As an avid surfer, water skier, skateboarder, and snowboarder, Nielander often draws on the natural beauty of his surroundings at play to enhance the visual appearance of his glass work. He incorporates bright vivid colors and layering effects within thick clear glass that freeze the free flowing material in its liquid state, encouraging light to dance through these one of a kind sculptural forms.

Creating these pieces is a challenge similar to the sports he loves. There is a high degree of difficulty in controlling a material which changes from liquid to solid in a matter of seconds. There is risk in every piece just as in every sport; a piece can be started, but getting it all the way through the process can be an intense experience, with no guarantees of success. Nielander says "I live for the physical challenge of timing, quick thinking, speed, agility, coordination, and strong concentration. Glass blowing is more than a craft, it's a sport."