Elijah Kell is a glass artist from Mint Hill, North Carolina. His passion for art began in elementary school, where it became a creative refuge from academic challenges. At the age of ten, he encountered glass for the first time, sparking a deep connection that has since defined his artistic journey. As a dyslexic, Elijah finds profound meaning in visual storytelling, using color, texture, and form to bring his ideas to life.
A natural artist-entrepreneur, Elijah began exhibiting his work across North Carolina at a young age. At just 11, he won his first professional juried award, and by 13, he was creating large-scale installations for hotels in Charlotte’s Center City. His first solo gallery exhibitions soon followed, and at 15, he was honored with an invitation to exhibit at the GreenHill Center for North Carolina Art—a distinction that solidified his commitment to his craft.
In March 2023, Elijah launched Kell Glass LLC and made the leap to pursue his art full-time. His work is now represented by multiple galleries in the Charlotte metropolitan area, and his collectors and commissioned pieces span the Carolinas, the nation, and beyond. While primarily self-taught, he is dedicated to continual artistic growth and has studied at the prestigious Penland School of Craft under Nisha Bansil, exploring the pâte-de-verre technique and the intricacies of embedding patterns in glass casting. Additionally, he gained valuable curatorial and installation experience while working with the Gorelick Galleries at Central Piedmont Community College.
Beyond the studio, Elijah is committed to giving back. He proudly partners with Arts for Life, a nonprofit that brings the healing power of art to pediatric patients in hospitals and treatment clinics across North Carolina. His generosity also extends to numerous charities in Charlotte and beyond, where he donates his work to support meaningful causes.