![\"Paul](\"https:\/\/illuzone.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Paul-Smith-40-Chess-353x361.jpg\")
<\/a>Known worldwide as the \u201cTypewriter Artist,\u201d Paul Smith\u2019s story spans eight decades, seven in which he created typewriter art. Having a severe case of spastic cerebral palsy that affected his speech, his mobility, and his fine motor coordination, Paul\u2019s life began when opportunities were limited.<\/p>\n
In his time, Paul was not entitled to a mainstream education \u2013 he was not taught to read or write. Physicians were still recommending that children with his form of cerebral palsy be institutionalized. And, medical care wasn\u2019t as progressive.<\/p>\n
When Paul was born on September 21, 1921 in Philadelphia, his doctors didn\u2019t believe he would live too long. He beat those odds by living to the ripe old age of 85 \u2013 far longer than the average lifespan for an adult male.<\/p>\n
It would not be the only time he beat the odds. Though his condition made it difficult for him to grasp pens or pencils, eat, dress, or express his thoughts, he persevered. It took him 16 years to learn to speak \u2013 and 32 to learn to walk.<\/p>\n
But Paul\u2019s claim to fame \u2013 the achievement that has made him a source of inspiration to people in the art community and at all levels of ability \u2013 is his mastery of a common office machine as an artistic medium. He paints with a manual typewriter.<\/p>\n
And by the time Paul quit creating beautiful pictures with thousands of delicate key strokes, he left behind hundreds of extraordinary, thought-provoking pieces that make a statement not only about their subject matter, but especially about how they were created.<\/p>\n Paul’s family moved from Philadelphia to Hollywood, Florida, near trains and train tracks \u2013 common subjects of his earlier art creations. Paul developed an interest in creating typewriter art when he was 11-years-old and had started toying with a typewriter his neighbor had discarded. His creations became an outlet for a child that turned to new ways to express himself since being non-verbal he could not easily convey his feelings to others. Because he could not easily grip artist\u2019s tools such as pencils, pens, markers, pastels or paint brushes, he turned to the typewriter.<\/p>\n The subjects of Paul\u2019s art were publicly recognizable. He enjoyed creating pictures of animals, still lifes, nature, war scenes, spiritual symbols, and outdoor scenes. His works included his childhood fascination with trains; his affinity towards a squirrel he befriended; spiritual leaders such as the Pope, Jesus and Mother Theresa; war scenes and country hero\u2019s. He also created pictures of well-known art he admired, including Leonardo da Vinci\u2019s \u201cMona Lisa,\u201d Auguste Rodin\u2019s \u201cThe Thinker,\u201d and Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze\u2019s \u201cWashington Crossing the Delaware.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not so much the subject that is remarkable about Paul\u2019s work, it\u2019s the painstaking skill of using symbols on a typewriter to form perfect replicas of existing work, and innovative representations of his surroundings.<\/p>\n Paul\u2019s images, perhaps surprisingly, were created using only a handful of symbol keys \u2013 !, @, #, %, ^, _, (, &, ) \u2013 which were accessible along the top row of his typewriter keyboard. Remarkable, when a person considers that manual typewriters required the ribbons to be positioned, the roller to be adjusted, and the paper to be secured. Typewriters, of that era, left no room for error since erasing mistaken keystrokes was not a clean option.<\/p>\n As he typed, he would secure the shift key in a locked position to make sure that he didn\u2019t inadvertently type numbers. He used his left hand to steady his right. Different symbols created the look of varied textures, and depending on the look Paul was attempting to achieve, he would adjust the spacing to type the symbols in short proximity, or far. And, he adjusted the roller to perfect spaces between lines.<\/p>\n As technology advanced, his art evolved. The invention of color typewriter ribbons, gave Paul the flexibility to layer in color. He would soon press his thumb on the ribbon to create shade. By using keystrokes, repetition, and an eraser, his pictures took on less of a pen-and-ink look and more of a pastel and charcoal appearance. He would preplan his approach and develop a scaling system to reproduce photographs.<\/p>\n Depending on the nature of a picture \u2013 how large it was, and how complex \u2013 it could take anywhere from two weeks to three months to complete one piece. He worked, on average, a couple hours every day on his art. After all of that work, one wouldn\u2019t blame Paul if he sought to sell his work, but by all accounts, he would give away his pieces. As his distinctive artform gained intrique from others, the number of orders for artwork increased.<\/p>\n He would sign his work by typing his name, usually along the bottom right corner of the page.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also little evidence that Paul\u2019s work was widely published outside of a handful of online references and book mentions. For him, creating art was a leisurely pursuit and a form of expression. He didn\u2019t believe he had talent, as much as he believed his talent was a special gift not produced by effort. To the art world, he set a high bar for typewriter artists that many have tried to match, but few are able to replicate.<\/p>\n Today, we see individuals with disabilities participating in the arts in ways Paul could likely not imagine. Computers and software technologies have long replaced typewriters. They have opened new avenues for art, photography, filmmaking, and design. Technological tools are available today that have leveled the playing field for artists, no matter what their physical abilities are.\u00a0But Paul had no such benefits as he developed and refined his techniques; he simply had his fingers and an office machine that today, many young people would not recognize.<\/p>\n It\u2019s impossible to know how many pictures Paul created during his long life \u2013 some estimate over 400 pieces. That work remains an inspiration to artists everywhere; especially among those that accommodate for disability. Paul\u2019s work proves that with some patience and ingenuity, all things are possible.<\/p>\n Although Paul would type several hours a day for nearly 70 years, his career as a typewriter artist would succomb to the effects of aging, not to his cerebral palsy. According to reports, he developed cataracts, which in 2004 ended his long, prolific career as the typewriter artist.<\/p>\n Ironically, the Internet today has provided Paul\u2019s art with more exposure than technology had allowed, back then. His work is featured on several sites, including those created by other artists that have drawn inspiration from his work and his story.<\/p>\n Additionally, Paul was featured in a handful of news reports that are available on YouTube and on other file sharing sites, including a feature in the 1988 episode of ABC TV\u2019s \u201cIncredible Sunday\u201d with John Davidson.<\/p>\n On June 25, 2007, he died having left behind a unique legacy filled with exceptional imagery. More than that, Paul\u2019s body of work represents what is possible when a person puts their mind to something that others said would be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.<\/p>\n<\/a>HOW IT ALL STARTED<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/a>A LASTING LEGACY<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
HIS LATER LIFE AND WORK<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n