(Note: The images below are sexually graphic and may not be appropriate for work or other sensitive environments.)



A powerful, compelling and very NSFW coloring book is providing queer men with the opportunity to consider and question their own personal relationship with heartbreak and casual sex.

The queer coloring book, called LAST NIGHT I DREAMT THAT SOMEBODY LOVED ME, comes from Texas-based artist and illustrator Nathan Rapport. His idea for the book stemmed from going through a tumultuous breakup and the ways in which art as therapy allowed him to question his relationship with casual sex during these tougher emotional times.

Much of the impact of LAST NIGHT I DREAMT THAT SOMEBODY LOVED ME comes from its playful yet poignant juxtaposition of male-bodied individuals engaging in group sex with the lyrics from classic and beautiful heartbreak songs by singer-songwriters like Tori Amos, Annie Lennox and Prince.



"I knew the concept was very universal, and not specific to queer people, though I was presenting my own personal, very queer experience and perspective," Rapport told The Huffington Post. "This was always much more than simply a dirty coloring book with a bunch of naked guys. The imagery is very graphic, yes, but I felt it needed to be, as the lyrical imagery is so potent with raw emotion and they needed to balance and compliment each other in a way that made sense."

Nathan Rapport

Check out the interview with Rapport below, as well as some images from the book.

Nathan Rapport

The Huffington Post: What is your overarching concept and intention for LAST NIGHT I DREAMT THAT SOMEBODY LOVED ME?

Nathan Rapport: To be totally honest, my initial intention for this book was simply to get some thoughts on paper, help myself get over a tough breakup, and maybe create something finished as a result. I was working my way through a really rough patch in my life and the summer was a very dark time. A good friend and I were both going through similar experiences, and we decided it would be healthy for us to meet up at night and make art together. And so we each began our own projects while sharing a space and listening to records. We were given a vendor table at Stargayzer Festival the following month, so we had a deadline, some good ideas and some heartbreak.

My idea for a book began to take shape relatively quickly, and I knew that I was responding positively to the imagery and felt like I was making some thoughtful choices. As the book took shape, and I made changes here and there, I felt I had something I was very proud of and that actually helped me take a look at some of my own stuff.

Nathan Rapport

Now the book is out and is growing legs, and I couldn't be happier. Certain underlying themes in the book have become much more apparent as this process has unfolded. Intimacy being a major one. Intimacy is obviously a huge theme throughout the book; the lyrics for the most part are even pulled from an era where music itself was much more intimate. We bought records and physical music -- it was tactile and physical. Intimacy has become important to me in the actual process of getting books out there. I have found that I enjoy personally hand-writing "thank you" notes and stuffing envelopes myself. I'm enjoying the personal and tactile connection it creates with each person who buys or supports this book.

So what began as a simple, single drawing in my sketchbook has become a project that gives people an opportunity to have fun while responding in a very genuine way to some not so surprisingly universal and honest concepts. It gives me an opportunity to interact in a personal way with folks who respond to the book, meet people face to face [on the tour] along the way and reconnect with old family in a whole new way. I'm really excited for how people are responding to the coloring book, and I can't wait to see what the coming months will bring.

Nathan Rapport

Do you think casual sex is crucial to the healing process for queer people going through break-ups?

I don't know if I believe it is crucial, or specific to queer people. I know I've done it. And I know a lot of us have done it. I knew at the time I was doing it, and I guess I've reached an age or just a phase in my life where I felt a desire to look at it honestly and ask, "why?" I am in no way demonizing it with any of this imagery, as heavy as a few of them may be. I was simply asking myself some questions.

I'm sure there are some people out there who have never had a post-break up wild streak, but based on my own experience, friendships and response across the board to this book so far, I know we have all been there, and I'm sure most of us have at some point asked ourselves a few questions.

Nathan Rapport

Why do you think art therapy is an effective and worthwhile practice for queer people?

I think everyone heals differently, and I think certain therapies are more effective for some than others. I know that when I hear a song or see an image that I can relate to a very specific struggle or pain I am dealing with, I don't feel so alone in that struggle. So to present this concept, and to look at heartbreak in a very honest yet playful and lighthearted way feels really healthy, and like something that might make a lot of people think and smile. As a visual artist I can't say enough for the therapeutic benefits of getting lost in a drawing or painting. So I love that in addition to presenting the concept with the book, the book itself becomes interactive, and we allow ourselves to have fun coloring in pictures and getting lost in making something while we process.

Nathan Rapport

Head here to get your own copy of LAST NIGHT I DREAMT THAT SOMEBODY LOVED ME.



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