He learned how to express himself using just 10 symbol keys at the top of an old manual typewriter keyboard
He couldn’t grasp a pen or a pencil in his hands, his disorder made holding a paint brush impossible, and yet through sheer determination and perseverance he taught himself how to ‘paint’ and create beautiful works of art using a manual typewriter.
Paul Smith passed away in 2007 at the ripe old age of 85 after having spent most of his life in a nursing home. From an early age he suffered from severe cerebral palsy and as a young child he wasn’t expected to live long, and because of his condition he wasn’t entitled to have an education, therefore he couldn’t read or write.
Amazingly, even though his movements were very limited, he learned how to express himself using just 10 symbol keys at the top of a manual typewriter keyboard. With these 10 symbol keys he was able to create hundreds of landscapes and portraits, in both black & white and color and in such incredible detail – it’s hard to believe they’ve been ‘painted’ with a typewriter.
When asked what keeps him going he simply replied “my finger”..!
