Van Burgess

Van Burgess

High Point

George Van Trump Burgess, Jr., 81, of Pennybyrn at Maryfield, passed away Saturday, April 28, 2018, at Hospice Home at High Point.

Born November 14, 1936, in New York City, he was the son of the late George Van Trump Burgess, Sr. and the late Helen Steers Burgess. Van earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Yale University. While at Yale, he studied under Joseph Albers whose work in color theory influences much of Van’s photography. The key to his work is not technique but point of view. Van didn’t make pictures, he found them. What he chose to shoot and how he framed it, are more important than how he actually took the shot. In addition to strong elements of color and design, he often looked for the fragment that represents the whole.

He ran his commercial photography business, Van Burgess Photography, in Summit, NJ. Van specialized in corporate still photography and audio-visual productions for business and educational clients. Corporate clients included AT&T, Sports Illustrated, ITT-Rayonier, and Evan Picone. Other clients included, Miss Porter's School in Farmington, CT., Episcopal High School in Alexandria, VA, Oldfield School in Glencoe, MD, Darlington School in Rome, GA, and Casady School, in Oklahoma City. Prior to starting his photography business, he was a studio photographer for Burlington Industries and an award-winning film producer for McGraw-Hill Films.

Van retired from the business and moved to High Point, NC. He has exhibited his work in one-man shows, including those at the Sibley Galleries in Nantucket, MA, FirstHand Gallery in Sag Harbor, NY, Hunterdon Art Center in Clinton, NJ, and the D. Christian James Gallery in Summit, NJ. Van also created photographic art cards, many of which have sold in specialty card shops. He and his wife are members of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

Van is survived by his wife Patricia Ann Hogan of the home; son, Steven Burgess of MT; daughter, Susan Sharpe Burgess of Holly Springs; sister, Claire Steiger of CT; and grandson, Jackson Valdez.

A Mass will be said for Van on Wednesday, May 2, 2018, 10:00 AM at Maryfield Chapel, 1315 Greensboro Rd., High Point, NC. The Chapel is just inside the entrance to Maryfield Health Care. A celebration of life and reception will be held from 2:00 PM until 3:30 PM Friday, May 4, 2018, in the Ilderton Hall of Pennyburn at Maryfield.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Resident Care Fund at Pennybyrn at Maryfield, 109 Penny Rd., High Point, NC 27260.