As Kinshop has grown, I’ve made it a priority to contribute a portion of profits to a different nonprofit organization each year. In March of 2024, I lost my older sister to melanoma. I had originally thought to choose a cancer-related organization to honor her memory, but upon reflection, I found myself pulled in a different direction.
To me, Becca Mallory Vickery was my best friend, my chief creative inspiration, and an unwavering pillar of support in my life. In many ways, Kinshop exists because of Becca. It was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2013—a dream of two sisters, kin, creating art together and sharing it with the world. For several years, I periodically converted the basement of Becca and her husband Joe’s home into an interim leather workshop. While they were raising their young family, I was filling the house with the smell of laser-cut cowhide, loudly hammering rivets on their terrazzo tile floor, and changing the occasional diaper. The memories I have from that time living and working in their home I cherish beyond anything else.
As time passed, life took us in different directions. Becca’s three daughters were growing up and she was thriving in her career as a creative director. When I wasn’t commandeering her basement, I was river guiding in Idaho and hauling my workshop around in my ‘93 Toyota station wagon. The dream of Kinshop evolved, but its name and spirit remained unchanged.
The creative connection Becca and I had was one-of-a-kind. My grief at her loss is rivaled only by my gratitude that I shared as much of my life with her as I did. She was my big sister, and she was undoubtedly the most creative person I’ve ever known. She saw the world in color and texture, noticing how shades of white shifted with moving light. Toward the end of her life, she found joy in sculpting, shaping forms in her hands and bringing them to life in plaster. Her world was ever filled with design and art, with lines and movement.
In my efforts to honor her memory now, almost a year after her passing, I am drawn toward her lifelong passion for creative expression. Looking for a nonprofit for Kinshop to support in her name for 2025, I spent months sorting through innumerable cancer-focused organizations. But in the end, I saw, Becca’s life wasn’t defined by her battle with cancer. Above all, she was an artist.
That’s why, in 2025, Kinshop will be donating 5% of profits to Clifton Cultural Art Center, a Cincinnati-based organization committed to making art and creativity accessible to all. This choice brings Kinshop back to its roots—celebrating the joy of making, the power of creativity, and the belief that art is for everyone.
During her final year, Becca poured herself into her plaster art and business, Curio. Her pieces were a reflection of the way she saw the world—full of beauty, texture, and light. I encourage you to take a moment to explore her work. I’m lucky to be surrounded by these pieces every day, a constant reminder of my sister and the importance of believing in my own art.
Here’s to a year of creativity, in Becca’s honor.
