Some people have a career for their whole life, and that’s great... but I’ve always been someone who is ready for something new. I would encourage students to try new things.I think it’s important to follow up on the things you’re interested in. That’s always been my mindset. You never know what’s coming next; you really don’t.
Mai Mai Pietrowski, ’73, didn’t pick up a paintbrush until she was 62. Since then, she has turned that late start into a new career as a professional artist, showing others that it’s never too late.
Her artwork, “Sunflowers of Provence,” was recently featured on Community Canvas, presented by GBH’s The Culture Show. Selected from a public call for artists, her piece recently appeared on a massive digital screen, bringing her work to a wide, ever-changing audience.
This past December, Pietrowski’s colorful piece offered a cheerful reprieve for those driving along a dark and dreary highway in Allston. Displayed on a 30-foot by 45-foot screen overlooking the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90), her vibrant work lit up the commute for passing drivers.
“You could see it from way down the highway … I was thrilled they picked me,” she said.
Before becoming an artist, Pietrowski’s path took many turns, each shaped by a desire to explore, and to help others.
“I like to say I’ve had a multi-level career,” she said.
Her education started at Bridgewater State (then College), where she initially studied history. Back then she went by “Mary,” later changing it to Mai Mai, a family nickname she liked better.
As an undergraduate, Pietrowski lived in an apartment in the town center and walked to campus for class.
“I wanted to be a psychology major, but they didn’t have it at first,” Pietrowski said. “Then they included it after my first year and I switched. I was happy because I wanted to be a social worker.”
After graduating, she began a career with the Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare (now the Department of Transitional Assistance) and worked as a caseworker for child services, putting that goal into practice.
She stayed there for six years before moving on to a successful career in the high-tech industry while earning an MBA. Pietrowski worked as a technical consultant before moving into marketing.
Drawn to new opportunities, in 1996 she capitalized on the booming internet market and built an online women’s bookstore.
“This was before Amazon and Barnes & Noble had a website. Once they launched, it became a tough market and my little bookstore couldn’t compete,” Pietrowski said.
She pivoted again, moving into working in marketing within the medical field. She helped to create programs like MammoSite, a website that provides women with information about breast radiation treatment.
While the work was enjoyable, she found herself wanting a new kind of challenge – one that would take her in an entirely new direction. In 2014, she went online and found a painting class at the Danforth Art Museum School, taught by Margaret Gerding.
“I had never really painted before, except as a kid in school,” Pietrowski said.
She admitted the first class was intimidating, but through Gerding’s guidance, she slowly found her footing.
“She was really encouraging. A lot of teachers don’t give you feedback, or they correct you, but she told me I was a natural at composition and a colorist; to not let anyone talk me out of using color,” Pietrowski said.
The advice paid off. Today, Pietrowski is a member of the SoWa Artists Guild, which many consider to be the soul of Boston’s art scene. She has been featured in galleries throughout New York and Massachusetts, and her artwork is also part of private collections in France, Switzerland, and across the United States.
“I like art because art makes people better. It’s for the same reasons I went into social work: to help people. Art can be therapy, too,” she said.
Pietrowski isn’t sure if she will switch careers again, but she recently took up gardening and has started her own home garden filled with medicinal plants.
“I’m a lifelong learner,” she said.
She encourages current BSU students to branch out, and not to worry so much about what their career should look like, but instead to be curious.
“Some people have a career for their whole life, and that’s great... but I’ve always been someone who is ready for something new. I would encourage students to try new things,” Pietrowski said. “I think it’s important to follow up on the things you’re interested in. That’s always been my mindset. You never know what’s coming next; you really don’t.”
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