Creating a piece of art doesn’t always require a paint brush or a set of pencils, as you can do it with pretty much any object you can think of. It definitely creates a unique style, and that’s exactly what Paul Smith does, as he uses his trusty old typewriter to create paintings of his own.
What’s even more remarkable is that the elderly man suffers from cerebral palsy and regular movements are anything but straightforward, let alone creating pieces of art. The man was diagnosed with the condition shortly after he was born in 1921. Paul didn’t have much of a childhood because of his illness and physical activity of any kind was very difficult for him.
He needed to skip the sports classes and playtime, but that didn’t hinder Paul from letting his mind go to ease.
He could hide his condition behind his creative creations and has always been an artistic soul, but a regular brush wasn’t an option due to his condition.
That’s when he decided to work with something else entirely instead – so he opted for a typewriter. Even though these trusty machines have been replaced by keyboards, a typewriter in the hands of Paul Smith is an instrument of art, not a productivity tool.
Paul has an image of the work he wants to create in his mind, and then carefully pushes all the right keys on the typewriter to get the result.
As you can imagine, using a typewriter to paint is anything but an easy task, but Paul has years of experience and dedication that has finally allowed him to master the process.
The man resides in Rose Haven Nursing Home in Oregon and many of the halls are decorated with his incredible paintings. Paul paints just about everything, including animals, portraits and moments in history. He uses the places he has visited over the years as an inspiration.
The typewriter allows him to create different patterns and textures on his paintings. He only uses ten keys and symbols and creates the images from a specific combination of those ten keys. The hashtag symbol, for example, is often used for facial details. The ribbons are sometimes colored which deliver a unique and surprising effect.
It’s truly incredible what kind of amazing art this man can create just by using a typewriter. The other residents in the nursing home, as well as the staff, admire Paul’s work. The man calls it a gift from God.
When asked what keeps him going, he replied with faith and “my finger”, as that’s everything he needs to operate a typewriter.
Truly astonishing!
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