The people who contributed genetic material to create us mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Maybe the person you call “Dad” contributed some chromosones to make you, maybe they didn’t, maybe you have no idea who that person is, maybe the person you think of as your “Dad” is your mom, maybe your dad was terrible, maybe your friend had the dad you wish you had, maybe your dad is dead. Family units are complex and flexible structures that guide us into adulthood one way or another. Through a strong presence or a strong absence, a father can be many different things to a child and I want to talk about those things.
With the 31st anniversary fo the death of my father fast approaching, and shortly after that my birthday which will make me as old as my father when he died, I have decided to embark on a series of projects that will explore the relationships we have with the concept of “Father Figures” and discuss the idea of an absense of something or someone being as tangible as a presence.
The first stage of this project involves YOU!
You see, I am collecting Dads! What is/was your dad like? If you would like to help me with this project, print out the Dad Template Front below and draw your dad, or what you think a dad should look like, or a dad you know. Then print out the Dad Template Back and answer some questions about the dad you drew! If you can’t print them out don’t worry! Simply draw a dad on a standard letter sized piece of paper and answer the questions on the back. I am not picky. Dads come in all shapes and sizes!
Here are the templates here (Yes, I drew them in MS Paint while at work):
Next, send me the pages! You can either scan them and email them to me at emily.comeau@gmail.com or send them by post to:
Au Deuxième c/o Emily Comeau
3655 bvld. St Laurent, apt 206
Montreal, Qc
H2X 2V6
What you will get in return for helping me out is a credit on the project as a creative collaborator (you don’t have to use your real name if you don’t want to) and a super special Book of the Dads which includes all the dad drawings collected for this project.
Thanks a bunch! I look forward to meeting your “dad”.
Instructions:
1) Draw a dad on an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper (or on the prited template) and mail it to me!
2) Include your name, age and answer the following questions about the dad you drew:
This dad…….
Likes _________
Dislikes _________
Likes to eat ______________
Favourite colour is _________
By:_______ Age:________
*FYI I will be reprinting the drawings in black and white. You can use any colour you want on your drawing but keep in mind that the paler colours might not show up as well when I reprint them.
Emily Comeau 