In this newsletter I first wanted to express my gratitude to our 35 incredibly talented and devoted team members at The Center. We are highlighting the yearly staff art contest tradition and the “miniature” themed works created. At our recent staff holiday party, I had the opportunity to graciously thank each team member for their outstanding contributions to making this company become something rare and unique. The staff and the work they do every day are our legacy here at The Center, one masterful moment at a time. Every day as I pass through all our spaces and see everything underway, I am grateful for the talent, dedication, passion, and commitment to what this company stands for. Our legacy of preservation talent bridges the past of every piece we treat and gifts it a future.
Second, I wanted to focus on gratitude and legacy related to my two talented parents. Their influences have continued to play a strong role in my work, life decisions, and commitments. As an artist, author, and entrepreneur, I see core roots from each of my parents. They have fostered in me the primary principles which remain focal points of my life and work: mastery of skills, focus on passion, hard-as-grit work ethic, and fostering intuition and creativity -- which makes your life have its own magic.
The holidays offer an opportunity to pause and reflect on the year’s challenges and accomplishments – for me, during this period I cannot help but think of the influence my parents have and continue to have on my life.
My mom, Gloria Becker, is a powerhouse creative who raised four children by making handcrafted antique Santas and all sorts of whimsical clothed animals to special order. I learned how to mix creativity with a determined entrepreneurial drive from her. My mom closed her studio a few years ago, where she prolifically produced thousands of pieces that are now out in the world and being enjoyed as family mementos and loved by many. We now get to enjoy our time together immensely. Recently she joined me in London attending the Kerry James Marshall retrospective opening at the Royal Academy. The sacrifice and legacy of her life’s work live in me, and we talk every day. My gratitude for my mom is forever true.
My dad, Bob Becker, is a rare talent who has merged his 60 years as a horse veterinarian with his career as a master forging artist, craftsman, and unique teacher of the trade. You will see in the video below the boundless talent and energy that still thrive in him at age 85, and he is still going strong forging special-order pieces of all types. I visited him recently at his White Horse Forge studio and farm for Thanksgiving and we recorded this video of me interviewing him about his immense horse gate at the entrance of his farm, which took him five laborious years to make. This gate embodies his talent and skilled physical labor pounding away on the anvil. He handmade hundreds of exacting pieces with hammer, steel, and fire. My dad has taught me the importance of foundation, forgiveness, respect for nature, and how fostering kindness can change things. My dad is precious to me, and I hope you enjoy this 8-minute video about the history and process of him making this masterpiece out of metal and fire.
I wanted to share this personal video with you all because for me, this gate symbolizes the fact that through daily attention to seemingly small details, whether it be hundreds of exacting metal pieces or daily dedication to a long-term goal, that mastery can come together to create something that lasts a lifetime and beyond. We preserve such pieces daily here at The Center so I thought this personal story would be a strong encapsulation of the meaning behind our work. Dedication, finding your mission in hard work, commitment to your beliefs, honoring your talent, and being steadfast and persistent matter.
So, in summary I have so much to be grateful for. This newsletter’s focus on gratitude, our amazing staff at The Center, and the legacy of each of my parents is an honor to share with you.
This holiday season let’s all honor, respect, and celebrate our elders. The conduit we foster with them through passion, commitment, and a dedication to mastery builds a historical bridge to our future.
Happy Holidays to you all and best wishes and Happy New Year from The Conservation Center. Thank you all for your support over the years and for trusting us, this great team, with your irreplaceable collections and personal histories. May you all enjoy peaceful moments with family still present, or in memory of those who have passed on, as this year comes to a close. May we all look forward to making 2026 meaningful and great, no matter our challenges.
