The Giant Water Bottle Sculpture Project Exhibit
From Waste to Wonder at the FWMSH
We’re excited to announce that the Giant Water Bottle Sculpture Project will be featured as a special exhibit at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History 1600 Gendy St., Fort Worth, Tx 76107, from February 14, 2026, through May 31, 2026.
Giant Water Bottle Sculpture Project Exhibits at the FWMSH
The Exhibit
Titled “From Waste to Wonder,” this exhibit will showcase the creativity and environmental commitment of Fort Worth schools that participated in this inspiring community initiative. Join us in celebrating how discarded plastic bottles were transformed into a powerful statement of sustainability and student innovation.
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Thank You Community Partners
IM Terrell STEM VPA HS
Young Women's Leadership Academy
Young Women's Leadership Academy
Student Body Assembly: "An Artist Talk " with Willie Cole. He is interviewed by students of the high school.
Young Women's Leadership Academy
Young Women's Leadership Academy
Young Women's Leadership Academy
This is a group photo of the students who listened to a talk by artist Willie Cole and Dr. Barnett regarding Art, STEM Careers in Earth Science, and Scholarships
Young Men's leadership Academy
Young Women's Leadership Academy
Young Men's leadership Academy
In this group photo, students prepped bottles for assembly. They engaged in a lunch-and-learn Q&A with Willie Cole and Dr. Barnett on the environment, sustainability, and college scholarships regarding Plast and STEM careers.
Cristo Rey College prep HS
Bill R. Johnson CTE Center, Crowley ISD
Young Men's leadership Academy
Students show off the water bottle puppets they created for the exhibit.
TCC Collegiate HS
Bill R. Johnson CTE Center, Crowley ISD
Bill R. Johnson CTE Center, Crowley ISD
Dr. Quanda Collins & TCC Collegiate HS students participating in the project
Bill R. Johnson CTE Center, Crowley ISD
Bill R. Johnson CTE Center, Crowley ISD
Bill R. Johnson CTE Center, Crowley ISD
A lecture in the auditorium, "Artist Talk," followed by a Q&A with Willie Cole and Dr. Barnett on Art, STEM careers, and scholarship.
Univ. N. TX Health Science Center
Univ. N. TX Health Science Center
UNT HSC Breakfast in the atrium, an "Artist Talk followed in the lecture hall for students and faculty.
Miss Juneteenth Court 2023-24
Univ. N. TX Health Science Center
A group photo of the Grandmother of Juneteenth Dr. Opal Lee and the Miss Juneteenth pageant Court of 2023-24
Texas Wesleyan University
Texas Wesleyan University
College students and faculty volunteered.
GWBSP PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY SPONSORS
Rainwater Charitable Foundation
BNSF Railways
Employees of Sponsor BNSF volunteer to work on the project
Arts Fort Worth Grants Program
Arts Fort Worth Grants Program
AFW Partner provided space for the project from 08/01/2023 to 03/30/2024.
The Giant Water Bottle Sculpture Student Talks
THE PROBLEM
According to Container Recycling Institute, 86% of disposable water bottles used in the United States become garbage or litter, adding 38 billion disposable water bottles into U.S. landfills. Bottles wash into the ocean and kill 1.1 million marine creatures each year.
THE GOAL
TCEF invited artist Willie Cole to share his compelling concept of "Artcycling" with students. The goal was to create a work of art that can be easily transported from one location to another, to maximize exposure, and raise awareness on the impact of recycling or “Artcycling."
TCEF also wanted to inspire higher learning and expand the opportunity to encourage higher learning in STEM and Arts careers.
THE RESULT
The Willie Cole Giant Water Bottle Sculpture debuts 03.01.2024 at the Arts Fort Worth Community Art Center 1300 Gendy St., Fort Worth, TX
Over 300 students and sponsors participated in the construction of the 30-foot giant man made of water bottles. The Title "A Tall Drink of Water" received 1600 visitors during the exhibit.
The Giant Water Bottle Sculpture was completed in 4 Phases:
- Phase 1 - Collect 20,000 16 oz. water bottles. This required coordination among students, parents, teachers, and the community.
- Phase 2: Students, artists, teachers, and partners engaged in the "Artcycling." Sorting, cleaning, removing labels, and counting bottles into 250-count parcels.
- Phase 3: The artist worked with students and sponsors to construct sheets at specific measurements to create the giant body parts.
- Phase 4 - Over 1,000 hours of hands-on creativity by 300 students, plus community partners and volunteers.
Willie Cole at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art
The Amon Carter Museum of American Art hosted an Artist Talk and Reception for artist Willie Cole
He was interviewefd by the museum Director, Dr. Andrew Walker,
Willie Cole is a contemporary American sculptor, printer, and perceptual engineer.
His work has been the subject of several one-person museum ...
Park Avenue · Kansas City International Airport · Wildflower ...
Willie Cole ; IMG_6798_2080x1536.jpg ...
The sculpture's placement is sound — Cole is, in many ways ...
Artist Willie Cole recently debuted four monumental chandeliers ...
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TCEF GWBSP at Arlington Museum of Art 2025
Tarrant County Education Foundation
TCEF invited artist Willie Cole to share his compelling "Artcycling" project with the Arlington community. The exhibit opened on August 15, 2024, and will close on October 15, 2024.
Fort Worth students from different neighborhoods and cultures worked as one community to collect 20,000 water bottles to create a 30-ft. sculpture of a giant man. This STEM-focused conservation “Artcycling” project highlights the impact of plastics on our environment and brings awareness to individual responsibility for our planet.
GWBS Exhibit at AMA August 16th - October 15th
TCEF Art of Giving
TCEF invites artist Willie Cole to return to Fort Worth. From February 2026 to May 2026, he will open a new TCEF Giant Water Bottle Sculpture Exhibit at the Fort Worth Science & History Museum. He will engage students in a STEM Art experience to increase awareness of the problem of plastics in our environment.
The Giant Water Bottle Sculpture Project Sponsors
