October 2025

Palette Newsletter

The Balcony

Edouard Manet, 1868

Young Woman at Her Window

Berthe Morisot, 1869

President's Letter

Not only does October kick off Art Docent Print Presentations, it's also the unofficial lead-in to the holiday season.  I’m not quite ready for that holiday rush, but I’m excited to begin another season of Art Docents in the classrooms!


Also happening in October, Legion of Honor in San Francisco opens an exhibit featuring Impressionist, contemporaries Edouard Manet and Berthe Morisot, specifically between the years of 1868-1883.  During this time, Manet and Morisot developed a synergetic friendship where they shared ideas and influenced one another to try new things. 


Still today, it’s rewarding to meet people with similar interests who share ideas, connect, gather and motivate each other.  In fact, it reminds me of the Art Docents of Los Gatos!


Thursdays in the Art Docent office are filled with collaboration as 16 new trainees learn about passing down elements of art, principles of design, beloved artists, and teaching techniques to elementary and middle school boys and girls.  Sounds like a perfect partnership, much like Manet and Morisot.


Mark your calendars for our next Member Meeting, Tuesday, October 14 where you’ll have an opportunity to meet these fantastic up and coming Docents.  Also, keep your eyes open for a Continuing Education  trip to SF to view the Manet & Morisot exhibit in person!



Michelle Kuntzmann

President

Welcome New Trainees!

Please welcome the Training Class of 2025. We are so happy to have you all! We will be hosting a Trainee Mixer on Thursday, Oct 9th immediately following class at 11:45. All docents are welcome! Light lunch will be provided.



Upcoming Dates & Reminders


Member Meeting Tuesday, Oct 14th

8:30-9:00 Social/Coffee

9:00 Meeting Begins

9:30 Special Speaker- Graphite and Pencil Artist Denise Howard


Trainee/Docent Mixer,Thursday Oct 9th 11:45-1:00 @ AD Office

Light Lunch will be provided. RSVP at coordinator@artdocents.com


Continuing Education


Movie Night - Jackson Pollock

Thursday, Oct 9th 6:30pm



Holiday Tag Crafting Event

Tuesday, Nov 4th 10:30am


For More Information Visit Cont Education on the AD Website


Workshops


1st Grade Printmaking Workshops

4th Grade Face and Figure Workshops








Volunteer Highlight

As part of the Sunshine/Appreciation Committee’s Mission In 2025-26 we are going to show recognition for the contribution by one or more docents each month with a write-up in the Palette Newsletter.


This month, the Sunshine Committee is pleased to recognize two outstanding volunteers - Sue Ward and Ashley Pfhaler


Sue Ward has been an Art Docent since 2014 and currently serves on our Board of Directors. She consistently teaches lessons every month and is always willing to step in for a last-minute class when needed. In addition to being a busy local realtor, Sue makes time to volunteer for the Art Docents in so many ways. She teaches several of our workshops, including the 7th Grade Scientific Illustration Workshop, Big Data and TK Texture and helps each year with our Annual Student Art Show.



Sue’s dedication, enthusiasm, and willingness to help wherever needed make her an invaluable member of our organization.


Ashley Pfhaler joined the Art Docents in 2024 and has quickly become an active and enthusiastic member of our organization. She jumped right in with teaching and is already making a wonderful impact in the classrooms. Ashley also serves on our School Representative Committee, representing Daves Avenue School, and has graciously offered to lead our team in the Annual Los Gatos Children’s Holiday Parade this December.



Ashley always has a smile on her face and brings her positive energy to everything she does. We are so fortunate to have her as part of our docent family and can’t wait to see all she continues to contribute in the years ahead.


Thank you Sue and Ashley!


🌟 The Sunshine Committee thanks all our volunteers for their continued time, talent, and dedication to the Art Docents of Los Gatos. You make our mission possible!



In the Community


Manet & Morisot


October 11- March 1st, 2026


This is the first major exhibition dedicated to the artistic exchange between French Impressionists Édouard Manet (1832–1883) and Berthe Morisot (1841–1895). Manet was the era’s great pioneer of modern painting, and Morisot, the only woman to exhibit under her own name in the original Impressionist group. Unfolding over a period of 15 years (1868–1883), this exhibition traces the evolution of a friendship between two groundbreaking artists. The story of their relationship has often been told through Manet’s early portraits of Morisot, with Morisot’s own work treated as an offshoot of Manet’s. Recent scholarship reveals that, by the final years of his life, Manet increasingly followed Morisot’s example — her choice of subjects and colors, and even her rapid, fluttering brushstrokes. Rich in new research, the exhibition recasts this celebrated artistic friendship — and, by extension, the story of modern art — in a fresh light.


Art Docents of Los Gatos 408-335-2366 | coordinator@artdocents.com | www.artdocents.com


Facebook  X  Instagram