Sponsored by:

Art for Healing NYC Organization
A not for profit Nationally registered tax exempted organization based in NYC Manhattan.
ArtforHealingNYC.org

It is not important to be rich and famous but to follow your dream,
and live your life to the fullest… like Paula did.

Concept, text and editor: Loren Ellis, M.F.A.
Cameraman, production: George Lamboy of Regal Entertainment. regalenter@earthlink.net

I asked Paula how do you think you lived to reach 100 years old? She said, “I never worry, I do what I can do in a situation, and whatever happens, happens.”

The message of this story is to help one realize that it is not important to be rich and famous but to work hard, follow your passion, and live the American Dream, like Paula Wright did. “A Tiny Voice” I thought would be a perfect title because Paula was physically small, soft-spoken, and a very quiet and private person. Even though her photographs are in major museums, she is not famous, not a “big voice” in the art world. Paula said she was happy with her life and enjoyed working. It's important to live one’s life the way that is pleasing and personally rewarding. Whatever happens in terms of recognition happens.

One of our key areas we will distribute the video to is to young adults, junior and senior high schools and to all high achievers. Hopefully this video will inspire teenagers. We especially intend to provide a positive perspective for youngsters who are in crisis and have had suicidal thoughts. Museums, art galleries, Public Television stations and nursing homes are our other markets.

An Overview
Beginning with views of Hungary, also included are views of New York City where she arrived in the early 1940’s from Budapest, Hungary. Views of the Brooklyn Museum, New York Public Library, Metropolitan Museum, New York Historical Society where her work is in their collections. Interviews with curators from three of the institutions are included. Paula explored a unique technique with pastels on black and white photographs while in Vienna, Austria in an era before color film was popular. This technique, which Paula mastered in pastels, opened the doors for her when she came to the U.S. When she came to America she immediately found where the best studios were and got a position as a retoucher at the third studio she showed her work to on 5th Avenue utilizing her unique technique.

Also included are photographs by Andre Kertez’s a famous Hungarian photographer and friend of Paula and her husband’s. Paula provided photo- retouching services for Richard Avedon and he also sent his students to study with Paula. Avedon gave Paula a signed copy of one of his books. Some of Mr. Avedon’s photographs are included in the video as well.
Paula’s painting of a monkey was used on the cover of the pop group Talking Heads’ “Naked” album, which received the album of the year in the mid 1980’s. An excerpt from “Democratic Circus” a song on the CD is included.

Paula Wright traveled extensively around the world with her Roleflex camera until the age of 85. Paula also enjoyed creating and photographing still lifes with objects she owned. In our interview in her apartment/studio she talks about her photographs, including the photograph she took of Albert Einstein that he signed.

My Friendship with Paula
From her early years in New York until she was 95 years old Ms Wright advertised in the Yellow Pages phone book. The listing offered animal portraits and photo-retouching. I originally contacted Ms. Wright to do collaborative projects, where I would create photographic paintings from her negatives of animals but we never did these projects. I did take her portfolio to appointments to book publishers for her since it was difficult for her to get around. Since we were both professional artists and photographers, Paula and I immediately related to each other. We remained friends for the last ten years of her life.

Paula passed away at the age of 102. Over the past ten years, she always expressed delight upon seeing my new work and complained that I never visited her enough. At first she didn’t understand my style because it was not traditional photography. She called my work "very modern". Some of my work will be shown briefly during the Talking Heads music. Hungarian music will play with Paula’s work between the English and Hungarian voice-overs.

One day when I was visiting Paula, I was leaving to go to an artist residency and wanted to wish Paula a happy birthday since I wouldn’t be in town on November 19th. Her Hungarian friends happened to be there and told me she will be 100 years old! I couldn’t believe it! She didn’t look a day over 75. I decided when I get back I must immediately interview Paula about her work and life in her apartment/studio near Lincoln Center, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where she lived and worked.

Paula Wright’s Childhood
When she was eight years old Paula’s mother died of Tuberculosis. While her mother was ill her father, in fear she might contract the disease paid distant relatives to take care of Paula. She was constantly unhappy and moved from home to home. Her teacher at school called her ‘a little bird.’ Paula is only 4’8” tall. Paula missed her mother and said to me “If you have love you have everything”.

Paula had a tutor and learned German, Hungarian, French and English fluently. Whatever Paula wanted to study her father would support, but Paula never took advantage of his generosity. She was accepted to a very competitive art school National Academy of Art in Budapest a two-year program where she studied painting and drawing. She then trained as a retoucher in a photo studio for six months and studied the pastel technique in Vienna Austria. Her father was going to pay for a year of school, but after six months she said she mastered the technique and could get a job and she did.

The Albert Einstein Photograph taken in 1946 on Princeton Campus Is available for purchase. Paula sold the original negative of Einstein and another one too, to Loren with and all rights, because she knew Loren would do good by this sale.
To purchase the Einstein photograph contact Loren. The photograph is on fiber paper, hand printed from the original negative, available in 10”x 8” and 14” x 11”, signed and unsigned by Paula Wright. Loren always considers sharing the profits of the sale of the photograph with Art for Healing, Inc. NYC and another not for profit organization. The photograph of Einstein is in the Library of Congress collection, Princeton U., New York Public Library, published in calendars and books and in many private collections.

Contact Loren to purchase a copy of the video or trailer.
The total length of the documentary is approximately 30 minutes, available in DVD or VHS format. The DVD includes a 10 minute synopsis or you can view it here on her web site under Video.

The theme of “A Tiny Voice” is similar to the mission of Art for Healing NYC Org., which was founded May 5th 2000. Whether creating or enjoying art, it is necessary to enjoy ones life, visit www.ArtforHealingNYC.org for the mission and activities including the 9/11 book project. After one is healed spiritually, they are healed physically and mentally. I am certain that Paula Wright’s passion to create art was a major force in extending her life.

Credits:
Concept, writing and interviewer: Loren Ellis LorenEllisArt.com
Videographer and Editor: George Lamboy of Regal Entertainment
Voice Overs:
Aniko Sarkozy GoToHungary.com
Tomas Veszi Veszi.com
George Feaster
George Lamboy regalenter@yahoo.com
Dr, Andras Marton CentrumManagement.org

Music:
Bartok, Kodaly, Hungarian Folk Music and The song Democratic Circus by name of artist of Talking Heads, courtesy of record company by arrangement with Warner Special Products.

Special Thank you to:
Julia Van Haaften curator of Prints and Photographs New York Public Library Manhattan, currently at the Museum of the History of New York, Manhattan

Weston Naef former curator of photographs at the Metropolitan Museum current curator of photographs at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Ca.

Dale neighbors former curator of photography at the New York Historical Society Museum Manhattan.

The Estate of and Richard Avedon and Andre Kertez.

Contact:
Loren Ellis LorenEllisArt.com (212) 946-1160
To purchase the Albert Einstein photograph and Loren Ellis’ photographic paintings.
All profits from this video support the Art for Healing NYC Organization programs.

Copyright © Loren Ellis All Rights Reserved