What Is a Passion Flower? The Story Behind the Official Flower of Athens, Ohio
by Koki Oyuke
If you’ve wandered through Athens, Ohio, you’ve likely spotted a vibrant, hand-painted metal flower blooming on a porch, lighting up a living room wall, brightening a storefront, or standing proudly in a garden bed. The magic of a Passion Flower is that it never droops in the rain or fades in the snow. Athens named it our official city flower, and there’s a reason. These blooms bring a special kind of wonder and a little piece of everyday magic to our town.
Forever Flower Magic
Each Passion Flower is a genuine work of art. No two are ever the same. Every flower is cut, shaped, and painted by hand using upcycled aluminum, much of it once used as printing plates for our local newspaper. Where those plates once told the stories of Athens, they now become petals lovingly painted and shaped by an artist’s hand. Indoors or out, Passion Flowers are built to last through every season, holding their color and spirit for decades. Around here, folks call them forever flowers, and that’s exactly what they are.
Made by Artists, for a Reason
Every Passion Flower comes to life in our lively, collaborative art space in Athens. At the very center of the process are artists with developmental differences working shoulder to shoulder with staff, volunteers, and visiting creatives. Making a Passion Flower is a shared labor of love. One artist may cut, another paint, another shapes or finishes it. Each bloom carries the imprint of many caring hands, and each is a celebration of collaboration.
Every flower sold directly supports our artists and stands as a symbol of true inclusion, honoring people with developmental differences as artists first whose work is valued and cherished.
Why Aluminum, and Why the Newspaper?
Our choice of material carries its own poetry. Offset printing plates, once used to print the daily news, are thin sheets of aluminum destined for the scrap heap. We gather them up, mostly from our own Athens newspaper, and offer them a new lease on life. From carrying our city's stories to becoming the official flower of Athens, upcycling these plates keeps good material out of the landfill, supports our local roots, and gives every Passion Flower a story as unique as Athens itself.
How the Passion Flower Became Official
When Athens named the Passion Flower our official bloom, it was a sign that the flower had become part of the town’s identity. You’ll see them in gardens, dorm windows, shops, festivals, and in the hands of visitors who want to take a little sprinkle of Athens magic home. For Ohio University alumni scattered far and wide, these flowers bring a bit of Athens close to heart. For families sending students off to college, the Passion Flower travels as a reminder that belonging and beauty are always within reach. The flower is more than art. It’s a symbol of connection and the spirit of our studio.
Sizes and Where to Find Them
Passion Flowers bloom in all sizes from tiny pins for your lapel to grand blossoms nearly two feet wide for your garden. We offer official designs, original one-of-a-kind flowers, and special collections that support causes dear to our hearts like Turn it Gold supporting childhood cancer awareness, Juneteenth, and Ohio University programs. No matter the size, every Passion Flower shares the same hand-made, unique, built to endure spirit created by artists whose work you support with every purchase.
Rare by Nature, Remarkable on Purpose
What makes the Passion Flower truly special is its rare combination of qualities. It’s original, hand-crafted art, affordable and accessible to nearly everyone. Each one is genuine, joyful, and made to brighten lives, no matter where it’s found. Every piece we make is meant to spark joy. So when you see a bright metal flower blooming on a porch in Athens or in a garden miles away, you’ll know it’s not just a beautiful object, but a piece of a bigger story.
Come visit us and see a Passion Flower up close, or gift one to someone you love. You can find us at the Passion Works Studio in Athens, or browse and order online at our shop. We ship all across the country. Every flower you take home helps sustain our studio and supports the wonderful artists who bring these blooms to life.
If you’ve wandered through Athens, Ohio, you’ve likely spotted a vibrant, hand-painted metal flower blooming on a porch, lighting up a living room wall, brightening a storefront, or standing proudly in a garden bed. The magic of a Passion Flower is that it never droops in the rain or fades in the snow. Athens named it our official city flower, and there’s a reason. These blooms bring a special kind of wonder and a little piece of everyday magic to our town.
Every Passion Flower comes to life in our lively, collaborative art space in Athens. At the very center of the process are artists with developmental differences working shoulder to shoulder with staff, volunteers, and visiting creatives. Making a Passion Flower is a shared labor of love. One artist may cut, another paint, another shapes or finishes it. Each bloom carries the imprint of many caring hands, and each is a celebration of collaboration.
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