The PAG Art Lovers Book Club
- 2025
- APR 14, MAY 12
- 6:30-7:30PM
Welcome to the PAG Art Lovers Book Club! We invite you to join fellow readers and art enthusiasts on the 2nd Monday each month to discuss the treasure trove of fiction and non-fiction stories centered on the vibrant world of the arts. This is an informal online group open to anyone on a month-to-month basis. You do not have to attend every meeting or read every book!
Our mission is to celebrate the intersection of literature and art, showcasing works that delve into the creative process, explore the lives of artists, or offer insights into the business and culture surrounding artistry. Books are selected in advance and participants are expected to procure their own copy of the selected titles either through their local library or from a bookstore.
Join Guild members Jamie Derr and Jane Lavender who will share in thought-provoking and engaging discussions of a diverse and enriching reading journey through the captivating world of art. Enrollment is on a month-to-month basis and is limited. Sessions are offered free to the community, and registration is required. The meeting link will be sent to participants prior to each meeting.
Portrait of a Great Museum
All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me, Patrick Bringley
WAITLISTED Monday, March 10th, 6:30 – 7:30
An “exquisite” (The Washington Post) “hauntingly beautiful” (Associated Press) portrait of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and its treasures by a former New Yorker staffer who spent a decade as a museum guard. A portrait of a great museum, its hidden treasures, and the people who make it tick, by one of its most intimate observers.
Purchase All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me at Bookshop.org.
Literary Thriller of Forgery, Mystery, and Art
The Art Forger, B. A. Shapiro
Monday, April 14th, 6:30 – 7:30
Join us once again for an exciting book discussion! This intriguing selection The Art Forger reimagines the 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist. Learn how Claire, a talented artist discovers the secrets beneath the canvas in this riveting historical fiction.
Purchase a used copy of The Art Forger at Thriftbooks.
Portrait of a Visionary
The Lioness of Boston, Emily Franklin
Monday, May 12th, 6:30 – 7:30
Let’s delve into the history of the visionary Isabella Stewart Gardner, as a wonderful follow-up to our previous book selections. As a daring, rebellious woman who shaped the city of Boston and pushed the boundaries, her story is sure to captivate.
Purchase a new copy of The Lioness of Boston at Island Books (store pick-up and shipping options), or buy a used copy at Thriftbooks.
- LOCATION: Online
- Meeting link sent prior to each session
- FREE and open to the public
Jane Lavender
Artist – I use this label hesitantly as I have no formal education in art. I have taken many classes and workshops with well-known artists. I have enjoyed painting in oils, acrylics and watercolor and participate in many classes and workshops.
I am a retired social worker and served as a Council on Aging director for many years. I also served on a city council for 4 terms as well as involvement in many commissions, committees, and other volunteer roles in my community.
I have been the owner of a children’s bookstore, volunteer director of an afterschool arts program, Chair of the Bristol Art Museum, Bristol, RI, current Board Member of Portsmouth Art Guild and Linden Place Mansion, Bristol.
I am looking forward to combining my love of art with my love of reading, sharing it with others thru an artist/art book club. There are so many novels, fiction and non-fiction that highlight art throughout history and I feel that we can connect with these stories through an art /book club. I look forward to how this moves forward and excited to be part of this new venture.
Jamie Derr
I performed as a musical artist for over 20 years, exploring different musical genres without limitations while manipulating different rhythms and tones to convey intention and emotion. The visual arts are a parallel medium. Watercolors, oils, or acrylics each express an idea.
Inspired by organic forms, I enjoy brushstrokes that flow, and I tend to shy away from linear and rigid lines often seen in manmade structures. The roundness of human features to the flow of ocean water allows me to enjoy the freedom of continuous movement.
I yearn to create art that serves as a basis for a connection between the artist, subject, and viewer. With intention, passion, and creativity I aim to create pieces now and in the future that have depth and meaning while allowing my work to evolve.
I am an exhibiting artist at the Providence Art Club, The Collaborative in Warren, RI, Oil Painters of America, and an artist member at the Rhode Island Watercolor Society. I am also honored to have recently become a Board Member at the Portsmouth Arts Guild, where I can share my love of the arts with the community.
Currently, I am merging both art and writing through ekphrastic poetry. Many engaging discussions I encountered while studying poetry at Wellesley College inspired me to begin a Book Club. I look forward to sharing my thoughts with those who love books as much as I do.
Register For The PAG Art Lovers Book Club
Please register using the online form. If a session is full you will automatically be put on the waitlist.
The meeting link will be emailed to you a few days prior to each session.