Liz Nye, New England Botanic Garden staff
November 2025
Vincent Van Gogh, one of the first gnomes created by Kelly Walls in 2022, pays homage to one of her artistic idols.
It was 2022 and New England Botanic Garden was calling for proposals for Gnomevember, a newly reimagined fall exhibition set to feature a collection of garden gnomes, each over two feet tall, brought to life by talented local artists. Kelly Walls, of Worcester, had never been to the Garden before, but her neighbor, a devout lover of gnomes, suggested she apply. “Do it for me!” Walls remembers her saying.
Walls graduated from the UMass Dartmouth School for Design where she studied sculpting, painting, graphic design, and photography. After teaching painting to adults for about a decade, she moved to the area from Rhode Island and began working in the special education department at a local elementary school. Though she uses art to connect with students every day, she continues to seek outlets for her creativity outside of her job. She never imagined that outlet would be gnomes.
The Golden Gnome, a fixture in the exhibit each year, was created by NEBG staff to join the 40 gnomes created by talented artists from the community
Gnomevember, on display from November 1 – 30, celebrates the community and the magic of the autumn season. Each year, Gnomevember artists apply to transform cement garden gnomes into characters that evoke everything from nature to culture, identity, and whimsy. Once completed, the gnomes become permanent residents, emerging each season to welcome and delight visitors throughout the gardens.
Walls’ proposal to be a Gnomevember artist was accepted that first year, and she’s been submitting outstanding ideas and creating artfully designed, unique new gnomes ever since. “I’m a gnome person now,” she declares.
“I’m always excited to see Kelly’s proposal come in,” says Lea Morgan, the Garden’s exhibitions manager. “Her artistry is astounding, and her ability to paint on 3D concrete with such clever detail is so impressive,” she adds.
Walls’ inspiration for each creation is personal, drawn from her art idols, experiences as a teacher, and community. For example, her first two gnomes beautifully portray the famous artists Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh. Another pays homage to Weetamoo, a female sachem of the Pocasset tribe whose ancestral homelands include Rhode Island. Zara Tigerbloom, completed last year, was inspired by lessons in rainforest ecology and includes her school’s mascot, the tiger. This year’s gnome, “Mistah Woostah,” depicts a collage of Worcester icons honoring the community with symbols of everything from poignant moments in the city’s history to the quirky things that make it unique.
Walls’ detailed sketches are artworks in themselves.
For Walls, one of the things she enjoys most about participating in Gnomevember is the process of creating. For each gnome proposal she submits, she includes a detailed sketch—an art piece in its own right—complete with information about the inspiration behind each design element. Walls also loves seeing what other artists bring to the exhibition. “We all get the same canvas, and it blows my mind to see what everyone does with it. The possibilities are endless,” Walls says.
This year, eight new gnomes, including Walls’ “Mistah Woostah,” were added to the Garden’s growing collection of Gnomevember gnomes. The new additions are by artists Autumn Ballard, Victoria Chapman, S.E. Clark, Karin Cloutier, Chelsea Kerl, Holly Morgan, and Madeleine Saint Pé.
Throughout the month of November, visitors can find all 41 gnomes on display, including the Garden’s elusive golden gnome, and discover their unique stories. Make sure you don’t miss a single one of these special creations—download the Gnome checklist or scavenger hunt here! And stay tuned if you’d like to create a gnome for yourself. The call to artists typically opens each July!
All five of Walls’ gnomes convened for a photo op before wandering off to take up residence throughout the gardens. Can you find them all?