We are thrilled to announce the Artists for this year’s Kayla Hardy Artist in Residence Program at Newton Cemetery & Arboretum!
Through March 2027, the two selected artists will be working on original site-specific creative projects inspired by their in-depth experience at Newton Cemetery. The projects will be presented to the public and announcements will be made on our website, e-newsletters, and social media. Continue reading to learn more about the artists and their projects.
Liz Helfer, sculptor
Liz is a sculptor and arts administrator whose work is shaped by a lifelong love for sculpture and the outdoors. Her work explores themes of nature, movement, and shared human experience. Liz holds a BFA in Sculpture from Alfred University and a Master’s in Museum Studies from Harvard Extension School, with a focus on nonprofit management. Currently, Liz serves as Public Arts & Culture Planner for the City of Watertown and is Executive Director of the James Library & Center for the Arts, Norwell, MA. She is deeply committed to mentorship, public art, and creating meaningful cultural experiences.
Project Summary
Liz’s project, “In Memoriam” will be a series of intimate sculptures exploring the intersection of traditional commemorative forms and the nuanced language of floriography. Through the combined use of wood and bronze, the work will mirror the interplay between the organic, ephemeral nature of life (wood/flowers) and the permanent, static nature of memory (monuments/bronze). An accompanying catalog will further contextualize the series, explaining the symbolism of each flower and the artistic impetus behind the project.
Martin Roy Moser, photographer
Martin Roy Moser is a photographer whose work is grounded in sustained attention to the everyday environment.
After a career as a business professor and consultant, he turned to photography to shift away from analysis and toward observation—spending time with what is present rather than trying to explain or solve it. His photographs are un-staged and attentive to the ordinary, often focusing on what might otherwise go unnoticed.
Project Summary
As an Artist-in-Residence at Newton Cemetery & Arboretum, Moser has begun “In Plain Sight”, a project shaped by the cemetery’s atmosphere of reflection, memory, and quiet presence. The photographs presented here are from the early stages of this work, reflecting an initial approach that will continue to develop over time. His goal is to build a sequence of images that invites viewers to see the environment with greater attention and familiarity.
About the Artist in Residence Program
The Friends of Newton Cemetery & Arboretum Kayla Hardy Artist in Residence (AiR) program offers artists the opportunity to create original work inspired by Newton’s garden cemetery landscape, history, and mission of remembrance and reflection. Artists will have access to the grounds as both studio and subject, engaging with the unique environment of a working cemetery and accredited arboretum. Through their work, the artists will help interpret the Cemetery’s role as a place of beauty, memory, and community. By connecting art and place, this program seeks to foster dialogue, inspire reflection, and deepen appreciation for the Cemetery as both a cultural and natural resource.