Angela Rockwood

The Raw Beauty Project took media by storm after its debut in New York in 2014 featured a photography exhibit of women living with various types of disabilities that showcased their beauty, power and passion. The exhibit is making its west coast debut Saturday at Paul Mitchell The School in Pasadena and will feature 26 Los Angeles-based models in an evening that aims to celebrate women with disabilities and help viewers redefine beauty.

“These women demonstrate that anything is possible. They represent the raw beauty and strength that is inside each and every one of us. I am honored to be included in this sisterhood, of this group of amazing, unstoppable women, proud now to be ‘one of them’,” said Raw Beauty Project Co-founder Wendy Crawford.

Crawford was a fashion model over 30 years until her career took a drastic change after being involved in a car accident that left her paralyzed, according to project’s website.

“Afterwards there was no work for me because I no longer looked like the women in the magazines. I felt alone and I felt invisible,” explained Crawford in a video on the Raw Beauty Project website.

Crawford spent time with disabled women and began to see disability in a different light.

With the help of colleagues Ginny Dixon, an award-winning photographer, and Dr. Susan Soloman, the Raw Beauty Project was launched in September 2014 at ACA Galleries in New York.

“The project evolved into an artistic form where we, and women like us, shared authentically about our obstacles in life and how we overcame them,” said Crawford.

The exhibit caught international media attention and has been featured in “O”, Oprah Magazine, Today.com, Huffington Post, as well as many publications across Europe, according to a press release.

The anticipated LA debut is a collaborative effort between the Raw Beauty Project co-founders actress/producer of “Plush Girls” Angela Rockwood and photography by Daryl Henderson.

“The Raw Beauty Project is important to me because it’s a movement that empowers all women of all shapes, sizes, colors in any vessel,” said Rockwood, who is spearheading the L.A. exhibit.

The 26 photos are beauty, environmental and fashion portraits that will be supplemented with individual biographies and life narratives from the models.

“They share how they became disabled and how they feel powerful in the world,” said Crawford. “We look for women who are authentic, willing to be raw in who they are, what they have learned and look for women who have been able to move beyond their disabilities in their lives to contribute to others and live a full life.”

Making sure nobody is left out from the experience due to disability, the photographs will be exhibited through tactile printing where the photograph itself is raised which allows people with visual impairment the ability to experience a photographer through touch, according to Crawford.

“These women represent millions of other women around the world and we want them to be in the forefront and celebrate them and hopefully to empower others by their example,” said Crawford.

“We believe all women have stops in their own lives, whether financial, emotional, poor self image. As women with disabilities our stops are visible. In the exhibit, as women with disabilities, we share how we have moved past our stops in life to live a full, passionate and powerful life and we want all women to be able to experience that for themselves.”

This one-night-only event kicks off Sept. 17 at 7:00 p.m. at Paul Mitchell The School located at 825 E. Green Street and will feature a gallery reception that includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and swag bags for all attendees.

Tickets can be purchased at the door for $50 or for $40 in advance by visiting www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2565619.

V.I.P. tickets are also available for $100 and includes champagne with the event organizers, a preview of the exhibit plus the gallery reception.

For more information about The Raw Beauty Project, visit http://www.rawbeautynyc.com/