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CNN Sunday Morning

Man Becomes Oldest Art School Graduate

Aired May 13, 2001 - 08:26   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now the inspiring story of a senior graduate, 80-year-old Arthur Krakower is the oldest graduate of the California College of Arts and Crafts, getting his master of arts degree.

Reporter Isabelle Duran (ph) with our affiliate KRON in San Francisco has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ISABELLE DURAN, KRON REPORTER (voice-over): This is an exciting moment for Arthur Krakower. His passion, his memories and his talent all combined to make this graduation possible.

Though a weekend artist for decades, the former Macy's exec and real estate agent went back to school at age 76 to get an art degree.

ARTHUR KRAKOWER, OLDEST ART GRADUATE: I discovered an old film that had been turned into a video of my family done in the '30s.

DURAN: The film, a collection of long-buried memories from his childhood, became the conceptual basis for his paintings and the title of his book-bound graduate thesis, "Silence of Memories."

At 80, he was getting in touch with a lost childhood and the people in it.

KRAKOWER: And this is my grandfather, who was a tailor.

This is a neighbor, actually.

DURAN: Figments of his memories in New York during the Depression years. Carefree and happy on the surface, on canvas speak often to isolation.

KRAKOWER: And many of my figures, because of the memory and the loss and the isolation, have that look.

DURAN: The bleakness is softened by his colorful hues, oil on wood. The three women at temple, the blind grandfather who read the Torah by braille.

And then there was Aunt Jean, who plays permanently in his "Silence of Memories" with her ghostly face. KRAKOWER: I loved her. She was so beautiful and young, and very exciting.

DURAN: And dead at the age of 30 from opium abuse.

Fourteen of Arthur Krakower's paintings in this series have been sold. He had one shelf (ph) painting at his school already, and has ideas for more despite the hard work.

KRAKOWER: To do a painting is not just one painting, you do it five times until you get it in the right color, in the right mood, in the right feeling.

DURAN: Krakower says his fellow grads, many of them 50 years younger than he, have inspired him with their passion and excitement. And he's touched them, too. He was one of four students awarded a scholarship for his contribution to the school.

His fellow grads will have to work hard to keep up with him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Once again form reporter Isabelle Duran (ph) of KRON in San Francisco.

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