by Joan Clifford

Have you ever thought you’d like to see some chickens and rainbow colored tires or a giant cupcake in East Milton Square? We put our art outdoors to beckon and brighten people’s days. Eleven teams of children decided this is what they want you to see as you drive and walk around town for the next month.

Ducks at Turner’s Pond

The third year of children’s public art, Art in the Windows is now installed at Abby Park, the Falconi Parking Lot, the Fruit Center Marketplace Window, two installations at the East Milton Deck, the Manning Community Park, the Milton Art Center, Jackrabbit Design Window, the Milton Cemetery, two installations at the Milton Public Library and at Turner’s Pond.

A big thank you to our site sponsors, the above local businesses, the Town of Milton, the Milton Public Library Trustees, the Milton Cemetery and the Parks and Recreation Commission. The children decided where they wanted their art to display and we are grateful that you said Yes!

For the past few months 160 children have been working together in teams to come up with their idea, create and install their work to share with our community. We could not have done this without our strong partners, our art teachers. parent leaders, Girl Scout and Boy Scout leaders. One of the best parts of this project is getting to see your creative problem solving happen in such a short span of time.

Thank you to our art teachers and our parent/girl and Boy Scout leaders. They are: Sue Hoy, and Kristen Scott for Between Earth and Sky at the Milton Public Library, Yoshi Belash, Wendy Daly and Juan Navarro for Nature’s Compass at the Milton Public Library, Laurinda O’Connor and Wendy Garpow Roth for Make Way for Milton Ducklings at Turner’s Pond, Sue Hoy, Sheila O’Connor, Lisa Townsend for Cupcake at the Falconi Parking Lot, Laura Cannata for  Here Comes the Sun at the Fruitcenter Marketplace, Leesha Boylan for food-earth-love at Abby Park, Christine Schoettle for Whimsy at the Milton Cemetery, Anne Kirby, Theresa Jolley, Bridget Dujardin Sarah Roberts, Tanya Swanson for Rainbow Reflection at the East Milton Deck, the Manning Community Park, Therese Desmond and Danielle McKnight for Totems at the East Milton Deck, Manning Community Park,  Erin Carberry and Kerry Kelly for Fairy Village at the Milton Art Center, and Erin Hellmuth for Tree-asures with a creative boost from Jackrabbit designers  Chris Arinez and Tazuko Sugajima.

To our wonderful sponsors, thank you for sharing your resources. Your donation allowed us to give children the opportunity to make a positive change in their community. We could not have done this project without the support of the Milton Cultural Council, the local chapter of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, The Falconi Company, The Milton Junior Woman’s Club, The Milton Woman’s Club, and Jackrabbit Design. We’d also like to thank the supporters of the Backyard Barbecue, The Milton Chamber of Commerce, Abby Park, Cypress Catering, Blue Hills Bank and The Milton Times for publishing our events.

This project wraps up at the Backyard BBQ Arts & Music Festival June 13, in the afternoon in the back yard of the Milton Art Center. Public welcome for this free block party event to listen to bands from Open Mic, the Roy Sludge Trio at 4pm and to participate in games and art activities such as t-shirt screen printing.

Take an art inspired walk (3.1 miles) and visit all 11 of the art projects.  Visit our Facebook page, or www.miltonartcenter.org for a list and map and details on The Backyard Barbecue. Giving children and adults the artistic tools to express their ideas is our mission at the Milton Art Center.

Thanks!

Joan Clifford

Executive Director, Milton Art Center