Dear WCG Members,

It is about halfway through our 58th season, and recent political events have given the WCG Board some unexpected challenges as we enter 2025. First and foremost, I am writing to share that this year’s 3-Ring Circus is temporarily postponed in response to President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on January 9th. The State Funeral, and associated federal holiday status, has had ripple effects on WCG’s plans at the S. Dillon Ripley Center. Updated meeting details will be distributed soon.

News of the 3-Ring Circus postponement has been published on the WCG website, posted to the Instagram and Facebook social media accounts, and emailed directly to the membership. As President, I apologize for inconveniences this causes to Board members who planned to staff the event, the nine presentation speakers and nine table exhibitors, as well as the countless WCG members who intended to come in-person to the Ripley Center later this week.

Looking back to this past Fall, WCG has organized several other successful programs during the 2024–2025 season. This includes an in-person meeting that featured the Oak Hill Cemetery Archive, a virtual lecture that featured Mid 19th Century Decorative Painting on the Plaster Walls of President Lincoln’s Cottage, two member tours (Hillwood Estate, Museum, and Garden and President Lincoln’s Cottage), and a single-day workshop titled the Private Practice Seminar. Additional activities forthcoming this Winter/Spring include two virtual lectures (one talk about working with police on art crime investigations and another talk about emergency response), a Community Partnership Project at Naval Lodge No. 4 on March 15, 2025 (click on the CPP link to submit your RSVP), one conference-style meeting to highlight projects undertaken by our emerging professional members, and the end-of-year business meeting and raffle. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to these meetings and events, they would not be possible without you!

Looking forward to May, the Nominating Committee is beginning to prepare a slate of candidates for the upcoming election ballots. If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Board, you are invited to contact Rachel Greenberg at nominating@washingtonconservationguild.org. I also encourage you to message wcg@washingtonconservationguild.org with any ideas for future lecture topics/speakers/workshops/venues/tours/etc.

Yours in service,

Keara Teeter (she/her)
President, Washington Conservation Guild
Meisel Conservator of Modern and Contemporary American Paintings, SAAM