Art In The Pearl is proud to announce the recipient of the inaugural Mel Stiles Award for Creative Achievement in Craft. This award was created to honor the memory of Melissa “Mel” Stiles — a beloved artist and former board member whose vision, dedication, and creativity helped shape the spirit of our festival.

This year’s recipient, Nicholas Stelter, has been shaped by a lifetime of creativity and a deep respect for craft. From learning precision and patience in his grandfather’s woodworking shop to watching his mother shape clay into art, Nicholas developed not just skill with his hands but an eye for beauty and form.

He began working with glass in 2000, first exploring stained glass and later venturing into stone, concrete casting, and wood. Today, Nicholas sculpts glass within the kiln, letting the material guide him to its truest form. Each piece is then cold worked, polished, and paired with a pedestal he designs and fabricates himself — creating a complete, unified sculpture. His work is marked by a purity of form, a balance of strength and delicacy, and a profound respect for the materials he works with.

As part of the award, Nicholas’s work will be featured in Art In The Pearl’s promotions for next year’s festival, and he will be invited to exhibit without going through the jury process — allowing our community to experience more of his remarkable artistry.

Please join us in congratulating Nicholas Stelter, the winner of the first-ever Mel Stiles Award for Creative Achievement in Craft!