Newsmaker: Ice sculptor wows crowds on South Shore, across New England

NAME: Donald Chappelle

HOMETOWN: North Andover

AGE: 64

IN THE NEWS: Chappelle, who turns blocks of ice into pieces of art to be displayed at functions throughout New England, recently grabbed the attention of onlookers at Hingham’s annual Christmas in the Square celebration.

NOW YOU KNOW: Chappelle was once fined $500 for “desecrating” the “sacred” Boston Common grounds after a forklift he was driving to set up a display got stuck in the mud. Wheels spinning, he was tearing up the grass when a police officer ticketed him. He contacted then-Boston Mayor Thomas Menino’s office and got the issue resolved.

HIS STORY: There are many ways for creative talent to be displayed, but have you ever seen a piece of art that lasts less than a day?

For 64-year-old Donald Chappelle, of North Andover, his elaborate sculptures are often the stars of events, displays and shows, but if you blink you might miss them. Made from solid blocks of ice, Chappelle’s sculptures will, on average, last about 8 hours before they’re gone.

The art itself may be short lived, but the artist has spent more than 45 years working to master the somewhat rare craft of ice sculpting, and he’s traveled all over New England to show off his skills.

“It takes a good 20 years to become prolific at it,” Chappelle, who has been sculpting since he was 18, said. Before he was adorning tables with his sculptures at events, he was a chef. He retired from the kitchen in 2001.

Donald Chapelle, of North Andover, uses an ice sculpting saw to add friction between two layers of ice during a live demonstration in Hingham on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022.

At Hingham’s recent Christmas in the Square celebration, Chappelle worked for hours in front of an audience to sculpt a prancing deer.

From a country club in Brookline to mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, Chappelle has shown his work all over New England. But he says it’s the people in the Boston area who “really get it.”

“There’s some enjoyment to driving to new places and seeing new venues,” he said, “but Boston is quite a savvy ice sculpting town.”

His company, Brilliant Ice Sculpture, sculpts for corporate events, holidays, private parties, weddings and more. The pieces are usually made beforehand and delivered to the venues, something Chapelle says is necessary during the busy season. In a busy winter week, his business can send out 30 sculptures. It once shipped a sculpture to Dubai.

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He has worked gigs at Nike, Google and Under Armour, and even crafted an 18-foot Tom Brady sculpture. Boston’s First Night celebration every year on New Year’s Eve is Chappelle’s longest-running tradition. He’s done it for 37 years.

Spectators gather to see Donald Chapelle, of North Andover, create a stoic deer ice sculpture during Christmas in the Square in downtown Hingham on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022.

“Everything we do is custom. People have specific needs and we try to make them happy,” he said.

Chappelle can put on a show at outdoor or indoor events and his sculptures are great for festivals and tourist attractions, he said. His company goes through 24,000 pounds of ice blocks per week and he and his team sculpt every piece at his studio in Lawrence.

“It’s fast, it’s efficient. You can create a beautiful masterpiece in a couple of hours,” he said.

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Chappelle makes the sculptures a little thicker in warm weather and thinner where it’s cold. He said 27 degrees outside is the ideal temperature for a sculpture to last. During a recent performance in Plymouth, Chappelle said he had to hustle through his carving because the sun was out.

“I want to have a cohesive piece before the warm weather takes it down,” he said.

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Reach Joel Barnes at jbarnes@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Newsmaker: Ice sculptor’s work wows South Shore crowds