Welcome to Glacial Impressions, a rock décor business started by a geologist driven to share the inner beauties of rocks deposited by glaciers and found along the shores of the great lakes.
Kevin Selkregg
My interest in rocks began as a young boy around 9 years old. My family would go on vacations to Maine, which usually involved roadside stops at rock shops along the way. Besides being awestruck by the amazing rocks and minerals for sale, I jumped at the chance to scour for treasures in their small open pit quarry behind the shop at 5 cents a bucket. I grew to learn rock and mineral names at an early age - granites, rose quartz, feldspars, and garnets fascinated me with their colors and crystal shapes. It was not uncommon for me to bash a large mellon - sized rock on the garage floor with a sledge just to see what was inside.
Years later, I graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Geology from the University of Florida where my most memorable experience was a geology field camp for eight weeks during the summer of 1974. We pitched our tents at campgrounds and national parks throughout Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico. Four of the 8 weeks were spent in Zion National park mapping the rock strata surrounding that area. Our three days at the Grand Canyon included a hike down to the river on the Bright Angel Trail to an overnight camp at Phantom Ranch. I vividly remember the full moon lighting up the canyon as I sat on the banks of the roaring Colorado River. I completed a Master's degree in Geology at Virginia Tech and embarked on a career spanning four decades in the field of ceramic materials and refractories. Check out my published articles, “Between a Rock and a Hard Place”, “Fossils on the Great Lakes Shores”, and “The Power of Ice” in the Beachcombing Magazine.
My wife, Brigitte, and I live in the Buffalo, NY area, not far from Lake Erie.
Our Products
I collect a variety of rocks mostly along the beaches of the Great Lakes and later choose what to cut and form from each one. The result is a one-of-a-kind crafted piece in the form of a set of coasters, business card display stand, tea light holder and more.
Nearly all of my products use igneous (volcanic or solidified from magma) and metamorphic (re-pressurized and reheated) rocks because I find the geologic process involved in their creation forms the most colorful and intriguing rocks. When dry, these can look rather dull, but when wet the colors are enhanced and accentuated. My process creates a "permanent" wet look with a similar finish to what is found on bar tops in pubs so the colors are always vivid and extraordinary.
Our most popular item group is our coasters. These are sold singly or in sets of two, three, or four — either from the same rock or a variety. Customers enjoy choosing those collected from a favorite childhood vacation spot or home site as a memorial. Sets can come as they are or on a wooden holder, which I crafted from a variety of woods such as Oak, Beechwood, Maple, Cedar, Mahogany or Ash. Other items include spoon rests and business card stands; but the most recent popular item are cell phone stands.
