Earth Day 2022 at Fort Greene Park by Xander Cubano

Saturday morning started off with a sunny walk to Fort Greene Park, just around the corner from UrbanGlass, to join Fort Greene Park Conservancy’s annual Earth Day celebration. We were excited to host a community mosaic project inspired by the most important element of green spaces - trees! Considering the effects that Covid-19 has had on everyone, a fun group project with wood, glue, and glass was much needed, and the park provided a welcoming environment to reach out to one another again.

Mosaic is the process of cementing small glass pieces into place to form a larger picture, then grouting over the final image to seal the work. Our team of UrbanGlass artists started with the tree trunk to help get things going. A couple with two young children were curious about what we were doing, so I told them about our mosaic tree project and invited them to add as many pieces as they wanted. Once the kids knew they could get their hands dirty, their faces lit up. I think the most exciting part was looking at all the different colors of glass and trying to pick the first piece. The kids were so excited to add their own art style. More and more people started to look around our table wondering if adults could also join in. I think they were even more excited than the kids. Glass naturally piques curiosity and gets the whole family involved! We had so many visitors; from newborns to teenagers in a sorority, to parents, grandparents, and even some dogs. Everyone was enchanted by the project to go green with us. This collaboration of strangers resulted in a beautiful mosaic that celebrates us coming together.

The Earth Day celebration coincided with one of Fort Greene Park's recurring volunteer days. Check out their website for opportunities to help keep the park beautiful!

UrbanGlass is committed to fostering community partnerships with organizations that share our passion for educating and inspiring people through art. Please contact our Youth & Outreach Coordinator at karina@urbanglass.org to learn more.