Artist, Historian Nell Painter To Speak at Virtual Art Talk

The Falmouth Art Center will host Dr. Nell Irvin Painter, a distinguished and award-winning artist, historian and scholar, for an online Art Talk on Thursday, May 27 at 6:30pm on Zoom. Dr. Painter is the author of “Old in Art School” about her experience leaving her job as a professor of history at Princeton University to attend art school in her 60s.

She is also the author of “The History of White People,” and other books about American history. “The History of White People” guides the reader through more than 2,000 years of Western civilization, illuminating not only the invention of race but the frequent praise of “whiteness.”

The Art Talk session will be an informal interview with local artist Claudia Smith-Jacobs talking to Dr. Painter about her books, as well as a question and answer session with the audience. Attendees are encouraged to read Dr. Painter’s books, “Old in Art School” and “The History of White People,” and bring questions for her.

Dr. Painter earned her bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. She earned her master’s and Ph.D. from Harvard University.

Including “The History of White People,” she has written eight books on history. Among her other books is “Sojourner Truth: A Life, a Symbol.” The second edition of Dr. Painter’s book, “Southern History Across the Color Line,” was published last month. Her editorial, “It Shouldn’t Be This Close. But There’s Good News, Too” was published on November 5, 2020 in the New York Times just before the last election.

She has served as president of the Organization of American Historians and as president of the Southern Historical Association. She currently serves as chair of the board of the McDowell Colony, the artist colony in New Hampshire.

Tickets to the talk cost $12 or $10 for Falmouth Art Center members and are available at FalmouthArt.org or by calling 508-540-3304. Those who have registered will receive the Zoom link on the day of the talk.