M4M - Craigslist Missed Connections Come To Life

Photo: Artwork by Sophie Blackall

Nothing breaks Internet browsing boredom quite like laughing at the dodos who use Craigslist as a dating tool. But combing through Missed Connections, a message board for the hookups that got away, to find the truly novel stories is a lot like panning for gold. You must first sift through riverbed muck (read: steam room liaisons, train car brushes, one-night stands without an exchange of names) to stumble upon the brilliantly awkward and hilarious tales of what could have been.

Brooklyn artist Sophie Blackall is one such panner. Her blog, aptly called Missed Connections, highlights the best of New York City Craigslist postings, bringing the stories to life with her Shell Silverstein-meets-Maurice-Sendak illustrations. Like the artwork? You can buy a print on Blackall's Etsy account for $40. And who knows, your own Missed Connection might have even made the blog in its two-year history. Unless, of course, your shot in the dark was more muck than metal. And, hey, no judgement.

-- PHILLIP B. CROOK

Previously >The Emery Awards