Photography, Woodworks
ABOUT GeorgeCGress
GeorgeCGress is a unique blend of woodworking craftsmanship and photography artistry. Our passion for creating stunning visuals and handcrafted woodwork is what sets us apart. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to excellence, we strive to bring you the best of both worlds. Explore our collection of photography prints and woodworking projects to experience the perfect fusion of art and craftsmanship.
About George C. Gress Photography
It’s hard to remember a time when I wasn’t connected to nature. As a child, I can vividly remember spending time with my dad in the Pennsylvania outdoors. We would sometimes watch the birds that came to the feeder that he had set up at the back of our family woodlot, or walk the nearly mile road to the woodlot from home on a crisp winter night when the moon reflected from the newly fallen snow, or discover some new plant or tree that we found.
In my mind’s eye, these memories have grown more crisp and exciting over the years. It wasn’t until my teen years, however, that I realized my mind and the camera often see the same image from vastly different perspectives. The lens of a camera sees and records the entire scene at the click of a shutter – without the gentle massaging of an embellished memory or the rush of emotions that burst forth when you experience a close, intimate moment with a wild animal.
Imagination and reality merged for me on my first photographic excursion. I was headed to the Canadian wilderness on a fishing trip with a family friend. Canada was a place my father spoke of, but had never seen. I was 16 and still remember the excitement on his weathered face when my father handed me my first real camera – a Petri FTEE. Dad gave specific instructions to capture all that I saw. The gravity of the assignment was lost on me. I hadn’t yet translated the image of photographer into the reality of an artist.
I did see an amazing wilderness and some of the most magnificent of God’s creatures a man could imagine. When I arrived home, I anxiously told my father of the wonderful photos I’d taken and the incredible sights I had seen. I thoroughly and completely described the images that I captured on my Petri.
Back home in Pennsylvania, we developed a summer’s worth of film. The images of a cow moose, so clearly captured in my mind, morphed into a blurred brown smudge partially hidden by the red and black flannel shoulder of my colleague. My father graciously chuckled and confirmed it was indeed a Moose, joking about my “find the animal” photo. I can still remember him encouraging me in my photography, and with more experience and practice, my photography would be how we would remember future outdoor experiences.
Nearly four decades later, I still have that photo. I share it with friends and aspiring photographers and tell them: The camera sees everything through an unforgiving lens; a photographer adds passion; and an artist evokes emotion. Long before my photos appeared in The Nature Conservancy magazine, wildlife calendars and homes across America, there was an unforgiving lens that launched my journey. Along the way, the camera became an extension of my imagination and the voice of my passion.
I invite you to join me on this journey through nature from the camera’s lens.
About George C. Gress Woodworks
Growing up, the Pennsylvania forest was a part of family life. We studied nature there; found solitude in the forest; learned the meaning of character; and learned an appreciation for what God has provided.
That appreciation started when I was very young as my father’s unsolicited apprentice. He was a self taught carpenter, furniture maker and homebuilder. It was his profession as well as his passion.
From a young age, I followed my father into his wood shop and helped him with the projects – sometimes we crafted a cabinet or piece of furniture, and other times we would make specialty wood pieces such as window sills for one of the jobs he had at work. I still remember the small workbench and the dim desk light that we used to craft projects in his workshop. As time progressed, we added better lighting and my great grandfather’s huge workbench after his passing.
As I learned about the interesting qualities of wood, I became increasingly interested in woodworking and woodcarving. I realized that trees are the most beautiful and functional forms of life in nature. A living tree provides us with oxygen, shade and aestetic beauty. They are equally productive when harvested – enriching our lives with countless products that reflect life, provide shelter, and become the centerpieces of family memories.
Trees are some of the oldest and largest living things on the planet. I am inspired and awed whenever I stand next to one of these silent sentinels of beauty. While the tree dies when it is harvested, I believe that its life is still visible in the intricate knots and grains that continue to radiate its beauty long after the tree is cut. For me, there is a natural connection between my love of nature and wildlife with my interest in woodworking and woodcarving.
It is a bridge between the world I seek to preserve and the passion I attempt to share. Whether it’s the natural beauty of a turned black walnut vase or the intricately carved seed finch decoy used by scientists to better observe and protect important habitat, each piece gives birth to a new life and new appreciation for nature.