Abstract Artist to Outdoor Enthusiast

Hey there, Jess Beer Jeffries here!

With so many new faces around, I thought I'd take a moment to introduce myself.

Some of you have been around since the very beginning of this creative journey, you know, since the early 90s when Crayons and gel pens were all the rage. But most of you have not. I consider myself to be an inherently creative individual, always gravitating toward color, design, and utensils to either draw or paint with.

Funny story, I failed most of my art classes throughout middle and high school. My teachers just couldn't understand my needs and interests in exploring my creative practice outside of the confinements of their projects. I needed to push all boundaries further than they wanted me to. I brushed that off, pushed my creative drive further, and began applying to various art colleges, eventually deciding to attend the Maine College of Art in Portland, Maine.

This decision became one of the best choices I have ever made. Though leaving my family was tough, living in Portland was amazing. I had unrestricted access to the immensely creative city, its growing food scene, and the panoramic coastline. However, within the hustle and bustle of independent life, I quickly realized that even though I had found joy in the chaos of city life, I was not necessarily thriving. I was struggling to connect with who I was internally and what I truly wanted out of life. I was lost within the continuum of living and working in such a small city.

In 2015 I left Maine and headed back to my childhood home in Rhode Island where I became undeniably depressed. I traveled back and forth between Maine and Rhode Island so frequently that I quickly realized that the Ocean State was no longer for me, it never really had been anyway.

In the early spring of 2016, without thorough consideration of my decisions and after a chance encounter, I decided to quit my job, move to the woods of Maine, and become a mountain biker. That next day I purchased my first mountain bike. I had no idea what I was doing but I was brave.

I traveled up to Carrabassett Valley to begin working in backcountry huts, cooking for guests and supporting them as they traveled through the mountains. I've been a biker my whole life but I truly had no idea what it meant to become a mountain biker, I hadn't even "Youtubed it". I loved cooking but had minimal skills beyond making pasta and cookies. I had also never hiked in the woods alone, had no idea how to get to the hut, and had zero cellphone service to access Google Maps. (I now know that wouldn't have helped anyway.) Read more about this adventure here!

Over the next few weeks, months, and years, I've grown within my environment and built an incredible community of like-minded outdoor enthusiasts. I've tried everything from hospitality work to teaching and took on many new versions of myself until I discovered what clicked.

I have found a true passion for cooking and baking well-balanced and healthy meals, and hosting dinner parties with friends and neighbors while living a lifestyle that incorporates as much time spent outdoors on my mountain bike, nordic and downhill skis, and river boats, as physically possible. I've embraced the outdoors in ways that I had never imagined possible and I've met some truly amazing individuals, mentors, and supporters that I am proud to call my friends and even my husband!

Though happy with the outdoor life that I had created, it seemed only to be half of my identity. I realized that I needed to find a creative outlet in order to truly feel fulfilled. With limited access to artist studios, art supplies, galleries, and at that time, other makers, I began painting with what resources I had. In 2017 I purchased some acrylic paints and a few canvases and set to work turning my shared bedroom floor into my workspace.

Over the past seven years, I've painted my heart out, drawing inspiration from the nearby rivers, mountains, and forests. I quickly began showing my work in galleries, shops, and public spaces like libraries. My work can now be found in private and public locations throughout the country and has been featured in numerous publications. I built a website and a following of supporters who fulfill my drive to keep going. I've pushed my creative boundaries and experienced immeasurable highs and devastating lows but that's all a part of the journey.

I am so thankful to be here and look forward to what is yet to come as I transition into my most fulfilling role yet as a Digital Marketing Specialist and Web Designer. My small studio practice is ever growing and my heart is always full of gratitude.

Thank you for joining me on this creative ride.