Old in Art School

By: Nell Painter

Narrated by: Nell Painter

Following her retirement from Princeton University, celebrated historian Dr. Nell Irvin Painter surprised everyone in her life by returning to school - in her 60s - 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.

A Library Journal Editor's Pick for Spring.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Nell Painter (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Excellent if you are an artist

I thoroughly enjoyed and related to Nell as she meandered through the art world, artists and art itself. It is uplifting to hear someone else going through the same Via Crucis as I have. This book was well worth the listen while I worked at my own art.

Good book for artists

While I don't agree with everything she said, it was interesting to hear the experience from her perspective.

My Favorite Book on the Artist's Journey

This is the best book I have ever read on the topic of "becoming am artist," because the author delves into questions so many others ignore. The author asks, "What is art?" and "Who or what is an artist?" with authenticity, vulnerability, self-reflection, and some measure of objectivity about "the Art World."

The book is read by the author who does a a five star job.

I really liked her voice, honesty and how her personality came throufh

I had no dislikes. If I had to choose something it ended too soon. Yes

Her story

It's a scathing and enlightening review of art school, presented masterfully and resentfully by one who endured it and succeeded in spite of its rituals. I particularly enjoyed her telling of her own story alongside the history of black women artists and black families and slavery all over the world.