable Portuguese town looks like a superstitious bride's finery - something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/any-sizeable-portuguese-town-looks-like-a-superstitious-bride-s/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [“I came to this world with nothing, and I leave with nothing but love, everything else is just borrowed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-streets/i-came-to-this-world-with-nothing-and-i-leave-with-nothing-but-love/) [The Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-streets/) > [Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. Active trading, attempts to "time" market movements, inadequate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/investors-of-course-can-by-their-own-behavior-make-stock-ownership/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I'm so sick of mermaid dresses, trains, borrowed bling-bling, and a pose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-leon-talley/i-m-so-sick-of-mermaid-dresses-trains-borrowed-bling-bling-and-a-pose/) [Andre Leon Talley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-leon-talley/) > [There is a word Kristos in the Greek dictionary, and this word is supposed to be borrowed from the Sanskrit word "Krishna," and Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/there-is-a-word-kristos-in-the-greek-dictionary-and-this-word-is/) [A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhupada/) > [In 1981, I borrowed 2,000 pounds - a lot of money back then - paid 50 quid for a seat, packed my own sandwich,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/in-1981-i-borrowed-2-000-pounds-a-lot-of-money-back-then-paid-50-quid/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [I think when Tom Ford was there I borrowed a Gucci tux one time, and they were very nice and he was very kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-leto/i-think-when-tom-ford-was-there-i-borrowed-a-gucci-tux-one-time-and/) [Jared Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-leto/) > [There is a big problem. The problem is the country borrowed too much. We went on a borrowing binge, there was a housing boom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/there-is-a-big-problem-the-problem-is-the-country-borrowed-too-much/) [George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/) > [There are instances where lines in my work are borrowed or stolen from sources, mainly from books, or they become my own versions. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-pettibon/there-are-instances-where-lines-in-my-work-are-borrowed-or-stolen/) [Raymond Pettibon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-pettibon/) > [True beauty lives on high. Ours is but a flame borrowed thence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/true-beauty-lives-on-high-ours-is-but-a-flame-borrowed-thence/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [... Andres Segovia literally created the genre of classical guitar, which hadn't existed before around 1910. There was flamenco, which he borrowed from, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/andres-segovia-literally-created-the-genre-of-classical-guitar-which/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) [Browse all 343 Borrowed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borrowed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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. 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