Carter Nelson
GRANT WINNER • ARTS & PERFORMANCE
Creating Art With Nothing but Sunlight
Burning Love / Solar Pyrography
Seventeen-year-old Carter Nelson has found a unique way to combine creativity, entrepreneurship, and a love of the outdoors. With just a magnifying glass, a sunny day, and his steady hand, Carter practices "solar pyrography", the art of burning intricate designs into wood using the focused power of the sun. His business, Burning Love , takes this craft one step further by offering personalized designs, including the option for clients to provide wood with special meaning to them, making each piece truly one of a kind.
A junior in high school and a competitive swimmer, Carter is channeling his artistic and entrepreneurial spirit into building a business with heart. Ten percent of Burning Love's proceeds will support Soul River, a nonprofit that connects veterans dealing with PTSD and inner-city youth to healing experiences in nature.
With the support of his Hunter Watson Memorial Fund grant, Carter is growing a venture that blends innovation, artistry, and community effect, values that reflect the spirit of Hunter Watson himself.
What your support made possible:
Tools and materials to continue developing solar pyrography, creating burned artwork with focused sunlight.
Because of you... Carter can keep creating, learning, and bringing Burning Love / Solar Pyrography closer to the people it was made to reach.