Sculpture Submissions and Voting
Northborough residents shared their ideas about the themes and imagery that best represent our town, and artists transformed those ideas into sculpture designs. Now, it’s time for the community to help choose which design best captures the heart and spirit of our vibrant and connected community.
We are thrilled to share this exciting moment with you as we move closer to installing the "Love Northborough Sculpture", a piece that will serve as a permanent reflection of our community's heart and history.
The inspiration behind this project stems directly from the incredible spirit of our town. Community here represents more than just a place on a map; it's the strong, active bond connecting our families, friends, and neighbors.
Equally central to our identity is our rich Heritage. Northborough’s history, encompassing everything from its agricultural roots and industrial past to iconic sites like the Wachusett Aqueduct, is an integral part of who we are.
We proudly present the FOUR exceptional finalists whose designs we believe capture this unique combination of love, history, and community spirit. It's now time to review their visions and select the design that will ultimately represent the core of Northborough.
Blossoming Arms
Dimensions: Approx. 8’ H x 6’1” W x 5’11” D
Materials: 316 marine-grade stainless steel
Finish: Blackened patina and painted accents
Weight: est. 500 lbs.
Hometown: Clayton, MO
Blossoming Arms is a freestanding sculpture composed of interlocking limbs that rise in a layered, structural rhythm. The form is fully abstract, yet evokes the branching structures of native apple trees and a sculptural vocabulary that evokes interdependence, balance, and collaborative strength. Subtle blossom-colored accents punctuate the dark patinated surface, directly referencing the orchards of central Massachusetts. At 8 feet tall, the sculpture serves as a landmark from a distance while rewarding close viewing through its nuanced surfaces and open passages. It is a work meant to be lived with, returned to, and reinterpreted for years to come.
Blossoming Arms offers a way to grapple with, question, and celebrate the meaning of a community through the language of sculpture. Individual elements interlock to form something larger, stronger, and more enduring. Negative spaces become intervals that echo the rhythmic pockets of sunlight between tree branches. It is designed to be lived with, returned to, and re-understood over time. It is a celebration of place, as much as it is a formally rigorous sculpture in its own right.
LOVE Northborough
Dimensions: 78” H x 69” W x 40” D
Materials: Stainless steel
Weight: 210 lbs.
Hometown: Aargau, Switzerland
The inspiration for LOVE Northborough is the universal symbol of the heart reimagined through a lattice of smaller, laser-cut hearts. The work reflects love, unity, and community—each smaller heart representing the individuals who together form the spirit of Northborough.
Designed as a large-scale, durable outdoor sculpture, the piece combines digital modeling with precision laser-cut fabrication in stainless steel. The hollow form reduces wind stress and creates dynamic shadow play. A wooden bench is integrated inside, inviting people to step in, sit, and become part of the artwork, turning the sculpture into both a landmark and an interactive community space.
At Our Core
Dimensions: 84” H x 84” W x 48” D
Materials: Stainless steel
Weight: 400 lbs.
Hometown: Wilmington, VT
“At Our Core” is a large, vibrant red apple sculpture constructed from multiple layered metal panels. Designed as a focal point for residents and visitors alike, its cutouts represent Northborough’s major landmarks and best features. Structurally, the layered panels are held together by a comb shape, a direct nod to the town’s industrial history. Every piece is compiled to create a single work that celebrates the full spirit of the Northborough community.
The sculpture will be constructed from multiple laser-cut plate metal panels, each in diminishing scale to create a three-dimensional effect. The front panel will feature the word “LOVE” along with Northborough’s iconic aqueduct, all cut directly into the metal. Within the letters, additional cutouts will highlight key aspects of Northborough—farms, music, parades, friendship, and more—adding layers of meaning and engagement for viewers. To enhance visual depth, each panel will include a subtle color gradient. Viewed from the side, the sculpture reveals another nod to the town’s history: a comb shape, referencing the combs once manufactured in Northborough. This comb element will also function structurally, helping to brace and connect the apple slices. The overall scale of the sculpture can be adjusted to fit the intended installation site.
Apple Dancers
Dimensions: : 104” H x 83” W x 8” D
Materials: Corten & Stainless steel
Weight: 450 lbs.
Hometown: Haverill, MA
The sculpture, “Apple Dancers”, is a dynamic piece featuring two abstract human figures fabricated from weathering Corten steel. The figures are depicted in fluid motion, their arms reaching up to collectively hold a single, large stainless-steel apple above them.
The stainless-steel apple is the focal point. More than just an artistic element, the apple is a potent symbol for Northborough. It directly references the town’s agricultural roots, celebrates the beloved AppleFest tradition, and embodies the community’s shared pride and sense of abundance.
The two figures, balanced, supportive, and interlinked, embody the idea of community through collaboration. Their upward movement reflects aspiration, hope, and unity, expressing how individuals come together to build something greater than themselves.
Placed in a public setting, the sculpture is meant to invite connection: a place where families can gather, children can point and smile, and residents can recognize themselves in its shared gesture. It is both iconic and accessible, a visual language of joy, belonging, and partnership that reflects the best of Northborough’s civic spirit. “Apple Dancers” is designed to celebrate what makes Northborough special: its unity, creativity, and shared sense of pride. The piece transforms two simple figures and a single apple into a timeless expression of community, a landmark that will grow in meaning as the town continues to evolve.
Vote For Your Favorite
Please fill out the form to select which sculpture you would most like to see in town.