January Wotiz Exhibit

Saturday, January 31, 2026

TIME: LOCATION: Wotiz Gallery CONTACT: Micaela Soucy, 617.698.5757

The Friends of the Blue Hills 2025 Photo Contest Traveling Exhibit showcases winning photographs and selected submissions from this year’s community photography competition, celebrating the natural beauty, wildlife, and outdoor adventures of the Blue Hills Reservation. More than 75 photos were entered in the contest, offering a wide range of perspectives on what makes the Reservation such a treasured local resource.

A panel of 5 judges (professional photographer Matt Darcy; Peter Marotta, FBH trustee at large; Waddy Stryker, Outdoor Instructor & Manager of Special Projects with Elevate Youth; Sturdy Waterman, FBH member and owner of Page Waterman Gallery and Framing in Natick; and State Representative Richard Wells) selected the top three images in each category.

Featured works include:

Popular Vote Winner

• Coco Fall Hiker by Roxana Rubin of Canton

Be Kind! Category

• 1st: Finishing with Uncle by Macaela Vandermost of Milton
• 2nd: Dancing Mushrooms by Roxana Rubin of Canton
• 3rd: Deer at Ponkapoag Golf Course June 2025 by Richard Ortisi of Randolph

What Lives in the Blue Hills? Category

• 1st: Blue Jay Walking Trail by Justin Calka of Watertown
• 2nd: Splash of Color by William Riley of Milton (the featured image on this page)
• 3rd: Through the Veil by Jack Bruneau of Dedham

Choose Your Own Adventure Category

• 1st: End of the Line by Anne Herbst of Boston
• 2nd: Blue Hills Memories by Connor Brosnan of Norwood
• 3rd: Fall Splendor by Mary Ciccariello of Quincy

This traveling exhibit begins here at Milton Public Library for the month of January 2026, including an opening reception on Wednesday, January 7th, 6-8 pm. It then moves to Randolph Intergenerational Community Center, the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, and the Dedham Public Library for month-long showings at each location. All winning photographs can also be viewed online at friendsofthebluehills.org/2025-blue-hills-photo-contest-winners/.

This contest and exhibit are organized by the Friends of the Blue Hills (FBH), a 1,400-member nonprofit founded in the mid-1970s and dedicated to preserving and protecting the Blue Hills Reservation. FBH has spent nearly 50 years engaging the public through stewardship, advocacy, educational programming, and volunteer opportunities to maintain the Reservation’s natural beauty, diverse habitats, and recreational resources.

The Friends of the Blue Hills extend special thanks to the 2025 Photo Contest sponsor, Dedham Savings Bank, whose support made the contest and exhibit possible.

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If you’re interested in displaying your own artwork in our gallery, please visit miltonlibrary.org/explore/wotiz-gallery/ or you can contact Micaela Soucy at msoucy@milton.ocln.org.