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Painting portraits in Venice

Stuart Perlman, shown surrounded by his portraits of homeless people he meets on the Venice Beach boardwalk, is a Santa Monica psychologist who has studied trauma survivors. For the last two years he has interviewed and painted the portraits of homeless people in Venice Beach. Here Perlman holds a portrait of Daniel, a former project leader at an architectural firm whose life spun out of control a dozen years ago after a drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into the family vehicle, killing his wife and children. Daniel was not in the vehicle.

Stuart Perlman, shown surrounded by his portraits of homeless people he meets on the Venice Beach boardwalk, is a Santa Monica psychologist who has studied trauma survivors. For the last two years he has interviewed and painted the portraits of homeless people in Venice Beach. Here Perlman holds a portrait of Daniel, a former project leader at an architectural firm whose life spun out of control a dozen years ago after a drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into the family vehicle, killing his wife and children. Daniel was not in the vehicle.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Stuart Perlman is a psychologist. In his spare time he paints faces -- of individuals that most people look past. Over the last two years, his forceful brush strokes have captured the angst and mettle of dozens of homeless people along Venice Beach.

Painting travelers

Stuart Perlman paints a portrait of “traveler” Aftin Combs, left, 20, hanging out with fellow travelers on the Venice Beach boardwalk. Combs plans to marry fellow traveler Cory “Pigpen” Rice, 31, in July in Tennessee.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

'Doc' Jordan

Kemberly “Doc” Jordan, left, who sleeps outdoors in Venice Beach, spent many years working as a mental health care worker in Arkansas. He and Jens Jensen, right, look at Doc’s portrait painted by Stuart Perlman, center, a Santa Monica psychologist.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Cory "Pigpen" Rice

Stuart Perlman shows his portrait to subject Cory “Pigpen” Rice, 31, as he was hanging out with a group on the Venice Beach boardwalk. Rice, who grew up near the boardwalk, once worked as a video game tester but has become a “traveler.” He has “N-I-N-T-E-N-D-O” tattooed on his knuckles. He and fellow traveler Aftin Combs plan to marry in July in Tennessee.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Portrait of a painter

Stuart Perlman, a Santa Monica psychologist who has studied trauma survivors, shows a portrait he painted to Desiree Parr, 28, an artist who sells her paintings at Venice Beach. For the last two years, Perlman has interviewed and painted portraits of homeless people there. Parr said she has an associate degree from Santa Monica College and briefly attended Humboldt State University.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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