Call for Artist Proposals
DECORATE A GNOME FOR OUR FALL EXHIBITION
Gnomevember at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
November 2025
OVERVIEW
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Be a part of the magic this Gnomevember! New England Botanic Garden seeks talented and artistic individuals or groups to submit unique design proposals to bring our concrete garden gnomes to life through artistry and storytelling. These gnomes will be displayed at New England Botanic Garden during the Gnomevember exhibition, displayed in the Fall of 2025. Each gnome is made from concrete, is 28 inches tall, and weighs 60 pounds. A $350 stipend will be awarded for each completed gnome.
In November 2025, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill will present a whimsical, familyoriented exhibition – Gnomevember. This exhibition will showcase a collection of uniquely stylized gnomes designed by local artists. Each gnome will be accompanied by an interpretive sign and will be part of an outdoor display featuring at least forty other garden gnomes. The exhibition will cover accessible areas in our formal gardens to encourage visitors to explore the Garden in search of each distinctive gnome.
Gnomevember aims to engage visitors of all ages with informal education opportunities that are whimsical and artistically inspired. In keeping with our mission to “create experiences with plants that inspire people and improve the world,” we seek imaginative artists to design and decorate garden gnomes that are inspired by nature, challenge their traditional nature, and celebrate inclusivity and diversity. We hope each artist will offer a unique twist on the traditional garden gnome.
BENEFITS & RECOGNITION
Selected artists or groups will receive the following benefits and recognition:
• A $350 stipend per completed gnome, which covers all materials and the artist’s time
• Gnome featured in the 2025 Gnomevember exhibition, with the potential to be displayed in future gnome exhibitions at the Garden
• Recognition on an interpretive sign next to your gnome, on our website, and social media.
TIMELINE
• Proposals due: July 25
• Proposals chosen & participants notified: July 28
• Gnome pick-up at 11 French Drive, Boylston, MA: August 4 – 9
• Gnome biography due (e.g., description, name, etc.): September 1
• Gnome drop-off at 11 French Drive, Boylston, MA: September 29 – October 3
• Gnomevember exhibition: November 2025
GUIDELINES
The staff at the New England Botanic Garden will select ten artists to design and decorate a gnome that will be added to this year’s exhibition. To ensure a high-quality display, we are seeking artists and designers with experience in creating exceptional outdoor artwork for a family audience. Successful proposals should be creative and original, featuring a unique gnome story or persona, and must include a detailed, high-quality sketch of the proposed gnome design. Once selected, participants will be notified and provided with an undecorated concrete gnome. Artists will be required to pick up and drop off their gnomes at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, 11 French Drive, Boylston, MA, between 10am and 5pm. If participants are unable to pick up or drop off their gnomes, an exception for special delivery can be made upon request. If you require special delivery, please indicate it in your proposal. Completed gnomes must be returned to the Garden by 5pm on October 3, 2025. The chosen gnomes will be displayed during the Gnomevember exhibition, which will open in November 2025, with the possibility of extending the exhibit from mid-October through mid-December. Following the 2025 exhibition, the gnomes will become part of the permanent New England Botanic Garden gnome community.
Design Guidelines
Garden gnomes should:
• Be playful, whimsical, and family-friendly
• Have artistic appeal for adults, with high-quality craftsmanship
• Offer once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities
• Take into consideration the Garden’s mission to “create experiences with plants that inspire people and improve the world.”
• Reflect the Garden's desire to be an inclusive experience for everyone
• Be able to withstand outdoor weather conditions for multiple months at a time
• Be recognizable as a garden gnome, abstractions are welcome, but visitors must be able to associate an abstract design with its natural counterpart without difficulty
• NOT include extra elements that may break off or go missing. The design should focus only on painting the gnome.
Construction Guidelines
• Use latex acrylic exterior paint or outdoor acrylic paint (concrete paint is not required)
• Do not attach extra elements to the gnome; use only paint
• Do not use enamel, water-based, or oil paint (they do not bond to concrete)
• Do use sealants if you choose to use regular acrylic paints. Sealers are not needed with latex acrylic exterior house paint.
Ownership and Usage Rights
New England Botanic Garden owns all decorated and undecorated gnomes. Gnomes will not be returned to artists New England Botanic Garden reserves the right to use all images, renderings, and models to promote and interpret the exhibition in print or electronic formats.
Gnome Design Options
There are two different garden gnome designs. Please indicate which gnome you would prefer to decorate on your proposal form. You may be asked to switch depending on the variety of proposal submissions.
CURRENT GNOMEVEMBER GNOMES
The pictures below show a sampling of gnomes from past Gnomevember exhibitions.
QUESTIONS
Email exhibitions@nebg.org
PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS
To submit a proposal, please fill out the GNOMEVEMBER ARTIST PROPOSAL FORM below and submit it, by email, exhibitions@nebg.org by July 18, 2025. Proposals will be reviewed and chosen participants will be notified by July 25, 2025.
GNOMEVEMBER ARTIST PROPOSAL FORM
*Please submit by email exhibitions@nebg.org
Artist Contact Information
Organization/Individual Name __________________________________________
Alyson Prokop
Contact person_______________________________________________________
508 304 2058
Telephone ___________________________________________________________
alyson@geekandtea.ca; Preferred: aprokop@nebg.org as I check it more often
Email_______________________________________________________________
Address
655 Main Street
Boylston MA 01505
City, State, Zip ________________________________________________________
Proposal Details
Gnome theme
What inspired your design?
This piece is rooted in my own past—I was a beekeeper for over ten years, and for five of those, I managed spring pollination and winter pruning for a 150-acre commercial apple and pear orchard. That experience led me to launch my own 2-acre cut flower market garden and honey CSA. The connection between bees and fruit trees is one I’ve lived firsthand, and it continues to shape how I see the world.
When New England Botanic Garden’s Exhibitions Manager invited me to design a bee-themed gnome, it felt like a natural fit. Buzz is a whimsical tribute to NEBG’s 119-specimen heirloom apple orchard, the Frank L. Harrington Sr. Orchard, and to the single Langstroth hive that quietly supports its bloom each spring.
Through this piece, I hope to celebrate the often-overlooked magic of bees, honour the legacy of the orchard, and spotlight the delicate harmony between pollinators and plants that makes it all possible.
Buzzing with Bees - "Buzz" the Beekeeping Gnome
Briefly describe your artistic experience (If possible, include a link to your website or social media that showcases your artwork.):
I’m a self-taught artist working in linocut, digital illustration, and ink, inspired by the strange intersections of plant science and imagination. My work blends retro sci-fi and botanical surrealism, using humor and texture to reimagine nature through a speculative lens. I’ve shown in local exhibitions and collaborative zines, and this will be my second time painting a garden gnome—a challenge I approach with delight and a sense of the uncanny. You can view my work at:
● Instagram: @geekandtea
● "Secret" Patreon account: @ally.illustrates
Which style of gnome do you want to decorate? (Circle)
IMPORTANT! Please attach a DETAILED sketch of your gnome design and briefly describe your gnome proposal for the 2025 Gnomevember exhibition. Proposals will only be considered with a detailed sketch.
2025GNOMEVEMBER
ARTIST PROPOSAL
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill
Alyson Prokop @ally.illustrates
The Tale of “Buzz” the Beekeeping Gnome
Long before garden paths were paved and lawns were trimmed, Buzz the Field Gnome lived at the edge of the old wild orchard—where bees hummed like lullabies and the air always smelled faintly of cotton candy. Unlike other gnomes who were content herding mushrooms or polishing snail shells, Buzz had an unusual calling: bees.
He wasn’t born into beekeeping. In fact, he used to be terrified of getting stung. But one spring morning, he found a tired little honeybee resting on a cracked thimble full of rainwater. He watched it sip, stretch its wings, and lift off again—and something in his heart lit up like a firefly. From that day on, Buzz made it his mission to protect the honeybees and ensure their stories were told.
He fashioned his own beekeeping suit (gnome-sized, of course) and built the tiniest hives out of hollow acorns and thistle fluff. Bees began to visit him daily—not out of duty, but out of trust. They built honeycombs in his beard and left golden pollen on his boots. He started growing blue New EnglandAsters around his hat so the bees would always have a snack. And every week, he would collect just enough honey to trade with the toads for tea and the hedgehogs for jam.
Buzz is no ordinary garden gnome. He is a guardian of the quiet buzz, a steward of sweetness, and a believer in the power of small wings. Now, he stands proudly—honeycomb in hand, bouquet in the other—welcoming visitors and whispering the ancient pact between flowers and flight.
Concept Art
“Buzz is the sweet spot where imagination meets pollination-his beard is basically an apiary. He’s here to remind you that even a concrete gnome can champion biodiversity.”
This illustration brings Buzz the Beekeeping Gnome to life in my style of nostalgic vintage Little Golden Book illustrations with linocut textures and risograph-inspired colours.
From the bees nestled in his beard to the bouquet of New England Asters in his hand, every detail is carefully crafted to highlight Buzz’s role as a gentle pollinator guardian.
Soft, muted tones, halftone textures, and expressive linework will evoke a whimsical world where a garden gnome can champion biodiversity with both heart and humour.
Colour Palette
Sky Blue (#ABCEDC)
Pollinator Purple (#A28FB7)
New England Aster Blue (#7371B4)
Beekeeper Suit Beige (#F0DDBC)
Honey Glow (#F5C54B)
Meadow Green (#5C9156)
Bee Wing White (#FDF8EC)
Hive Brown (#70513D)
About the Artist
Alyson Prokop
“Think vintage sci-fi meets botanical field guide—on a slightly weirder planet.”
I am an artist who revels in the unexpected intersections between plant science and imagination. Rooted in curiosity and steeped in story, my work explores the surreal and the botanical through linocut printmaking, digital illustration, and vintage-inspired design. I describe my style as retro sci-fi botanical surrealism—a love letter to the 1950s pulp aesthetic, filtered through the lens of a lifelong plant nerd.
Self-taught and ever-experimenting, I began in watercolours before carving my way into printmaking (with the gouge scars to prove it), eventually expanding into digital media. My practice is equal parts messy and meticulous, combining analog texture with narrative whimsy. Whether I’m illustrating sentient algae, creating fictional field guides, or painting gnomes who guard pollinators, I strive to build worlds where plants are protagonists and science is full of wonder.
At heart, I believe art can make the invisible visible—and that even the smallest organism or strangest idea deserves a spotlight.
Inspiration for this Project
This piece is rooted in my own past—I was a beekeeper for over 15 years and once cared for an heirloom apple orchard.
The connection between pollinators and fruit trees is one I’ve lived firsthand, and it continues to shape how I see the world.
When New England Botanic Garden’s Exhibitions Manager invited me to create a bee-themed gnome, it felt like a natural fit. Buzz is a whimsical tribute to NEBG’s own 119-specimen heirloom apple orchard and the single Langstroth hive that quietly supports it.
Through this piece, I hope to celebrate the overlooked magic of bees and the living legacy they help sustain.
Alyson Prokop @ally.illustrates alyson.prokop@gmail.com