Florent Art Installation

Florent

Created by Donald Longley

Suspended against a patinaed steel field, the work captures tension between precision and decay, clarity, and erosion. The subject, a Mayflower, is recognizable yet reduced to line, shape, and shadow—its scale exaggerated, its context abstracted.

The sculpture rests quietly on the brick wall by Anthropologie. Its surface shifts throughout the day, catching sunlight, echoing passing clouds, inviting momentary stillness. It is both ornament and anchor—a fixed point amidst the movement of cars, commerce, and conversation. The flower, abstracted and enlarged, ceases to be just a flower. It becomes a gesture. A memory. A marker of place.

About the Artist Donald Longley

Donald Longley is a veteran metal artist with over 20 years of experience creating large-scale outdoor sculptures from reclaimed steel and other salvaged materials. His work blends craftsmanship, creativity, and a deep respect for nature, resulting in site-specific pieces that engage communities and spark conversation. Based in Belchertown, MA, Longley has permanent installations across Massachusetts and Connecticut, including works in town commons, cultural centers, and public parks. Through his studio, Hercworx, he continues to design and fabricate sculptures that connect people to places while also supporting community initiatives, such as the Warriors Art Room, a nonprofit serving veterans and their families through art. For more information, click here. 

About New Art Center

The New Art Center is a community art education space which offers everyone, at all levels of ability, exceptional opportunities to make, exhibit, view, think about and talk about art. Since 1977, New Art has built community by lowering barriers to participation in the arts and integrating the experience of art into everyday life. New Art believes that art and creative experiences cultivate self-expression, expand minds, foster well-being, inspire joy, and build inclusive communities. For more information, click here.