Milton Family Portrait Project Exhibit to take place Oct. 1 – Nov. 30 at Milton Public Library; Opening reception Oct. 12

The Milton Public Library will be hosting a newly installed exhibit this Fall in our Wotiz Gallery by local resident Deborah Milbauer and it will run from October 1st through November 30th.

This display is the second part of a collection of Milton family photographs by Ms. Milbauer which was originally created in 2012. This very first exhibit was created in honor of the Town of Milton’s 350th anniversary and was titled: “My Neighborhood: 350 Years Later.”

If you would like to view the first part of this photograph collection, you may do so at the Library’s website, and as a virtual display, part 1 was renamed:  “Celebrating the Changing Face of Milton Families.” This first collection of photos may be viewed by using this link:  https://miltonlibrary.libguides.com/art 

This first part – which was displayed in the Library’s lower art space in 2012 – was then recreated at our website as an online display only during the months of January and February 2021.  Starting 9/1/21 the Milton Public Library has moved the work of artists from virtual back to in person Gallery exhibits.

So now the Wotiz Gallery will now be showing the second updated part of Milton family photos called “The Milton Family Portrait Project.”  This new collection will feature additional photographs and stories of 20 families who live in Milton. Each family hails from our community and their portrait is accompanied by a brief description of their personal histories and experiences.

The families represent multiple countries of origin, tens of spoken languages, blended families, multi-racial/multi-cultural families, families with adopted children, same sex families, and more. Milbauer had known some of these families before but met many more of them while working on the project.

In addition to viewing this new display starting October lst by visiting the first floor Gallery, there will be some accompanying events to consider attending.  The first will be an opening evening reception in the gallery on Tuesday, 10/12 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. which welcomes everyone. Come join the photographer to view her exhibit and socialize.

Then on Saturday, 11/13 from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., there will be a panel discussion in the lower level Keys Community Room to learn more about this interesting project and to connect with those involved. The panel will explore the experience of families living in Milton, and the larger concepts of identity and community in a demographically changing society. Panel participants will include the Milton neighbors who appear in the exhibit representing the Town’s multi-cultural, multi-racial, blended, same-sex and international families. The voices of community activists and academic experts will also serve on the panel. Light refreshments will be served.  Please come visit the MPL in October and November for some enriching activities!

Deborah Milbauer lives in Milton and is a Town Meeting Member from Precinct 4.  She volunteers with the Pine tree Brook Neighborhood Association, Courageous Conversations Towards Racial Justice, and Partnership for a Healthy Milton.  She has been a Public Health Consultant for the Milton Health Dept., and is a Senior Lecturer at Northeastern University (Bouve College of Health Sciences).  She has worked in the field of Public Health for 30+ years and her husband, Corey Dolgan, is a Sociology professor at Stonehill College and an accomplished musician. They have two daughters, Ruby and Bailey, one at Milton High School and the other a 2021 MHS graduate.  Milbauer says: “I see my photo projects as a vehicle to tell the more profound and complicated story of identity, community, and belonging.”  The project is supported by contributions from Celebrate Milton and the Friends of the Milton Public Library.  There is also an application pending with the Milton Cultural Council.  For more information about this exhibit, go to www.miltonlibrary.org