Fred Harwin Hand-Paints Windows To The Soul

Portland ocularist Fred Harwin's prosthetic eyeballs are tiny works of art that can change lives. He started out as a medical illustrator after college. (From Oregon Public Broadcasting- OPB)

Fred Harwin Hand-Paints Windows To The Soul was selected as a "Staff Pick" for the 20th season of Oregon Art Beat.

This is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Fred Harwin Hand-Paints Windows To The Soul and also some commentary from the producers, videographers and editors. > A full version of the "Staff Picks" program is available at : www.opb.org/television/programs/artbeat/episodes/2010/

Ocularist illuminates the techniques used to create acrylic eyes and examines both the physical and psychological repercussions associated with the loss of an eye. The film received an honorable mention for short filmmaking at the Sundance Film Festival, one of only eight films honored from more than 70 entries.

The short film and subsequent industry attention are now starting to focus the national spotlight on this specialized and unusual career, where ocularists must perform the extremely detailed task of matching a prosthetic eye to a real one or even creating an set of eyes from scratch.

The Center for Ocular Prosthetics has been featured locally in Portland media as well as nationally. Below are some media highlights, including print, online web, and television outlets:

Meet the Portland man with an eye for eyeballs
August 2014 article featured in Portland Biz Journal.

On The Job
September 2012 segment as part of Think Out Loud.