A 1985 graduate of Johnson & Wales University and Trustee Award recipient, Jeff has worked as a professional chef and ice sculptor in Maine ever since. Having had a lifetime enjoyment of art, an exuberant and creative nature Jeff developed an interest in wood turning as a way to keep his art alive longer than a block of ice. In 1998 he was elected President of the Maine Woods Turners Association and in 1999 Chairman of its Board of Directors. His wood turnings have been sold through galleries in Maine, Colorado & New York with pieces commissioned by corporations in Japan and the United Kingdom.
Jeff’s work took a turn in a different direction in 2004 when he set off on the adventure of a lifetime. Jeff traveled to Nepal on an ecological mission to clean up Mt. Everest. Jeff returned with 132 old oxygen cylinders used and discarded on summit attempts of Mount Everest. Jeff is now marketing the bells he creates from the cylinders and inspiring others to reach for their dreams. Jeffrey was a featured artist at the 2005 Telluride Mountain Film Festival and in 2007-2008 Jeff was a presenter at Disney’s Holidays Around The World. In 2008 Bells From Everest, along with Patagonia and North Face, were finalists for the National Geographic TOGA award. In 2009 Reinhold Messner commissioned a sculpture for display at the Messner Mountain Museum in Firmian, Italy.
In 2009 Jeff presented at the Sustainable Brands Conference ‘09 in Monterey, California. Jeff has been a guest speaker at The Mountaineers in Seattle, Washington and a number of schools in New England and Colorado. Bringing his art full circle Jeff was proud to present to Ang Tshering Sherpa President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association and his son Dawa Steven Sherpa a gift of one of my bells as a small thank you for their ongoing efforts to clean-up the mountains.
Jeff Clapp
80 Toads Landing
Brunswick, Maine 04011
207-607-0152