Tiny during Streetwise, Seattle, Washington, 1983. © Mary Ellen Mark
“She was beautiful, engaging and impossible to forget.”
This is how social documentary and portrait photographer Mary Ellen Mark describes Erin “Tiny” Blackwell.
Tiny was one of the subjects (and truly the star) of the 1984 Academy Award-nominated documentary Streetwise by Martin Bell, Mary Ellen Mark’s collaborator and husband. The film opened a generation’s eyes to the loneliness and dangers of teenage homelessness and sexual exploitation.
When they met Tiny in Seattle in 1983, she was working as a prostitute. Thirty years later, she is the mother of ten, a grandmother and still struggling with day-to-day life.
Together, Mark and Bell will return to Seattle in a rare opportunity to share an intimate insight into a woman who has survived against impossible odds.
We invite you to watch the Kickstarter video that describes the heart and goal of the Streetwise: Tiny Revisited project.
And please think about making a pledge. Or perhaps giving the gift of a pledge to someone who appreciates the artistry of documentary films. It would make a unique holiday present.
You can read our profile of Mary Ellen Mark here and see more of her stunning imagery.
Thanks for reading!
Tiny, Seattle, Washington, 1983. © Mary Ellen Mark
