Melanie Walter discovered the lost art of pine needle basketry in the early 1990s, when she bought a house that had over 100 long leaf pine trees on its property. While researching how to make use of these beautiful pine needles, she discovered this ancient craft with its roots in Native American culture.  She soon developed her own pine needle basket making style, incorporating many natural materials in her work. More recently, she began adding clay components to her work, and is excited about the new direction this is taking her.

Melanie has won three Regional Artist Grants from the Wilmington and Fayetteville Arts Councils in North Carolina, has been a four-time Finalist for the prestigious Niche Award, and was featured in Our State Magazine’s October 2009 Issue entitled, “The Beauty of the Pines,” by Liz Biro.

She is a member of the North Carolina Art Council’s Teaching Artist Directory, and the South Carolina Arts Commission’s Approved Artist Roster for Arts in Education.

She is a member of the Longleaf Alliance and a supporter of the sustainable future for the longleaf pine ecosystem.