Art with Friends
Transformative cultural experiences
Enriching communities through art, travel
and connection
Art with Friends is a collaborative platform dedicated to celebrating women artists and historically overlooked voices through dynamic online learning and curated art journeys.
Online courses on underrepresented artists
Insightful, self-paced learning that brings visibility to artists often left out of the canon
Art Journeys across
Europe
Culturally rich art travels designed for communities and led by specialists in the field
Communities of cultural connection
Fostering engagement, dialogue, and a shared exploration of art history
Lauren Jimerson, PhD
Art Historian and Cultural Entrepreneur
​Dr. Lauren Jimerson is an art historian and cultural entrepreneur specializing in modern art, gender studies, and the history of women artists. She holds a PhD in Art History from Rutgers University, an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art, and a BA from Cornell University. A former Fulbright scholar in Paris, Dr. Jimerson has contributed to major exhibitions at institutions including the Barnes Foundation, the Musée de Montmartre, the Musée du Luxembourg/Grand Palais, the Centre Pompidou, and NYU’s Grey Art Museum. Her book, Painting Her Pleasure: Three Women Artists and the Nude in Avant-Garde Paris (MUP, 2023), highlights the groundbreaking work of Émilie Charmy, Suzanne Valadon, and Marie Vassilieff, challenging long-standing gender biases in the history of modernism.
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In addition to her academic work, Dr. Jimerson is a licensed French national guide with over fifteen years of experience leading scholarly art tours at the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Versailles, the Vatican Museums, the Borghese Gallery, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, the Uffizi, the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Prado, among many other museums across Europe.
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In 2020, she founded Art with Friends, a platform dedicated to spotlighting underrepresented artists—particularly women, queer artists, and artists of color—through online courses and purpose-driven cultural journeys. Through this initiative, she is building collaborations with museums, institutions, and women’s organizations to create intellectually rich and engaging programs that promote cultural equity.
Art courses
Explore the power of art to connect and inspire. Art with Friends partners with museums and institutions to offer digital courses that highlight women artists and historically overlooked voices from their collections. Designed for member communities, these engaging programs foster personal growth, cultural dialogue, and lasting connection. Taught by Dr. Lauren Jimerson, each course offers a welcoming, enriching experience for all levels of art knowledge.
Art journeys
Art with Friends designs purpose-driven art journeys in collaboration with museums, women’s organizations, and cultural institutions. These curated group travel experiences are designed in collaboration with museums, women’s organizations, and cultural institutions—highlighting women artists and underrepresented voices through immersive, mission-aligned programs. Explore inspiring destinations across France, Italy, Spain, and beyond while supporting community connection through museum visits, cultural dialogue, shared meals, and meaningful experiences. Each journey is an opportunity to travel with purpose, deepen engagement, and celebrate art in meaningful ways.
"Lauren’s breadth of knowledge is vast and she makes the tours interesting for both the adults and especially the kids. My kids adore her and the last time we went to Paris the first thing they asked was if we were seeing Lauren. It seems there isn’t a single fact about the City Of Lights that she does not know. We cannot wait to go back and see more of that fabulous city with her!"
Erika, Miami, FL
Painting Her Pleasure
Three Women Artists and the Nude in Avant-Garde Paris
While sexuality and the nude were prime subjects for male artists in the early twentieth century, for female artists, revealing sexual desire on canvas was deemed unacceptable. Painting Her Pleasure examines three remarkable women who defied this convention.
Join us!
​Are you passionate about art, women’s stories, and meaningful cultural experiences? Whether you’re part of a museum, cultural institution, or women’s organization—or an individual eager to engage with art through learning—Art with Friends invites you to explore inspiring online art history courses and curated cultural journeys designed for communities that spotlight women artists and overlooked voices.
Sign up today to join the Art with Friends community and get access to upcoming courses, journeys, and transformative art experiences that make a difference.