George Becker is 99!
31
artists celebrate the birthday of Windham Art Gallery’s
founding father.
Karen Becker, Jeremy Birch, John Bross, Deborah Bump, Ric
Campman, Maisie Crowther, Ralph DeAnna, Arrin Fancher, Julia
Ferrari, Alice Freeman, Jim Giddings, Melinda Harris, Sandra
Hartley, Judy Hawkins, William Hayes, Helene Henry, Homer
Johnson, Carol Keiser, Mallory Lake, Roy Lewand, Heidi
Mario, Lee Markel, Gordon Meinhard, Sharon Myers, Faith
Pepe, Hugh Roberts, Mia Scheffey, Diedre Scherer, Terry Sylvester,
Doug Trump, and Rick Zamore.
February 4-27, 2005
Opening: February 4, 5-8 PM
In
February 2005, the Windham Art Gallery will host "A
Tribute to George Becker", an exhibit honoring the founder
of the co-operative on the occasion of his 99th birthday.
Thirty one of the original members of W.A.G. will exhibit
work in this show celebrating one of Vermont's strongest
and most effective advocates for the arts. A past president
of the Windham County Arts Council, engineer, devotee of
classical music, and painter in his own right George is truly
a rennaisance man. What many local artists know and what
gallery goers in Brattleboro should know is that without
Becker's tireless efforts ( at the age of 84!) to create
a gallery in Brattleboro, Windham Art Gallery would never
have happened. Always preferring to work behind the scenes
and not caring who got credit for something as long as a
worthy goal was reached George is not a local "celebrity".
All that may change after this tribute show. Curator and
exhibit organizer Ralph DeAnna says,"After many years
it was hard to find some of the artists, but when they heard
what the show was about and who it was for, no one turned
me down! I expect a show with all the vitality and variety
of styles that that made the co-operative the unique place
for art it has become. Friday the 4th, the public is cordially
invited to stop by the gallery and meet George Becker and
help us celebrate his 99th birthday!
George was born in 1906 in Berlin and was
educated in Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University
of
Berlin. He is an inventor, holding patents in the U.S. and
abroad. In 1938, while on his honeymoon in Austria with his
wife Marianne, George was arrested for being a Jew. Because
he resisted arrest, he was sent to a Gestapo prison in Salzburg.
Miraculously, Marianne persuaded his captors to let him go.
The Beckers left Germany in 1939 and arrived in New York in
1940 with 30 dollars to their name. George found work as a
construction worker, machinist, toolmaker, and finally rose
to the position of chief engineer of an instrument company.
He retired in 1969 but has continued to serve as an independent
consultant to instrument companies.
The Beckers settled in Vermont and made a good life here.
All of the members of the Becker family were involved in the
arts. George's wife, Marianne, was a fabric and textile designer.
George's daughter Karen is a successful painter and muralist,
and his daughter Jackie is an art consultant to major corporations.
Once the Beckers moved to Vermont, they became involved with
the cultural organizations here, and George soon became president
of the Arts Council of Windham County. It was in this capacity
that George began his efforts to create a full-time cooperative
art gallery in Brattleboro. These efforts eventually led to
the creation of Windham Art Gallery in 1989. In the years since
then, George has continued his close association with the gallery,
a friend to the artists and an active supporter of the local
arts scene.
