Brian Kelley’s projects are always my favorite. There’s no one else I know who has as many interesting things going on with work, and can take an interest in something and turn it into a full-blown mission in no time at all. Brian’s a photographer by trade who started out shooting skateboarding, but has built an impressive career shooting creative product photography for everyone from Nike to the Whitney Museum. For the past several years, he’s been documenting champion trees - a designation for the largest known tree of any species - across America through his not-for-profit Gathering Growth, which much of our conversation focuses on. You also may know his work from his books with Standards Manual. His books include New York City Transit Authority: Objects, Parks, and the newly released Parks II, and he has a new book on old-growth trees in New York in the works.
Brian and I sat down to discuss his work at his cabin where he lives with his wife Kristin Texeira (Kristin is an amazing artist in her own right) and their son in Barryville, NY. It’s a really special place, and every square foot of the 6 acre property feels like they’ve embedded their art into it. It’s a special feeling to be in a space that has been so filled with lives dedicated to creating. Their home served as a strong source of inspiration for Offsite when it was just a dream and I was spending time up there pre-pandemic, house-sitting for them. I’m also honored to be designing an addition to their home with them.
If you enjoy, please consider making a donation to Gathering Growth to support Brian’s important conservation work and storytelling.
Chapters
00:01 Journey to the Cabin Life
00:26 Gathering Growth Foundation
03:33 Inspiration Behind the Tree Project
09:50 Exploring New York's Giant Trees
13:53 The Science Behind Tree Growth
16:43 Documenting Nature: The Art of Tree Photography
24:44 The Journey of Creating Books
28:20 Future Projects and Conservation Efforts
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