The Washington Glass School

This past weekend, the City of Greenbelt, Maryland, celebrated the dedication of a stunning new public sculpture, The Beauty in a Garden Comes from More Than One Flower, created by Washington Glass School Co-Director and eco-artist Erwin Timmers.

Crafted from steel and recycled glass, the sculpture’s graceful petals carry a story far beyond their materials — they are the handiwork of the very community the artwork now welcomes. In a series of hands-on glass work sessions at the Washington Glass School in Mount Rainier, MD, residents of the new Motiva apartments and their Greenbelt neighbors joined Erwin in creating the vivid glass infill panels that make the piece glow with life and individuality.

“The concept was always about unity through diversity,” says Erwin. “Just like a garden thrives because it has many flowers, a community flourishes because of its different voices, talents, and hearts.”

The project, sponsored by Motiva, blossomed into more than just a public art commission — it became a joyful, collaborative journey. Over the course of multiple workshops, participants experimented with recycled glass, learned kiln-forming techniques, and left their personal creative mark on the sculpture.

The finished work now stands as both an artistic landmark and a symbol of connection — an invitation for all who pass by to remember that beauty is born from many hands working together.

💚 Washington Glass School is proud to have been part of this community-centered creation, bringing people into the making process and showing how recycled materials can tell vibrant new stories.

Congratulations to Erwin, to all the participating residents, and to Greenbelt Recreation Arts for championing public art that grows from — and for — the community.