Behind closed doors, relationships might not be all sunshine and rainbows. But the honest representation of everyday life in a long-term relationship rather than the faked and filtered portrayal we see a lot of on social media or movies is what people can truly relate to. It doesn’t mean that living in a relationship is dull or less beautiful; on the contrary, love can be found in the smallest things, we just have to learn to notice them. Los Angeles-based artist Amanda Oleander draws lighthearted illustrations to show what love looks like when no one’s watching in the most mundane way—from pimple popping to crying together to no-shave and no-pants lifestyle.

Over one million people on Instagram are drawn to the artist’s dear-to-heart snippets of life and you will understand why after this post. Don’t forget to check out more of Oleander’s cute illustrations previously shared on Bored Panda here and here.

More info: Instagram | amandaoleander.com | twitter.com | Facebook

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Image credits: amandaoleander

Inspired by her own romantic relationship with her now husband, whom she has been married to for over a year, and true stories of people around her, she is revealing an intimate and genuine side of relationships that might not always be so glamorous. And that’s what makes her art so heartwarming. Oleander’s unique style packed with intricate details and subtle humor is able to convey the sense of authenticity and emotions we experience in our daily routine.

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Amanda has previously told Bored Panda: “These illustrations are inspired by my personal life. I love illustrating life behind closed doors. What really happens when we are comfortable at home by ourselves or with our loved ones. This is the first time I am in a healthy, loving and kind relationship. I love illustrating what it's like to be in one and how important it is to be loved for who you really are.”

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The artist has also said that she is enthralled by the way people behave when no one sees them. The scenarios she portrays in her genuine illustrations are as real as it gets and they show that love can be simple.

“Those are moments that can’t be documented because if they were, it would alter the way the person behaved. So I draw them,” she says.

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Romance and long-term relationships aren’t the only subjects she tackles in her quirky illustrations, so even if you are "forever" alone, you will be able to find yourself in Amanda’s work. She regularly highlights other types of love in a similarly realistic way, such as relationships with family and friends, affection towards pets, and self-love. She isn’t afraid to be true to herself and depict characters as they really are–exhausted, with hair in the weirdest places, ingrown disasters, and other brutally honest women's struggles. Many of her illustrations have a metaphorical deeper meaning with a story behind them. They often reflect on relatable topics such as finding your identity and self-growth as well as global problems everyone has to deal with, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Amanda often engages her audience by inviting them to interpret her drawings before reading her explanation.

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Oleander is a full-time artist and has a fine arts degree. She has given talks at TedX and Art Basel, as well as running workshops on art and the business side of it all over the world. She also was honored as one of Pure Wow’s 100 Women Emerging in Culture, while her artwork has been featured on the pages of some of the biggest magazines such as New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, and The Hollywood Reporter.

With her husband, Joey, who is an actor and has been working in entertainment since 2014, they have started a podcast called “The Joey and Amanda Podcast” where they try to keep their listeners company through positivity, humor, and education. Since January of 2019, which took off from a story of how they fell in love, they’ve been talking about the topics they are fascinated and inspired by: human behavior, relationships, self-improvement, and the pursuit of passions.