Sarasota Art Museum announces fourth annual Quotable Series

SAM presents an inspiring lineup of authors, artists, and cultural thought leaders through four-event author series

Pictured above left to right: Jennifer Jones, photo by Ben Esner; Jared Goss, courtesy of the author; Ellen Lupton, photo by Christina Chahyadi; and Laurence Leamer, courtesy of the author.Pictured above left to right: Jennifer Jones, photo by Ben Esner; Jared Goss, courtesy of the author; Ellen Lupton, photo by Christina Chahyadi; and Laurence Leamer, courtesy of the author.

SARASOTA, FL. (October 21, 2025) – Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College (SAM) is pleased to announce the line-up for its 2025-2026 Quotable Series. Launched in 2021, Quotable is SAM’s annual author event series, dedicated to bringing authors, artists and contemporary creatives who are sparking new ways of thinking about art, culture and creative practices to Sarasota. This year’s line-up features Tony Award-winning dancer and activist Jennifer Jones, known for becoming the first African American Rockette; former associate curator for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Jared Goss; Curator emerita at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City, Ellen Lupton; and six-time New York Times best-selling author, Laurence Leamer. Tickets are $40 ($35 for Museum Members) for each Quotable Talk and are now on sale at SarasotaArtMuseum.org. Ticket prices include Museum admission.

This year’s Quotable Series kicks off on Saturday, December 6, with a talk by Jennifer Jones, author of Becoming Spectacular: The Rhythm of Resilience from the First African American Rockette. Jones is a Tony Award-winning dancer and activist and has advocated for equal rights in the arts since 1987. Jones’ 2025 memoir sheds light on a significant yet hidden chapter of American dance history, revealing the gritty reality behind the iconic, synchronized high kicks and megawatt smiles of the Radio City Rockettes. Becoming Spectacular is an intimate portrait of the dancer’s resilience and tenacity as she navigated racism, prejudice and fierce resistance to join the Rockette line-up.
Next, on Saturday, January 17, 2026, Jared Goss, author of The Birth of Art Deco: Ruhlmann and the Hôtel du Collectionneur, 1925, shares about the influence of visionary French furniture and interior designer E.J. Ruhlmann. Held 100 years ago in Paris, the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes was a landmark event, which helped shape twentieth-century design and gave its name to Art Deco. Artist E.J. Ruhlmann’s pavilion at the 1925 Paris Exposition, L’Hôtel du Collectionneur (The Town House of the Collector), was one of the fair’s most celebrated displays, and helped set standards for luxury and taste during the interwar period. Goss will discuss Ruhlmann’s lasting legacy and pavilion, which embodied both the opulence and innovative spirit of the era. Goss is an independent scholar and former associate curator in the department of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The third event in this year’s series features Ellen Lupton, author of Design is Storytelling on Saturday, February 21. Lupton is a designer, writer, educator and author of several books including Thinking with Type, Health Design Thinking, and How Posters Work. Her newest book, Design is Storytelling, shows how people actively experience a graphic illustration, digital app or an architectural space. The book also explores how concepts such as the narrative arc, the hero’s journey and the rules of threes encourage emotional and sensory responses. Lupton teaches in the Graphic Design MFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore (MICA), where she serves as the Betty Cooke and William O. Steinmetz Design Chair. She is curator emerita at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City.

The 2025-2026 Quotable Series comes to a close with a talk by Laurence Leamer, bestselling biographer and author of Warhol’s Muses: The Artists, Misfits, and Superstars Destroyed by the Factory Fame Machine. Leamer’s latest book is an astonishing account about Warhol and his scandalous relationships with the women who inspired and starred in the legendary artist’s underground films. In Warhol’s Muses, Leamer pulls back the curtain on the iconic pop artist’s infamous Factory, revealing the real life experiences of the women Warhol dubbed his “Superstars” and the personal price they paid for their association with the renowned artist.
SAM’s 2025-2026 Quotable Series takes place Saturday, December 6, 2025; Saturday, January 17, 2026; Saturday, February 21, 2026; and Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 1-3 pm each day. Tickets are $40 ($35 for Museum Members) for each author talk and include Museum admission. Following the talks, featured authors will sign copies of their books, which are available for sale in the Museum SHOP.

2025-2026 Quotable Talk Series at a Glance

Quotable Talk with Jennifer Jones, author of Becoming Spectacular: The Rhythm of Resilience from the First African American Rockette
Saturday, December 6, 2025, 1-3 pm

Quotable Talk with Jared Goss, author of The Birth of Art Deco: Ruhlmann and the Hôtel du Collectionneur, 1925
Saturday, January 17, 2026, 1-3 pm

Quotable Talk with Ellen Lupton, author of Design is Storytelling
Saturday, February 21, 2026, 1-3 pm

Quotable Talk with Laurence Leamer, author of Warhol’s Muses: The Artists, Misfits, and Superstars Destroyed by the Factory Fame Machine
Saturday, March 7, 2026, 1-3 pm

Pictured above left to right: Jennifer Jones, photo by Ben Esner; Jared Goss, courtesy of the author; Ellen Lupton, photo by Christina Chahyadi; and Laurence Leamer, courtesy of the author.

About Sarasota Art Museum

Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design (SAM) is the city’s only Museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Founded in 2019, SAM features an ever-rotating lineup of world-class exhibitions, dynamic programs, and enriching educational offerings, and serves as a creative gathering place for curious minds from across the Gulf Coast, Southeast United States, and beyond. Housed in the historic former Sarasota High School, the Museum has revitalized and reimagined the towering landmark and architectural treasure, connecting Sarasota’s past with its present. Today, SAM is home to 15,000 square feet of gallery exhibition space, where nationally touring shows, as well as curated and commissioned exhibits by both renowned and emerging artists, deepen visitors’ appreciation for 20th and 21st century art. More at SarasotaArtMuseum.org.