Welcome to the 59th season of the Washington Conservation Guild
As a new WCG season begins during my second year as President, I would like to take a moment to reintroduce myself. My first three months living in Washington, DC was during 2013, when I moved for a pre-program summer internship at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (HMSG). Five years later, in 2018, I returned as a 3rd-year graduate student intern at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). Over the past seven years, I have grown into two concurrent leadership positions that both focus on outreach—working behind the floor-to-ceiling glass walls of the Lunder Conservation Center and serving on the WCG Board.
My gratitude is extended to WCG’s all-volunteer Board, who have set aside their personal time to prepare for nine months of scholarly lectures, historical tours, workshops, as well as the CPP event. Please visit WCG’s 2025/2026 Meeting Schedule webpage for a preview of those programs. I would especially like to recognize our new Vice President, Sara Leonowitz-Becker, who has been taking the lead on initial contact with prospective speakers and coordinating the in-person venues. To support these programs, WCG is continuing its Sponsorship initiative. WCG would like to thank the following sponsors for renewing so far: University Products (Diamond level); Tru Vue (Marble level); Dorfman Museum Figures (Porcelain level); Caring for Textiles, Click Netherfield, and SmallCorp (Silk level).
Given the present political climate, WCG has been asked about the status of 2025/2026 WCG membership dues. Details are available on the Membership & Renewal Application webpage; you should be aware that dues are not increasing for standard members, are free to new emerging professionals during their first season, and remain free to renewing emerging professionals who actively serve on the Board. During the 2025/2026 season, WCG will also award up to five Sidney S. Williston Memorial Fund recipients. Please spread the word and encourage your colleagues to join, renew, and apply for a Williston Fund award! Members are also invited to follow WCG’s Facebook Page, Instagram @DC Conservators, and YouTube Channel.
One final note: a retired conservator based in Alexandria, Virginia, has shared a list of supplies for sale (cash only) including a microscope, pigment powders, publications, and more; to inquire about these and other items, please contact President@WashingtonConservationGuild.org. For other topics—such as volunteering with WCG or ideas for speakers/venues/workshops— please contact WCG@WashingtonConservationGuild.org.
Thanks for reading, and we look forward to seeing a number of you on Saturday 9/6/2025 for WCG’s first member tour of the season, hosted at Heurich House Museum. If you would like to attend, please remember to join/renew and RSVP for the tour by next Tuesday 8/26/2025 using this Google form: Heurich tour sign-up.
Yours in Service,
Keara Teeter (she/her)
President, Washington Conservation Guild
Meisel Conservator of Modern & Contemporary American Paintings, SAAM
