For single people, long-term relationships might seem like this perfect romantic experience where couples sit around and feed each other chocolate-covered strawberries all day. But, as someone who has been in a committed relationship for nine years, I’m here to tell you that that is not the case. That’s not to say there aren’t wonderful times – there are plenty – it’s just that not everything is as picture-perfect as it is in Rom-Coms.
But don’t just take my word for it. LA-based artist Amanda Oleander has been documenting the lives of couples behind closed doors and her work is way too relatable. She’s been dating a man named Joey for the past three years and is very open about how much their relationship has influenced her work. “Before I met Joey if anyone told me their love and relationship was like ours I wouldn’t believe it,” Oleander said in an interview with Bored Panda. ” It’s nothing less than amazing. We can’t get enough of each other.”
She went on to say that, “[She’s] enthralled by the way people behave behind closed doors, intimate moments we never get to see. Those are moments that can’t really be documented because if they were, it would alter the way the person behaved. So I draw them.”
You can check out some of Amanda’s work below.
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
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Photo Credit: Amanda Oleander
That’s as real as it gets.
