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President’s Letter – May/June 2019

May 17, 2019 By Julie Ferrario

 

Here Comes Summer….

Georges Seurat, Bathers at Asnières, 1884
The National Gallery, London

 

As the year winds down,

so does my term as the president,

I just wanted to say thank you

for all the wonderful well wishes.

I really appreciate your kind gift!

It’s been my pleasure to work with you all.

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End of Year Party and 45 Year Celebration

Thank You to Julie J. for opening your home
for such a lovely event.  It was so awesome
to have one of our Guest Artists work
displayed around your garden.
What a lovely way to end a special year!​

 

Thank you to our fabulous Hospitality Committee for getting this all organized. 

Harla we missed you….you have been the best

as our Hospitality Committee Chair.

 

 

 

 

 


Thanks for the Love!

Vincent van Gogh, Sunflowers, 1888
The National Gallery, London

​Julie Ferrario

President 

Art Docents of Los Gatos

Filed Under: Blog

President’s Letter – April 2019

April 18, 2019 By Julie Ferrario


Welcome to the Spring and all the action
we have going on here at the Art Docents of Los Gatos. 
Even though it can get so busy at this time,
I want to make sure to take a moment to
recognize our generous community for supporting this program. 
Do you realize that a significant part of our budget
is granted to us from LGEF?
By you supporting LGEF – it goes directly to funding all our programs!
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Supporting LGEF supports the Art Docents!
THANK YOU….LGEF​

LGEF has been working to expand the funding for the Middle School.

As part of this they are thrilled to see the Art Docents
deliver
Middle School programs!
+ ANNUAL STUDENT ART SHOW
+ GUEST ARTIST 2019 – Miguel Machuca
(presentation in art classes and live demonstration to whole student body)
+ CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOPS
Scientific Illustration Workshop (7th grade science)
French Art History Presentation (foreign language classes)
Spanish Art History Presentation (foreign language classes)
Big Data Art Workshop (6th grade math – NEW AS OF 2019)
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THANKS A MILLION…to LGEF 
​
 “Art instruction is so important as part of a
balanced education for our children.” 
  – President Regina Barhydt 
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 “We at LGEF love that Art Docents has over 40 highly-trained,
dedicated volunteers that spend over 2,000 hours per year in front of children.  
We consider Art Docents a vital part of our overall portfolio.”
 – Director, Deborah Weinstein
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LGEF in photo from left to right
Operations Manager – Coby Bennette, 
Parlimentarian and VP Marketing –  Ryan Rosenberg,
President of Art Docents – Julie Ferrario, 
Director – Deborah Weinstein, President, Regina Barhydt
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​

Honoring Frances!

So happy to take the time to honor an awesome volunteer,

our own fabulous Frances. 

Frances has been working for our non-profit organization for 15 years.  Two years ago, she retired from her position as Program Coordinator for the Los Gatos Art Docents   It was no surprise that Frances promptly turned around and became a Volunteer. She has loved the organization so much that she wanted to start anew …in fact she was so dedicated to this idea, that she decided to go through the 10 week training program we run annually for new docent trainees. Frances knows so much about how our organization works that she didn’t need to do this.  She is so dedicated to being the best “volunteer” that she wanted to make sure she took the time to learn the program as if she was a newbie and practice her skills with other new trainees.

After her training, Frances continues to dedicate her time and energy to organize and lead.  We have an annual art show where we coordinate over 3,000 works of art from every student in the Los Gatos Union School district in the Spring.  Frances showed great initiative in stepping up to lead this project as a new volunteer for the past two years. Her organizational skills and efforts have been a tremendous help to running this art show with great efficiency and effectiveness.  She creatively developed a “headquarters” system to manage and streamline the project. There is now a central repository in our office that is used to communicate, organize and process this event for our 3,000 students. She posts layout maps, outlines, to do lists, and progress notes all in one place.  This way anyone who comes in to volunteer on this project, has a clear understanding as to the progress and what needs to be done next. In addition to a vast amount of prep work, Frances also coordinates the activities of the 30-40 volunteers that are needed to display and exhibit the artwork.

At the same time as she re-dedicated her life as a volunteer, she took the initiative to mentor our new Program Coordinator.  She did not just disappear in a “blissful” retirement way- instead she has made herself completely available to help train and answer any questions in this transition.  What could have been a difficult period was not at all, due to the fact that she took the time and initiative to become even more involved as a volunteer.

Frances continues to be  an exemplary volunteer. She not only does the required lessons we ask of all volunteers out in the classrooms, but she is currently stepping up to perform additional duties on the Executive Board as a Co-Secretary this year as well.  We are so lucky to have Frances’ organizational skills, dedication, and passion for art education as all these attributes continue to make our Art Docent Organization a thriving and pleasant place to be. ​

Photo Left to Right Back Row 
Mary L., 2004-06 President, Julie F. 2017-19 President,
Beth R. Class of 2001, Michelle A. 2015-2017 President,
Mary L. 2011-13 President, Kathie G. Class of 1986,
Photo Seated – Alice L. 2001-02 President,
Frances B. Program Coordinator , Volunteer Class 2001
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TEDx 

Thank you TEDx Los Gatos High School for allowing us to share our story. We found the exchange of ideas and experiences very exciting and enriching. 
A big round of applause for our team, who have made Big Data Art concept more accessible to the public today, and to the middle schoolers during the year.
The video of the talk is not ready yet – I will share it once it is ready.

TEDxLGHS

Pablo Picasso, Bouquet of Peace, 1958
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April Showers Brings May Flowers…. and so
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Our Volunteer Work Brings Art to our Community!
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​Julie Ferrario

President 

Art Docents of Los Gatos

Filed Under: Blog

President’s Letter – March 2019

March 8, 2019 By Julie Ferrario

Why Integrate the Arts in Learning?


It’s March and the Art Docents are in full swing!

 

This month we have 3 main programs we organize for both the elementary schools and the middle school here in the Los Gatos Union School District.

 

Art Presentations and Workshops

Guest Artists’ Program

Annual Student Art Show

 

Why is this so important?

 

Why integrate the Arts into our student’s curriculum?

 

A friend of mine just shared an article with me in the New York Times  regarding just this subject entitled,

“Using Arts Education to Help Other Lessons Stick” by Perri Klass, M.D.

There were several quotes that I would like to highlight below that I found pertinent to our non-profit organization and our 3 programs we work so hard to provide.

 

* * * * * *

“Arts integration should not replace arts education,” Dr. Hardiman said.

She suggested a “three-legged stool,” with

one leg being arts education, including dedicated classes in visual and performing arts,

and the second arts and cultural offerings, such as artists coming into the school or visits to museums.

The third leg would be the integration of the arts into the teaching of other subjects.” 

~ 2019 article in the journal Trends in Neuroscience and Education,  by Dr. Hardiman

 

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“Arts education in schools has introduced many children to great painters and great music,

and helped them through their first dance steps or tentative musical endeavors.

It can serve as a bright spot in the schoolchild’s day or week,

a class that brings in beauty, color and joy, and which is not about testing.”

~ “Using Arts Education to Help Other Lessons Stick” by Perri Klass, M.D.

 

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“Arts education can provide those structured opportunities that foster creativity.”

~ Ronald Beghetto, a professor of educational psychology and the director of Innovation House at the University of Connecticut

 

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 March into the Arts with the Art Docent’s of Los Gatos!

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Julie Ferrario

President of Art Docents of Los Gatos

Filed Under: Blog

President’s Letter – February 2019

February 8, 2019 By Julie Ferrario

 

It takes HEART to volunteer….you need a heart of passion for the Arts. Our Docents feel that it is so important to teach Art, that we are willing to volunteer our time and energy.

It takes HEART to feel the courage to take on something that may make you feel a bit nervous.  Putting yourself out there – your heart beats faster just before you head into your classroom to teach.

It fills your HEART to see the students get excited to have the Art Docents come into their classrooms.

It fills your HEART to listen and enjoy what these clever students have to say about Art.


January has come and gone.

We reserve January for the newest Art Docents to teach their lessons

they have been working on in training and get out into the classrooms.

We are so fortunate to have our new group of Art Docents

who have ventured out to teach their first Art Docent Presentations.

It is exciting, overwhelming and very rewarding!

We thank you all from our HEART!

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Introducing our new

Classroom Presentation Feedback Form!

Thanks to our newest member of the IT team,

Martha W.  we now have an online form to capture your feedback.

We wanted a place to collect the information regarding both Technical Issues you have experienced as well as when you have a concern or an edit for a Classroom Presentation.

Changes take time to ensure quality…here is our process.

1) Your feedback goes directly into a spreadsheet when we use this form.

2)The form is shared and viewed by the Curriculum , IT Committees, Program Coordinator and Executive Board.

3)The committees review the feedback and make changes if necessary to help better our program.

4)Any major changes are also reviewed and approved by the Executive Board.

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POSITIVE FEEDBACK is ALWAYS WELCOME 🙂 
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To find the form….

 – Log in to the Docent Page on the website

 – Scroll to the bottom of the page 

​ – Look under “FORMS” for “Classroom Presentation Feedback Form”​

 

 

Art Docents in the News

Thank you to Sarah L.S. and Stephanie D

for getting this article written!

Art Docents of Los Gatos Launch “Big Data Art” Workshop For Sixth Graders

LOS GATOS, CA — These multi-colored spirals lined up on a giant sheet of white paper might look as mysterious as Egyptian hieroglyphics to the uninitiated, but they’re actually representations of how a class of sixth graders spend their time at Los Gatos’ Raymond J. Fisher Middle School.​

The spirals form a “data portrait” — an art form inspired by Laurie Frick, an artist in Austin, Texas who “explores the bumpy future of data captured about us.” Each spiral pictured here represents the hours spent in a typical sixth grader’s day: The colored dots represent a child’s favorite category of activity, with the other categories (sleep, meals, school, homework, screen-time, etc.), spiraling outwards to the least favored.

The kids created these data portraits during a workshop and lesson about the concept of “big data art.” It’s a new 90-minute class taught during a math period by the Art Docents of Los Gatos, and is part of a push by the Los Gatos Education Foundation and the school district to incorporate more of a STEAM approach to learning…..read more 

Big Data Art Workshop presented at Fisher Middle School, Los Gatos (CA) by the Art Docents of Los Gatos


Happy Valentines!

—

Julie Ferrario

President of Art Docents of Los Gatos

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog

President’s Letter – January 2019

January 11, 2019 By Julie Ferrario

Happy New Year – Welcome 2019!

 

What a great way to celebrate the new year….by congratulating our newest docent graduates and celebrating with longtime volunteers!

Congrats to Tabatha, Lilli, Sue, Jessica, Mary and Pauline for earning your anniversary pins ranging from 5 to 40 years.

 

 

It was a warm and welcoming Holiday party thanks to our great Hospitality Committee and our generous host! 

Thank you Hospitality Committee

Harla, Janice, Rafaella, Nava

& our host Michelle!!!

 

 

Thank you Harla and Janice….you made it all happen!

 

Congrats to our longstanding members – glad to have you on board Mary and Sue!

 

Congrats to the newest Art Docents – Class of 2019!

 

Here’s to our awesome Program Coordinator, Stefanie and our generous host, Michelle!

 

 

To our new graduates…we look forward to working with you.  Class of 2019 is off to a great start and it’s so great to see your enthusiasm and energy.  Thanks so much for you dedication and time.

 

 

 

 

 

In December we shared in the Holiday spirit in this year’s Los Gatos Children’s Holiday Parade. So nice to be so connected and committed to our awesome town of Los Gatos!

 

You can watch the Los Gatos Parade in December with this link.

 
View Full Parade – Click here
 
Fast forward to 53.00 minutes to see us for 30 seconds!!
The link below starts at  just about that time the Art Docents are on.

 

 

 

Here’s to the new year in Art and Volunteering!

Julie Ferrario

President of Art Docents of Los Gatos

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: training, Training program

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Los Gatos, CA 95032
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