"Faces of Homelessness" portraits by Dr. Stuart Perlman

Stuart Perlman PhD has been a clinical psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles for over 30 years.  He returned to painting by focusing on portraits of the homeless.  "If we can see the faces of the homeless and learn their stories - their hopes, dreams, accomplishments and fears - we can no longer pretend they do not exist...we can no longer look the other way."

The "Faces of Homelessness" portrait project has been exhited throughout Los Angeles.  I saw some of the paintings at the ArcLight Hollywood.  Stuart's documentary about this project, "Struggle in Paradise," won the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis' Best Movie of the Year Award in 2013.

This exhibit is supported by the "Homes for Good" program which is an initiative of United Way and L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce who are seeking other supporters to bring "L.A. homeless neighbors Home For Good.

"Daniel, late 50's"  Daniel is an Air Force Veteran and college graduate.  He worked for AIG Architects as a drafstsman and project coordinator.  He loved his job, his wife and children who he adored.  Then one night he got a call from the local sheriff informing him that a drunk driver had killed his wife and children.  He said he went crazy used drugs then stopped and came to California and lived on the beach.  He started writing poems, which he called his therapy.  After seven years on the beach he moved into a HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program apartment.
Daniel's Poem
Now I'm on the beach,
playing in the sand under my toes,
only God knows.
There's a child going wild,
he stops and looks at me and he smiles,
that's what it's all about.
It makes me want to get up and shout,
"Let;s all get out, what a day!"
I wouldn't want to spend it any other way,
Except one.
I miss you, babe. 

"Father and Daughter"
The subjects of the portrait must remain anonymous as it represents many families with children who live on the beach but feel they need to remain invisible so the Child Welfare officals don't take their children away.

"Nate, 62"
Nate was drafted into the Vietnam War when he was attending New York University.  He doesn't want to talk about the "atrocities" of war but that something had  "died inside."  He graduated from NYU and worked as a comedy writer in L.A.  Nate is getting medication from the VA for PTSD and depression.

"DK, 40s"
DK is a Native American who's childhood was one of neglect and physical mistreatment.  He began drinking alcohol given by his father when he was a child and says he has be an alcoholic for 40 years.  DK plays the guitar and sings. "The songs he writes are filled with angst and sorrow.  He is desperate to be heard."

"Corey, 20s"
"Corey's early childhood was so terrible he cannot even talk about it.  At 18 he enlisted in the Navy and became a Navy Seal and did multiple tours in Iraq.  He was court-martialed and dishonorable discharged for not "taking out a target" which he he was was an Iraq soldier holding up an infant as protection.  He was ordered to "Shoot the target through the baby!"
He lives on the beach with a girlfriend who is pregnant.  "He desperately wants to get a job to support them."

"Crystal, 26"
Crystal at age 12 was raped by her stepbrothers and kicked out of her house.  She was exploited on the streets by a pimp and forced to take drugs.  He has lived mostly on the streets for the past 14 years.  Crystal describe having per portrait painted as "cool" and that it was unusual for someone to "take the time out of their day to talk to a homeless person."

"Grumpy, 61"
Grumpy grew up in an orphanage and adopted at age 13 and two months later his adoptive mother died.  He as been homeless for seven years and has had a heart attack, multiple seizures and strokes.  He has sever cirrhosis of the liver from drinking.  He feels that his is viewed as society's trash.