Creating “Sylvia” was no quick task for area artist S.E. Clark. In a video (see below), Clark walks viewers through the multi-day process of painstakingly layering paints to transform a large, gray, concrete garden gnome—essentially a blank canvas—into a work of art inspired by Austrian painter, Gustav Klimt. With a name meaning “woodland” and a dress of meadow flowers, “Sylvia” now finds herself right at home at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill as part of the exhibit Gnomevember.
Gnome statuary dates to ancient Roman times. Over centuries, gnomes have come to represent good luck and guardianship over gardens. At New England Botanic Garden, displays of garden gnomes are an autumn tradition. These figures, known in fairy tales and folklore for their silly antics and unpredictability, help us celebrate the fleeting fall season. While our annual Gnomevember exhibit is always fun and magical, this year Exhibitions Manager Lea Morgan had an idea for making it even more special. She’d call on the community, artists like Clark, to bring a new collection of gnomes to life.
It all began with an RFGP—Request for Gnome Proposals—that Lea circulated over the summer. Artists and crafters of all ages from Massachusetts and beyond responded. They demonstrated skills across a range of artistic disciplines and possessed various levels of professional experience. Through ambitious gnome design plans, these artists outlined how they would transform a sixty pound cement gnome into a fun and compelling character. They also created stories about the histories, pastimes, and passions of the gnomes they envisioned. Selected artists took their gnomes home to decorate in September and returned them for exhibition at the end of October.
“The outcome of this community collaboration was so rewarding,” Lea says. “The level of artistry, thoughtfulness, and creativity demonstrated by everyone who took part is incredible.” The 30 gnomes of Gnomevember—enlivened by paints, clays, textiles, and even rainbow sprinkles—celebrate nature, culture, identity, and whimsy.
Samara Pearlstein, an artist and educator out of Boston, MA cloaked her gnome, “Mz. Milkweed,” in painted monarch wings to call attention to endangered species. Stevie Leigh, a sustainable fashion designer out of Worcester, MA, used upcycled denim to create “Mike Dropp,” a gnome who advocates for sustainability and social equality. Isabella Deya, the youngest artist featured in the Gnomevember exhibit, is a seventh grader from Leominster, MA. Deya proposed a design that incorporated two gnomes, “Victor” and “Esmerelda,” painted to honor her grandparents and her Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian heritage.
In addition to Clark, Pearlstein, Leigh, and Deya, other artists featured in the exhibit include: Mike Ackerman, Victoria K. , Champman, Dolores Cowden, Grace Coxall, Kristi Leigh G. DiSalle, Rebecca Duffy, Emily V. Giroux, Magda Granger, Howie Green, Shaun Harris, Renee Jolly, Darcy Kupferschmidt, Pam Lee, Kellie Murphy, Michelle Murray, Jessica Ottaviano, Emily Parker, Isabella Piedrasanta, Patty Socrat, Elaine Turner, and Kelly Walls.
Gnomevember is on display at the Garden through the end of November, and experiencing the fun of discovering all 30 gnomes is included in the cost of general admission. Follow us on social for more Gnomevember gnome stories, spotlights, and more!
— Liz Nye, NEBG Staff, November 2022
Check out Clark’s video of painting Sylvia.
Liz Nye, NEBG Staff
November 2022