The City of Glendale’s Library, Arts & Culture announced progress on three significant public art projects taking shape throughout the City, where each work uniquely reflects the diversity, history and creativity of the Glendale community. These projects have been selected for locations throughout Glendale as a part of the City’s ongoing Cultural Landmarks initiative, sponsored by the Glendale Arts & Culture Commission including Montrose circular benches, Glenoaks Boulevard median sculpture, and Fremont Park columns tile artwork.

Created by Glendale-based artist Kassia Rico, “Our Garden Spot” reflects the neighborhood’s unique spirit and invites public interactivity through three artistically designed circular benches. Nestled between the Verdugo Mountains and San Rafael Hills, the benches located on Honolulu Avenue highlight Montrose’s natural beauty and cultural heritage, offering a serene vantage point overlooking the historic Glendale & Montrose Railway site. Each bench is crafted with smalti glass mosaics and designed to evoke a sensory experience, incorporating light, history and storytelling. The Moo Moo Mia Bench celebrates nature and pollinators with a rose-toned palette inspired by Sparr Heights’ orchards; the Village Square Bench pays tribute to the Montrose peacock and local life with citrus hues and calming blues; and the Star Cafe Bench honors the area’s water heritage, native Tongva history and railway legacy in still water blue tones. With stainless steel details, preserved analog clocks and typographic elements, these works of art encourage exploration, connection and reflection, serving as both a historical portal and a heartfelt tribute to the community that shaped them.

“Hahamongna” by Forma Studio will transform a portion of Glenoaks Boulevard, the median between Brand Boulevard and Central Avenue, into an illuminated tribute to Glendale’s geography and Indigenous history. Inspired by the Verdugo Mountains’ elevation contours, the sculpture’s textured metal form will feature intricate cutouts derived from local topography. The name “Hahamongna” comes from the Tongva language and translates to “fruitful valley,” honoring the First Nations people who once called Glendale home. The artwork is expected to be installed by late 2025 and will glow at night, creating a striking landmark for drivers and pedestrians.

As part of the Fremont Park Renovation Project, artist Cara Lynch has been commissioned to design and install a vibrant tile artwork titled “Belonging” on the park’s columns, contributing a meaningful and permanent artistic element to the newly reimagined space. Inspired by native wildflower fields, “Belonging” celebrates community and the local landscape through a rich visual vocabulary of pattern, color and form. The tile work draws on the diverse flora of California, incorporating references to species such as the California Poppy, the state flower, Wishbone Bush, Beach Evening Primrose, Red Catchfly and California Aster in both coastal and desert varieties. These plants were selected not only for their beauty and regional relevance but also for the ideas of diversity, place, and connection they evoke.

Lynch’s design includes deliberate nods to quilting, textiles and decorative traditions, invoking themes of home, family and belonging. Some tile elements repeat, flip or rotate, while others are rendered in varying colorways or stand alone. Large-scale floral motifs punctuate the pattern playfully, introducing moments of surprise and visual interest when viewed at a distance. Together, these elements create a cohesive yet dynamic artwork that mirrors the vibrant and layered identity of the Glendale community.

For more information about the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture’s public art programs, visit GlendaleArtsandCulture.org/CulturalLandmarks.