STUART PERLMAN, PhD
For 40 years, Stuart Perlman has been a psychologist
and psychoanalyst in private practice in West Los Angeles. Also, as a portrait painter, in his current project of 12 years, he illuminates the faces of the homeless, along with their humanity and pain. Stuart has painted over 250 individuals. He also has collected their histories, art and music. This project has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, Guardian of London, Vanity Fair Italia, the Taipei Times and the Jewish Journal. Stuart has had many exhibitions. The National Association for Advancement of Psychoanalysis nominated Stuart’s paintings for “Best Art of the Year”, and his documentary Struggle in Paradise, based on this project and the lives of these homeless people, won the “Best Movie of the Year.” Stuart was LACPA’s “2016 Distinguished Social Justice Award” winner and has been honored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for his work. Many portraits are available on Amazon in his book, Struggle in Paradise, and his upcoming book, Open Your Heart Through Art.
Jeffrey, 38
(Oil on Canvas, 5’ x 4’)
Homelessness has continued to grow rapidly during the Covid pandemic as services have decreased and compassion fatigue has increased.
Jeffrey’s life seemed doomed from the beginning. He was born to a 19-year-old drug addict, and doesn't recall ever meeting his dad. He considers himself "the face of addiction" - both his own and that of his parents.
As a young child there was no one to take care of him, so Jeffrey was placed in foster care. He described his childhood simply as "bad." From the age of nine he lived either on the streets or in prison. When Jeffrey was 11 years old he was convicted of a felony for shoving another kid and stealing his money. In total, he has spent 13 years behind bars. He acknowledges he has done "whatever was necessary" to stay alive.
Jeffrey has a daughter who he has never seen but yearns to meet. His biggest regret is that he is not the person he wishes to be for her. He feels angry about his life.