Old in Art School, Nell Painter
Old in Art School, Nell Painter
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Old in Art School
A Memoir of Starting Over

Author: Nell Painter

Narrator: Nell Painter

Unabridged: 11 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/19/2018

Synopsis

Following her retirement from Princeton University, celebrated historian Dr. Nell Irvin Painter surprised everyone in her life by returning to school―in her sixties―to earn a BFA and MFA in painting. In Old in Art School, she travels from her beloved Newark to the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design; finds meaning in the artists she loves, even as she comes to understand how they may be undervalued; and struggles with the unstable balance between the pursuit of art and the inevitable, sometimes painful demands of a life fully lived.How are women and artists seen and judged by their age, looks, and race? What does it mean when someone says, “You will never be an artist?” Who defines what “an artist” is and all that goes with such an identity, and how are these ideas tied to our shared conceptions of beauty, value, and difference?Old in Art School is Nell Painter’s ongoing exploration of those crucial questions. Bringing to bear incisive insights from two careers, Painter weaves a frank, funny, and often surprising tale of her move from academia to art.

About Nell Painter

Nell Irvin Painter is the award-winning author of many books, including Sojourner Truth, Southern History across the Color Line, Creating Black Americans, The History of White People, and Standing at Armageddon. She is the Edwards Professor of American History, emerita, at Princeton University. In 2020, she was named the chair of the board of directors of the MacDowell Colony, one of the nation’s leading contemporary arts organizations.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Lisa on July 06, 2018

This one took a while—in addition to her storyline, Painter offers up a lot of interesting digressions about the art world and art world politics, so the narrative isn't always straightforwardly propulsive. I found myself—and this is a good thing—stopping to look up artists she mentioned, for one th......more

Goodreads review by Kathleen on July 03, 2018

Nell Painter didn't give me what I was looking for. I expected a smoother ride -- gentle acceptance, a coherent story. But instead Painter shows her brain raw -- from elation to anger to irritation, to contentment ... and finally to an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. This is a retired eminen......more

Goodreads review by Clif on April 30, 2021

An often recommended means of preventing mental decline due to aging is to learn and do something new and different. Nell Painter, the author this book, is a rather dramatic example of an older person doing something new. At age 64 after a successful academic career—professor of U.S. history, bestse......more

Goodreads review by Deb (Readerbuzz) on December 03, 2018

I don't like to rate or review books I don't like. After all, just because I didn't like a book doesn't necessarily mean you won't love it. But I almost bought this book. I don't want you to make this mistake without fully knowing what this book is about. If I hadn't found this book at my public libr......more

Goodreads review by LeAnn Locher on July 29, 2018

I'm at 50% read and I'm abandoning reading this book. So disappointed. What began as a cheerleader to yeah! a voice for women! yeah! a voice for women of color! yeah! a voice for artists at all ages! became a whimper of sadness that it does not include a voice for women of size. Sigh. So. Very. Disc......more

Quotes

“While exploring what it truly means to be an artist, this book asks honest and important questions about how our definition of identity influences our shared concept of art.” Time

“In this sweet, nuanced memoir, revered historian Painter recounts…how getting an up-close view to all things art changed her life.” Entertainment Weekly

“Charts her exhilarating journey—from a BFA student at Rutgers to a master’s candidate at the Rhode Island School of Design.” O, The Oprah Magazine

“Candid and cheerfully irreverent.” New York Times

“A smart, funny, and compelling case for going after your heart’s desires, no matter your age or what your critics say.” Essence

“Historian Nell Painter…bring[s] her fierce intelligence to questions not just of age but also race and what it means to be an artist.” Los Angeles Times

“Her memoir…is many things: an appraisal of artists living and dead, a hymn to her home state of New Jersey, a meditation on her parents’ deaths, a reflection on the travails of leading a scholarly association. It’s also a sharp critique of the teaching methods and social environment in MFA programs.” Chronicle of Higher Education

“Through her narration, we witness her journey toward realizing her dream of being a painter…Listeners suffer and celebrate with her through each dip and rise along the way.” AudioFile

“Painter is well-equipped to dissect the various forms of discrimination she faces in these programs. And she does it all with a sense of humor, honoring, above all else, creativity, and openness.” Literary Hub

“Witty and perceptive…A courageous, intellectually stimulating, and wholly entertaining story of one woman reconciling two worlds and being open to the possibilities and changes life offers.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Awards

  • Library Journal Editor’s Pick
  • O Magazine Pick
  • Literary Hub Pick
  • New York Times Pick
  • Women.com
  • Publishers Weekly Pick of the Week
  • BookPage Top Pick
  • Entertainment Weekly Pick
  • Parade Magazine Pick
  • Time Magazine Pick
  • National Book Critics Circle Award
  • New York Times Book Review pick
  • BookRiot Pick
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