Gerhard Kress was born in Germany in 1953, and studied photography in Frankfurt am Main. He moved to the UK in 1977 to improve his English, and never went home. His British working life began with a stint as a care assistant. Gerhard moved to Bristol in 1982 where he gained a BSc(Hons) degree in Social Work, and became an accomplished luthier, building and repairing musical instruments. He moved his craftsman’s workshop to Pontypridd in 2002 and represented Wales in the international luthier convention in St. Chartier, France. He has since embraced Welsh valleys life, actively involved with the Eisteddfod, and with a prolific output as a photographer, writer, musician and painter. He has recorded numerous CDs, exhibiting paintings and photographs at venues including The Factory in Porth, the Senedd, and at the Welsh Artist of the Year show. He has published poetry, autobiographical and photography books about the RCT area, and a series of children’s stories, initially written for his son.