Art in Bloom: The Belger Arts Fountain Project at Powell Gardens 

This spring, the Conservatory at Powell Gardens will become a place where art and plants come together in a serene celebration of the prairie landscape. 

May 2 through June 21, 2026, visitors can experience Teaming with Life, a one-of-a-kind glass fountain installation created by the Belger Arts Fountain Project collective. Installed inside the Conservatory during the annual Painted Garden event, the piece transforms the space into a tranquil retreat inspired by the colors, shapes, and rhythms of nature. 

A Collaboration Between Art and Nature 

The installation is the result of a creative partnership between Powell Gardens and Belger Arts. Through a national call for artists, Belger Arts assembled a nine-person team of glassmakers from across the United States to design and fabricate the fountain. 

The collaborative team includes Abigail Amundson, Michael Carson, Justin Jenicke, Keegan O’Brien, Jacqueline Polofk, Ori Shir, Lauryl Sidwell, Brandon Smith, and Tyler Suter. These working artists are united by a shared passion for glassmaking and will bring their unique styles together during Painted Garden. 

Teaming with Life was created onsite at Powell Gardens. Using traditional glassblowing techniques, the artists worked collaboratively to form both functional and decorative elements that would ultimately come together as a large-scale installation. 

The process required careful coordination, skill, and creativity as molten glass was shaped, cooled, and assembled into the final design. 

A Fountain Inspired by the Prairie 

At the center of the Conservatory, the completed fountain becomes a gathering place. Teaming with Life is a quiet moment of reflection amid spring blooms. 

The structure is adorned with luminous blown-glass elements that echo the colors and forms of prairie wildflowers. Soft golden centers, lavender petals, and shades of prairie blue shimmer as light filters through the glass dome above. 

The effect is both contemporary and timeless. Glass sculptures sparkle alongside living plants, while the sound of flowing water creates a peaceful atmosphere. 

Visitors are invited to sit nearby in porch rocking chairs and watch the afternoon light move through the installation. As sunlight shifts across the glass and surrounding plants, the fountain becomes a living artwork that changes throughout the day. 

In this space, art and landscape feel inseparable. 

Meet the Artists 

The Belger Arts Fountain Project brings together artists from across the country whose backgrounds and artistic practices reflect the diversity of contemporary glassmaking. 

Ori Shir, co-owner of Shir Glassworks in Massachusetts, draws much of his inspiration from the natural world. His intricate glass pieces often reflect organic forms and whimsical details shaped by years of apprenticeship and studio practice. 

Jacqueline Polofka, owner of Double Dipped Studios on Kelleys Island, Ohio, specializes in blown glass and has refined her craft through work at institutions such as the Corning Museum of Glass and the Chrysler Museum of Art Glass Studio. 

Keegan O’Brien, originally from Northwest Ohio and now based in Kansas City, focuses on sculptural glass that explores the medium’s interaction with light and optical effects. He currently works as a gaffer at Monarch Glass Studio. 

Brandon Smith, a glass and mixed-media artist and educator from Pennsylvania, integrates techniques such as blacksmithing into his creative practice. His work often draws on symbolism and allegory found in nature. 

Lauryl Sidwell, a Kansas City-based artist, transitioned from stained glass to hot glass in recent years and continues to expand her knowledge through classes and experimentation. 

Michael Carson, who began working with glass at Ball State University, focuses on functional design inspired by both historical Venetian glassmakers and contemporary artists. 

Tyler Suter, currently a resident artist at Belger Arts Center, creates sculptures influenced by the natural world at both microscopic and macroscopic scales. 

Justin Jenicke, a Kansas City based artist who begin working in glass while living in Salt Lake City. His work is defined by clean leines and symmetrical repeating patterns.  

Abigail Amundson, an emerging multimedia artist based in Corning, New York, explores the intersection of the natural and spiritual worlds through her work with glass. 

Together, these artists represent a vibrant cross-section of the contemporary glass art world. 

A Space to Pause 

The title Teeming with Life reflects both the energy of the prairie ecosystem and the collaborative spirit behind the project. Each piece of blown glass contributes to a larger composition much like the plants, insects, and animals that form a thriving landscape. 

During Painted Garden, the Conservatory becomes a place to slow down and experience that sense of connection. The fountain’s gentle movement, shimmering glass forms, and surrounding plant displays create a space where art and nature meet in quiet harmony. 

Learn More About Painted Garden