The glass creations were inspired by nature.

Pittsburgh Glass Center collaborated with Pittsburgh Botanic Garden to fashion art for the garden’s new welcome center in an exhibit called “Second Nature.”

Eleven local artists are featured in the display, which will be on-site at the garden center in North Fayette through March 6.

“It was truly a collaborative effort, said Heather McElwee, the Randi & L. Van V. Dauler Jr. executive director for Pittsburgh Glass Center in Pittsburgh’s East End. “They reached out to us. Their welcome center is a beautiful space.”

An open call for glass artists invited them to make something based on nature and what it meant to them.

There are 26 pieces, including two outside the gardens.

The art is for sale. If it doesn’t sell, it will be returned to the artists.

“It looks fantastic,” McElwee said. “There are so many different directions the artists went in.”

Courtesy of Pittsburgh Glass Center Pittsburgh Glass Center artist Becky Smith used real leaves to create a piece for an exhibit at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden.  

One incorporated real flower petals in between pressed glass. Another made a tree stump out of glass with red leaves.

There is a woolly mammoth nearly life-sized glass skeleton located outside the garden.

Pittsburgh Glass Center, which is celebrating 20 years in the East End, is known for teaching glass art, creating glass art, promoting glass art and supporting those who make glass art.

Pittsburgh Botanic Garden encompasses 65 acres of display gardens and woodlands.

McElwee said teaming with the garden is a way for both to attract new members and guests.

She said they’ve been promoting the show.

“It’s a win-win situation,” McElwee said.“We love to collaborate with other organizations. It gives our artists a chance to show their work beyond the walls of the glass center. It is one of the great joys of this job.”

Courtesy of Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Pittsburgh Glass Center artists Travis Rohrbaugh and Christopher N. Hofmann created a woolly mammoth for an exhibit at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden.  

Mark Miller, education director at the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, said he was a judge to select from the artists who submitted proposals.

“It’s been a joy to see these pieces show up,” Miller said. “Our members might not be aware of Pittsburgh Glass Center and folks who come to the Pittsburgh Glass Center might not know who we are, so it’s a pretty cool collaboration.”

Artists include Isaac Beachy and Laura Philips, Chris Clarke, Sarah Cohen, Daviea Davis, Jason Forck, Drew Kail, Zach Layhew, Travis Rohrbaugh, John Sharvin and Becky Smith.

Keith S. Kaiser, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden executive director, said in a statement that glass can be magical and mesmerizing.

“We are excited to feature this art form in our garden because it connects these natural elements together in a thought-provoking way,” Kaiser said.

Following this exhibit, Pittsburgh artist Ashley Cecil will display her work through the end of June. After that, there will be a multiple artist photography show, Miller said.

Also throughout 2022, the garden center will partner with the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society for plein air painting and exhibit the works in spring 2023.

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---