Montana Woman Magazine, Issue No. 7, July/August 2020 by Montana Woman Magazine

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$5.00 JULY/AUGUST

montana woman m a g a z i n e

ISSUE NO 7, JULY/AUGUST 2020: SAMANTHA FRANCINE / YOU BELONG HERE.

DUSK ON THE RIVER | OIL ON CANVAS. MEGAN CRAWFORD

we are all part of the same garden T YL E R THR A S HE R

table of contents VIGNETTES |

SILVER BELLY DREAMS

Rain fell from the summer sky

SYMMETRY

Summers in the East and West

FOOD & SPIRITS |

ERIN BELMONT

House of Ferments

CORN SALSA

Simple & fresh for summer

DAZED & CONFUSED

A bourbon & watermelon refresher

ART & DESIGN |

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Scout-inspired cross stitch

MAKE GOOD

Creativity in the time of covid

PARIS GIBSON SQUARE

A call to action

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42 54 66

KALICO / ART FOR ALL

SAMANTHA FRANCINE / YOU BELONG HERE

MARCEDES CARROLL / FROM THE DIVIDE

LIFE |

THINK FOR YOURSELF, DARLING

Humanism & ceremony

I AM A RACIST

Embracing humility in a time of uncertainty

DON'T LOSE YOUR CHARM

Keep your magic

LYNN LINDSAY

A mother, a daughter, and a Montana dream

LIFE IS GOOD

Rooted in mindfulness

ACTIVE & OUTDOOR |

HEALING POWER OF ADVENTURE

Get outside

WELLNESS |

THE QUALIT Y OF SELF CARE

A holistic approach

KALISPELL REGIONAL

Spot check: skin cancer prevention

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NORTH VALLEY

Looking ahead to summer

LAKE MCDONALD, HAND COLORED SILVER GELATIN | MEGAN CRAWFORD mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

montana woman

OWNER & EDITOR

megan crawford

Montana Woman is a platform. It’s a place to celebrate our achievements, a place to support each other, a place to acknowledge the resilience of the women of this state. It doesn’t necessarily matter where you’re from, you’re here now. In all of your loudness, your boldness, your fearlessness— you are here. We’re here, together. We publish a statewide magazine every other month that features women across Montana— the movers and shakers, the go-getters, the rule-breakers, the risk-takers. We all have a story to tell.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

megan crawford

BUSINESS MANAGER

carrie crawford

Montana Woman Magazine as you know it began in October 2019. Right out of the gate with photographer Alexis Pike as the first cover feature— clad in fringe pants and a motorcycle helmet in a Bozeman alleyway— we’ve always been authentically ourselves. We believe in showing up as you are. You don’t need to change who you are to have a seat at the table. No matter your age, your identity, your hometown, you are welcome here. We believe in creating a publication that’s worth reading because we have stories worth telling.

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Contact the editor at info@montanawoman.com or (406)260-1299. Submissions are not accepted through the phone, postal service, or social media.

Montana Woman is a registered trademark and may not be used without permission. The information contained in this magazine is provided as is. Neither Montana Woman or the publisher make any representation or warranty with respect to this magazine or the contents thereof and do hereby disclaim all express and implied warranties to the fullest extent permitted by law. Montana Woman and the publisher do not endorse any

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letter from the editor

he original draft for this Letter from the Editor from early May was nice. It was reminiscent of days on the river, long hikes in the sun, and snapshots of my childhood in California— the scent of jasmine, collecting broken seashells, a tangled mess of saltwater hair. But that’s all it was— nice— which is why I scrapped it and wrote the letter you’re reading now. Yes, it’s summer in Montana, but the world exists beyond the rivers and mountains. It would be a disservice to act like nothing is happening, to publish an issue business as usual. Racism is nothing new, and that’s part of the problem. Demanding that Black, Indigenous, and people of color be treated the same as White Americans is nothing new. This has been going on in America for 400 years (as a reminder, America has only officially been a country for a mere 244 years)— a lot of us are just now finally catching up. There’s been a slew of arguments against the George Floyd protests— “I haven’t dealt with racism, it’s not a problem. There isn’t racism in Montana. All of the protesters are from out of state, this isn’t Montana.” It goes on. Here’s the thing, though: this is Montana. Both sides. There is racism in Montana. It’s a fallacy to deny that. There are also people who are doing something about it— people who were born and raised here, people who moved here from out of state— this is Montana. To deny racism’s existence is privilege. To claim Montana doesn’t have racism is privilege. To go to your local farmer’s market and have dinner on the front lawn of a bank is privilege. To not have to think about the color of your skin at all is privilege.

And now, I want to take this letter to apologize. I should have been learning, reading, donating, and listening a long time ago. I fully acknowledge that. I was wrongly under the impression that I was doing enough and damn, was I wrong. I knew only a handful of the names that came before George Floyd. I knew a cherrypicked history of the United States from history classes. And, if the black squares on Instagram taught me anything, they taught me that my social feeds were incredibly White. I will do better. Montana Woman will do better. Since I took over in October 2019, the magazine has been a safe space. But being a safe space goes beyond saying it— you have to put the work in. It’s easy enough to say you’re inclusive, but what good is inclusivity without action? We all have to do what we can, whatever that may be. Maybe you’re protesting! Maybe you have to stay home for health concerns, so you share resources through your social platform. Maybe you’re an artist creating craftivism or designing resource guides. Maybe you’re reading literature by Black authors or listening to podcasts or having difficult conversations with yourself, your friends, or your family. There is no one way to be an activist/ally— find your niche and run. We cannot change the past, but we can come together to nurture a better future for everyone. After all, the preamble of the United States Constitution begins with “We the People.” What good is We if it’s exclusive? You belong here.

Since the heinous murder of George Floyd, I’ve been learning, reading, donating, and listening. mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

contributors KELSEY WEYERBACHER

SYDNEY MUNTEANU

STEPHANIE EVANS

CARRIE CRAWFORD

CHLOE NOSTRANT

NICOLE DUNN

we all have a story to tell. MEAGAN SCHMOLL

NICOLE MARIA EVANS

SARAH HARDING

KIM COVILL

AUTUMN TOENNIS

JESSLYN MARIE

KRIS SELL

MINDY COCHRAN PHOTO BY KIRALEE JONES

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MANI Since October 2019, Montana Woman has been, and always will be, an open platform. This is a publication for the real, come-as-you-are Montana. The undercurrents, the change-makers, the risk-takers, the movers & shakers. You do not need to change who you are to have a seat at the table. No matter your age, your race, your hometown, your identityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; you are welcome here. Montana is for all of us, for everyone. Whether you were born & raised here, you moved here, you visited, or you dream of visiting. We create a publication thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth reading because we all have stories worth telling. Welcome to the table.

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F S T: mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

FOOD & SPIRITS |

Erin Belmont

house

fer ments

BY KIM COVILL

arrive at the House of Ferment’s vendor stall at the farmer’s market in Hamilton, Montana, around 8AM on a chilly but clear, bright-blueskied day. It’s early May, and dandelions and tulips already adorn the grass in downtown Hamilton. This is the first market of the season, and it’s not a normal season by any means— the state of Montana has been in lockdown for about two months due to covid-19. 50 miles to the north, the city of Missoula will not be opening their farmer’s market for another couple of weeks, at least. Erin Belmont, owner and founder of House of Ferments, is excited for market season, but doesn’t know what this year, in particular, will look like. “We’re still doing decent business,” she says when asked about how covid-19 has affected House of Ferments. “I’m a little bummed we can’t hand out samples, but hopefully we’ll be able to in a month or two.” She goes on to tell me that samples are a big part of how she sells products to new customers at market. Though kombucha, a fermented tea made from yeast and a culture of bacteria, has been in the limelight of the health food craze for several years now, it

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is still not a mainstream beverage. “The AppleSpice flavor is kind of the gateway kombucha for people,” Erin says of one of the specific flavors we have on tap today. It is sweet, bubbly, and tastes a lot like apple pie. Due to social distance protocols, only half of the vendors that make up a “normal” market are present today. There’s a mild air of nervousness among folks setting up their tents and tables. Along with this being the first market of the season and folks having to work out the kinks that naturally arise after winter dormancy, is the question of covid-19. Erin and I wear masks, though not all the vendors, nor all the patrons, do. Erin asks me to wrap the kombucha kegs with large ice packs she has brought in a cooler. She hands me what appears to be an old, sunfaded set of waders with the legs cut off, and an equally old and faded LL Bean puffy vest. “These’ll support the ice packs,” she says. Then, noticing my amused expression, she adds, “I got ‘em at a thrift store, what can I say?” I dress the kegs like children, which they resemble, albeit with little taps for heads.

We clear foam from the taps by pouring the kombucha into jars to sip. Along with the AppleSpice, today we have a Ginger and a GingerBeet kombucha on tap. “You have to like beets to enjoy this one,” Erin says of the Ginger-Beet, a bright purple-red liquid. I do like beets, and promptly pour some for myself. It is beet-y and ever-refreshing. It tastes like beets and earth, with a twang of ginger that adds a sort-of-tangy, sortof-sweet touch.

IMAGE BY JAKUB KAPUSNAK

Erin started House of Ferments with her partner Matt in 2016, after their fermenting hobby began to take over their kitchen. Five years later, her kitchen still resembles an ancient apothecary, with jars of variously colored liquids crowding the kitchen counter and refrigerator space. Since 2016, House of Ferments has grown from distributing to a few local businesses in the Bitterroot Valley to now include upwards of 20 businesses who distribute her products in Missoula, Whitefish, Salmon, Idaho, and Driggs, Idaho. Previously, Erin had been working as an environmental consultant and restoration ecologist throughout the state of Montana. She has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of Vermont. She has overseen floodplain and riparian zone restoration projects and has planted thousands of trees in reforestation efforts. A year before she started House of Ferments, not only was she was working

long hours and traveling away from home for weeks at a time, she was also working at a number of Superfund sites, which she said exhausted her. “We were working in areas where no plants could grow at all due to the toxicity of the soils, and we had no [personal protective equipment],” she recalls. In 2016, she left her steady-paying job to open her own business. “Something was always drawing me back to food,” she said of her decision to switch careers. “[I am interested in] where food comes from, how we choose to consume it, and its impact on the environment and our bodies…Being a local value-added food producer is one small thing I can do to ‘save the world’; supporting my local food economy, helping to create a resilient community, and feeding people real food.” Erin went on to take an intensive five-day course, “The Art of Fermentation,” with author and fermentation-extraordinaire Sandor Katz at Sterling College in Craftsbury, Vermont. “I love fermentation because it is a blend of science, art, and culture. You have to understand the science behind the process first and foremost. Then you can get creative, working with a variety of flavors, herbs, and vegetables. You can really go anywhere with it,” she says. Erin has four different sauerkrauts: Original, Classic, Sammy Star, and Little Polish Girl. The Original was the first sauerkraut recipe she produced. Along with cabbage, the Original includes shredded carrots, ginger, and garlic. The Classic is a more traditional mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

recipe of cabbage, salt, and caraway seed, while the Sammy Star is yet another variation of those two with peppercorns added. Little Polish Girl is made using red cabbage and includes a sweet surprise of shredded apples. Erin goes on to explain how culture fits into her craft: “Every culture in the world has, at once point in history or another, had some form of fermented food in their diet. In learning how to ferment different foods, you are learning about other cultures and foods from throughout the world.” She makes note of her Polish descent, adding that her Little Polish Girl sauerkraut variety was named after the particular heritage she identifies with. Erin sells up to ten varieties of fermented products, including kombucha. Kimchi, a spicy, fermented mixture that originated in Korea and is made up of Napa Cabbages as the main ingredient, plus various spices, is her biggest seller. She also cans brine, the liquid leftover after canning either sauerkraut or kimchi. Brine can be used to marinate meats or added to soups, or it can be sipped for a quick rush of electrolytes. New this season is Beet Kvass, a deep, dark purple liquid made from fermenting beets. Erin describes it as a health tonic— high in electrolytes, good for the digestive system and the liver specifically. She has also created a firey hot sauce from peppers grown by a local farmer friend. 14

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While her business grew out of two main passions, locally grown food and the fermentation process, a third passion was also at play, though not as obvious as the others: spending time outdoors. “I do it all for the lifestyle,” she laughs. But she doesn’t merely “spend time” outdoors; she has at least one extreme sport she dedicates herself to each season. In the winter months, she snowboards at a local ski area, often showing up for “first chair,” meaning to be among the first people (other than ski patrollers and lift operators) allowed to go up the chairlift at the beginning of the day. The first chair crowd is usually early for one thing: fresh powder. Erin has competed in the Smash Life Banked Slalom race four times, held annually at Lost Trail Powder Mountain just south of Sula, Montana, on the Montana-Idaho border. Smash

Life brings snowboarders from across the Pacific Northwest to compete for a chance to qualify to race at the Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom in Washington State. She has also competed in the Bitterroot Mushers sprint skijoring race with her dog, Omi, for the past two seasons, decreasing her times on each run. In the summer, she road bikes, and occasionally competes in local races. She has participated in “RATPOD,” or, “Ride Around the Pioneers in One Day” four times. RATPOD is an annual road bike race that raises money for Camp Mak-A-Dream, which works to provide cancer survivors with outdoor experiences to help them move beyond their diagnosis. She also goes on multi-day raft trips on wilderness rivers across the west, fishes, and backpacks. Her business is as much about local, healthy, delicious foods as it is about living a certain lifestyle that is common among west-central Montana residents. The most important reason she gets outside, however, is not for her personal health and wellbeing, but for Omi’s, who she has had for about two years now. “I was dog-less for about a year,” she explains. She’d had a dog, Buster, who passed away due to old age. When she told her partner that she was interested in getting a dog again, he questioned her ability to take care of it. “‘You don’t have time for a dog,’ he told me. And I just

realized, I’m not the type of person who’s ever going to have time.” Omi motivates her and keeps her accountable. “I can push my own well-being aside,” she says of her tendency to work long hours, “but I can’t push his aside. He forces me to take a break. And usually, those breaks involve getting exercise outside.” Getting outside and staying active are essential for personal well-being, as is eating a variety of fresh food in one’s diet. It seems very feasible that Erin gleans her energy and passion from the food she eats, and from breathing fresh air with Omi. While the future is uncertain for everyone at this historical moment in time, House of Ferments is still operating strong to provide their community with nourishing food products. “Being wellnourished seems to make all the difference,” Erin says, smiling and almost on the verge of laughter. “Good food equals a good attitude.” HOUSE OF FERMENTS houseofferments.com @the_fermentologist KIM COVILL is an outdoor educator, adventurer,

and dog-mom extraordinaire living in westcentral Montana.

mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

FOOD & SPIRITS |

from the kitchen of

house

fer ments

power breakfast bowl Leftover rice (I prefer sushi rice) Farm fresh egg House of Ferments Kimchi Fresh spinach or other greens (mustard, arugula, spicy salad mix) Pea shoots Heat skillet over mediumhigh heat. Add butter to coat the pan. Place rice in skillet and smash down with a spatula so that a medium thin rice patty forms in half the pan. Drizzle kimchi brine on top of rice and let set till underside begins to brown and crisp up. Flip rice patty and repeat. Meanwhile, fry egg in same pan until desired doneness (alternatively you could poach or soft boil the egg).

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2 mint leaves ½ ounce fresh apple juice 1 lime wheel 1 ½ ounces apple vodka 2 ounces House of Ferments Ginger Kombucha 1 spring mint for garnish Candied ginger for garnish In mixing glass, muddle the mint leaves, apple juice, and lime. Add ice and the vodka. Stir until chilled. Double-strain into a double rocks glass, and top with the kombucha. Garnish with a sprig of mint and candied ginger.

IMAGE BY NORDWOOD

When rice patty is crispy, place in bowl and sprinkle with rice vinegar, add egg, kimchi, spinach, and peashoots (spinach can be sautéed or enjoyed raw).

apple ginger punch

the

Leave No Trace Seven Principles

1. Plan ahead and prepare 2. Travel & camp on durable surfaces 3. Dispose of waste properly 4. Leave what you find 5. Minimize campfire impacts 6. Respect wildlife 7. Be considerate of other visitors IMAGE BY JAMES FITZGERALD

™

FOOD & SPIRITS |

corn salsa BY MEGAN CRAWFORD

This simple recipe is from our wonderfully 1970s “Recipe Collector” binder. The one that holds a slew of index card recipes from friends, newspapers, parties— all in different styles of handwriting, some yellowed, some with ingredients stained into the paper. This particular recipe came from a baby shower where my mom knew hardly anyone, so she befriended the dish of corn salsa (which, as her daughter, I now understand where I get that from). Fresh and vibrant for summer, this corn salsa is a perfect outdoor dish (or great to take to a party where you don’t know anyone). You can opt for fresh corn, add in some cilantro, switch up the peppers— make it your own!

INGREDIENTS 2 cans niblets corn 1 red pepper, chopped 1/2 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup olive oil 1/4 cup lemon juice 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper Make the salsa the night before. Add 4 cubed avocados before serving.

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dazed & confused

m o nt a n a w o ma n ma g a zi ne | is s ue 7

BY MEAGAN SCHMOLL

| FOOD & SPIRITS

ere we are. The pleasure of the Summer garden and outdoor picnics, fresh vegetables, fruit, and the smell of dirt after it rains. The days are now long, and it feels good to breathe in the present warmth after such a cold, unknown Spring. The future has always been unknown, but the poignancy of that has struck home in this recent catastrophic spiral of events. Each day moving through contrasting moments of quiet and chaos, inner angst making itself known via tumultuous outer expressions. With those moments in mind, “Dazed & Confused” seemed a fitting name for this issue’s cocktail. Its cooling effect of watermelon & mint is complemented by the warming of cinnamon and whiskey. The combination of flavors balances the senses and creates a pleasing moment in the present, a mini vacation, if you will. Salud— I hope this cocktail gives you refreshment too!

method

ingredients

Combine mint leaves with cinnamon syrup and gently muddle. Add remaining ingredients and ice. Shake it like you mean it and strain over fresh ice, crushed if possible. Garnish with a healthy bouquet of mint and sip while absorbing the Summer sensations.

• 2 oz Four Roses Bourbon Yellow Label • 1.5 oz *Watermelon Juice • 0.5 oz *Rich Cinnamon Syrup • 0.25 oz Lemon Juice • Mint

watermelon juice Blend Watermelon in a food processor or blender and strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Bottle and use within 3 days.

rich cinnamon syrup

• 2 Cinnamon Sticks Muddled • 1 Cup of Hot Water • 2 Cups of Sugar Muddle Cinnamon sticks in a small saucepan, add hot water, stir, cover & let sit for 10 minutes. Add sugar, turn heat on to low, stirring intermittently until sugar is dissolved. Turn heat off and let cool. Strain, label, date & refrigerate.

MEAGAN SCHMOLL , also known as Raskol Drink, has

been crafting drinks drenched in history, lore, greed, and thirsty people since 2011. Currently residing in the Flathead Valley, Meagan is the Cocktail Creator for Abruzzo & Tupelo Grille as well as a Spirits Educator / Drink Creator for any and all who wish in the Rocky Mountains and beyond.

mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

THE GREAT OUTDOORS a cross stitch pattern BY MEGAN CRAWFORD

I have always had a soft spot for scouting and its history. From my brief stint of being a Girl Scout (until everyone moved away shortly after becoming a Junior) to enjoying the 1960s color palette of Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom to adorning my jackets with vintage patches, I love it all. And it’s not like I was a top-notch Girl Scout— I did sell a decent share of cookies, but I earned a camping badge by sleeping in a tent in a backyard in suburban California. I wasn’t a scout in the traditional “can build a perfect campfire and tie any knot,” I was a scout at heart. I think my main takeaway from being a Girl Scout (apart from how classically delicious the cookies are) is that it’s important to never stop learning and exploring— however that may look. To not be afraid to try something new, whether it’s picking up a new hobby, hiking a new trail, or making a new friend (this sounds sappy, but I think we can agree that making friends as a not-kid is hard). So, I wanted to have a multi-layered pattern for this issue. You can stitch the pattern out just as it is, you can make the colors whatever you want (black thread on white cloth, a rainbow sleeping bag, make it yours!), you could take one item and make hand-stitched merit badges. Whether you do something with this pattern or not, I hope you can instill some of the scouting principles in yourself: to be honest, fair, trustworthy, helpful, and kind. It’s something we could all use more of, especially now. If you do enjoy the great outdoors this summer, please remember to respect the space and leave no trace.

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To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS

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ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY ALEX KRUGLI

◌ size: 100w x 99h, roughly 5.5˝w x 5.5˝h ◌ cloth: fiddler’s cloth, 18 count ◌ 2 strands for main stitch, 1 strand for backstitch 24

dmc thread

◌ embroidery floss, 1 skein per color ◌ 18 count Aida (or whatever count you prefer) ◌ 6˝ embroidery hoop at the smallest ◌ needle & scissors

specs

◀

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VIGNETTE |

silvEr b e l ly drEaMs BY CHLOE NOSTRANT

ain fell from the summer sky, turning the light silver belly felt of our hats dark grey. Dancing on the valley floor between snowcapped mountains and blue ribbon streams, we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay much mind to the rain. The wet earthy smell of rain mixed with the sweet, smoky aromatic flavor of the BBQ that was tended to by a couple of old ranchers. We could only get as close as the brims of our cowboy hats allowed. Too close and the hats would graze each other, playfully threatening to off-center the other. The ground became saturated and with each step we slid through the mud causing us to carefully draw out our twostep. We held each other tighter, not wanting to lose the other to the soggy loam. We twirled and dipped between pairs of locals doing the same. A little rain would never ruin a valley cookout, especially the first one of the summer. My mind drifted off to the beginning when we first met, when we first danced. I was never a dancer but from the moment I met you, you made me one. We danced our way through long nights

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and dark bars. We took breaks from dancing to tell each other stories or get hustled in pool by old ladies. We tried on cowboy hats from a hat maker in Wyoming. Standing in the back of her old work trailer, we consulted each other on which felt crown was most appropriate to sit upon our heads. I was never a good enough dancer to let my mind wander while we moved. My mind was snapped back to our dance by a clumsy misstep. My ears tuned into the song, it was nearing the end. The rain was easing up and the old ranchers stood over the racks of ribs, admiring their work. Holding on to my hat with hand and you with the other, you dipped me back for our grand finale. When the last chord rang out, reality came rushing back inâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;it was all over. Just as the storm had ended and its puddles were to be dried up by the July sun, the dance ended and those moments evaporated into fragile memories. The hats would be hung up, the BBQ eaten, the band packed up, the clothes dried and you gone. All that would be left would be me, lost in my silver belly dreams.

CHLOE NOSTRANT is a writer, photographer, and artist (among other things) from Livingston, Montana. Finding stories in Montanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vast landscapes, winding rivers, and saloons, she pulls inspiration from the characters born of these circumstances. Curious with how a place dictates the people, she travels around Montana and the American West documenting its people and places (and fishing its streams).

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ART & DESIGN |

CURATED BY MEGAN CRAWFORD

Creativity is one of my cornerstones. I’m an artist first and foremost— I make art, I teach art, I rely on art. Through quarantine, more people are realizing the extent that art can help, that creativity is a necessity, and that a lot of us have been pushing it aside for a while now. With the world slowing down to a halt and people working from home or reinventing how they work altogether, we’ve looked toward creativity— the simple act of making something, anything. Creating offers control— you can make whatever you want, and you can make it how you want. With so much of life being a looming question mark, creating has welcomed an answer, a sense of control, an emotional release. While some of us put pressure on ourselves to make something “perfect,” art does reduce stress. It can help lower anxiety. It welcomes you to focus on something else— to give your brain the break it needs. The following pages hold the works of people from across the country: what they’ve made in quarantine and how creating has helped them. Even if you don’t see yourself as an “artist,” I hope that these pages inspire you to create. Create anything, make good. Art is for all.

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BAKING BEADING KNITTING PAINTING PRINTMAKING PYROGRAPHY SEWING SILVERSMITHING STAINED GLASS WATERCOLOR WOODWORKING

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Julia Dobie

Having reduced access to supplies and materials has forced me to be much more deliberate when designing new pieces. There’s much less room for error when supplies can’t be replenished as often! Metalsmithing continues to provide a therapeutic outlet, needed distraction, and allows me to share some normalcy with my community during such an unprecedented time. thirdhandsilversmith.com @thirdhandsilversmith

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Gloria GoĂąi Baking. I am a strong believer that flour, water, butter, and sugar will get us out of this mess, or at least make staying at home a little bit more bearable. During this pandemic, my life has seemed somewhat insignificant, knowing people are dying and others are risking their lives to save them. That being said, baking has helped me stay sane as I stay at home in hopes of saving others myself. It is a small cost to pay. I have played around in the kitchen like a little kid concocting my own recipes for sourdough cinnamon rolls, sourdough pancakes, sourdough bread, apple pies, and strawberry rhubarb galettes. It has given me something to look forward to each day and goals as I seek to perfect my recipes. And of course, these delicious treats keep morale up in the household, which is important when living in such close quarters. gloriagoni.com @glogoni

Kendall Roth

A day after I returned from France— while studying there— my boyfriend’s twin brother was getting married. I couldn’t attend the wedding because I had to self-quarantine for 14 days. I was so sad to miss it, and the wedding was so much smaller than they planned. My boyfriend brought home loads of leftovers and wedding flowers. I decided, as a gift to the happy couple, to make them cyanotypes out of their wedding flowers and then have the dried flowers framed as well. I had fun creating these because it gave me something to do and was a great way to show them I care and I support their love even if I couldn’t be there in person. I also had fun teaching my boyfriend about the process and seeing his amazement at the whole thing! kendallrothphotography.com @kendallrothphotography

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Meredith Baird At the beginning of quarantine, fear and anxiety kept me from doing much at all. I slowly worked out of that funk by forcing myself to do simple tasks that were required, like walking my dog. Watching nature come alive on these walks provided much inspiration. Among growing flowers and budding trees, the flutter, flurry, and chirping of birds caught my attention most. Their celebration of the changing, new spring season was the best symbol of hope I could imagine, so I created a stained glass pattern of a bird in flight and affectionately named it my “Free Bird.” This design seems to resonate with many people right now. I’ve been busy making Free Birds every chance I get! I am so grateful for such a wonderful response. Keeping my hands busy with this craft has been a gift and lifted my spirit beyond measure during this crazy time! etsy.com/shop/goldenhourglassco @goldenhour_glassco

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Wendy Gray

Eating with the seasons, growing/ making herbal tonics and teas, spending as much time in nature as possible, painting her when I can’t be in it and even knitting hats/sweaters with all natural fibers that smell like the earth. I call myself a “farmartisan” and there are so many of us in our little mountain town. Living off the land as much as we can, being respectful of the earth and teaching others to do the same. It’s a simple life but a beautiful one. We grow our own food and fibers and share them with anyone who will let us. @_cabinjam_ @polyfacefarm

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My mother’s sewing kit was a small straw box, complete with a sock pincushion, a multi-pack of jig-sawed threads, and a lid tied on by two small rose ribbons at the back. It came out every year for all of my Halloween costumes, for curtains, and for small adjustments to clothes that just needed the straps shortened. When I left for college, she upgraded to a larger box and the old one traveled on into adulthood with me. I didn’t touch it much for years, only occasionally to patch a hole in my jeans or close up tears in pillowcases. Mid-March, I lost both of my jobs within twenty-four hours of each other and joined millions of other people in unemployment and isolation. I suddenly found myself with a surplus of time on my hands that I hadn’t had since I was a kid. Somewhere in the middle of reading as many books as I could, conquering a fear of bread yeast, and scrolling through promoted ads of spring dresses on Instagram, I decided to sew a skirt. I acquired the fabric in a Scarlett O’Hara fashion; a few yards of yellow printed cotton that had been bought to be curtains a couple years back. With some help I laid it out, watched a YouTube tutorial on circle skirts, measured, and made the necessary cuts before settling in at my desk, where I would sit and do nothing else for three days. During the last few months that we’ve all been in isolation, it seems like we’ve turned back the clock on the way we do a few things. The internet, our chronicle

Autumn Toennis

of this era, is full of examples: people learning to bake for the first time, to grow vegetables or flowers from seed, to write letters instead of emails, to craft a gourmet dinner themselves instead of sitting down in a restaurant. With time slowed and space confined, it feels like we are coming closer to the motions of our lives, whether it is slicing into a warm loaf that comes from your oven and not the store, or watching a piece of fabric transform into something you can wear out on the town (eventually). I don’t have a sewing machine; every single stitch that holds this skirt together was sewn by hand. When I closed up the waistband at the end—hiding the opening the way my mother had taught me—I put it on, feeling absolute delight as the fabric flared out from my waist. It looked as if it could have been bought from a shop, and I wore it proudly out the next time I had to leave the house for essentials. This time, while uncertain, has given me unexpected moments to tune into my imagination. I am grateful for them—and for the ability to create using old traditions; in this case with some help from an heirloom sewing kit, as I wait in anticipation of what comes next. etsy.com/shop/AutumnMarieArt @autumn_toennis

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Kassade Lemhouse

I was born and raised in Dillon, MT. I am a single mom to my wonderful son, Brooks. During my pregnancy with Brooks, I dreamed up the brand b&me design. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t entirely sure what I was going to make under this brand, but I knew it would be jewelry related.Â During the craziness that is covid-19, I decided it was time to launch b&me design and get onto a creative track to stay sane! I started making Miyuki seed bead earrings and fell in love with the process. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something almost meditative and therapeutic about the repetitive motion and learning how to paint a picture with beads. Creating and sharing through Instagram has helped me to build an incredible and encouraging community of other artists and friends. Creating has allowed me to take control of a piece of my life and see that even little steps each day can turn into something beautiful. bybandmedesign.etsy.com @b.and.me.design

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Jenna Forest

The persona of artist is a relatively new identity for me. Last year, with a sudden bout of courage, I walked away from my career as a Science Support Carpenter in Antarctica and started my venture as a pyrography (i.e. wood burning) artist.

This past summer, my happiness soared as I cruised Montana’s scenic highways en route to various art shows being held around the state. I felt uplifted; encouraged by the love and support I received from my fellow Montanans. When the Corona 19 virus struck, I was preparing for another beautiful summer filled with art and travel and conversation with strangers. My disappointment was severe as one letter after another began to arrive, notifying me of cancelled events; just when I had begun my new career, found a new future. During these uncertain times, I’ve had to try and hold tight to my art. Not solely as a trickling income, but as a symbol of hope and serenity. One piece in particular has helped me maintain my sanity in a time of immense frustration. It was a large slab of wood, an encouraging commission. I had just begun the creative process on this piece when Montana announced the virus’s arrival. In my shop, alone with my thoughts and my tools, I went about the laborious task of turning my intentions into art. Slowly and meticulously, I drew the heated metal tip along the circular rings of that spalted maple beauty. Just like incense turning to ash in a Hindu temple, the smell of slow-burning wood took me to a holy place. A place where death and politics no longer consumed the world. In the quiet moments, while embracing the creative process of that piece, I came to one conclusion: I may have little to no control over what happens in the future; I may lose my income and certain securities; but I can always find within myself a power of mind and a stillness of hand to create something beautiful in my life. Because I am, and will always be, an artist. truesouthwooddesigns.com @truesouthwooddesigns mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

Amanda Krolczyk

I am a Montana artist and mother living with her family in Missoula, MT. I graduated from the University of Montana with my BFA in ceramics and sculpture In 2014 and was fortunate enough to work inside my degree ever since. I have managed two galleries in Missoula, been unbelievably blessed to teach ceramics to children and adults with disabilities, and now own and operate my own business making and selling my art. I am a ceramicist by training and a woodworker by accident. What I mean by that is I was happily teaching ceramics and making sculpture on the side for myself, when suddenly I had people requesting Wood sculptures from me.

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I knew I had to take a terrifying leap into supporting myself as a full time artist when I did, (before kids and buying a house) or I never would. I am happy to report, three years in Plaid Beaver Co. is still going strong even in these crazy times. What has blown me away is the outpouring of support for artists through all is. Artists have been supporting each other like never before. People who have always wanted to buy art have come out of the woodwork (no pun intended) and collectors are buying new pieces to add to their collections. Now more than ever I am grateful to live in the most beautiful place on earth. I am grateful to own my own business that allows me to be with my two sweet daughters and express myself artistically. plaidbeaver.co @plaidbeaverco

Kelsey Dzintars The inspiration for this piece started with a few words from a poem I heard as we entered the Coronavirus lockdown in Montana. I let it go from there, painting day to day intuitively without a clear vision. Painting in this way has helped me feel comfortable with uncertainty and simply feel into each moment as it comes. The overall result, I think, is fairly indicative of the whirlwind of thought and emotion we’ve all experienced in the past few months and the unrelenting presence of beauty through chaos and covered faces. “Being” acrylic on wood panel, 16x20 kelseydzintars.com @kdzintars_art

Thank you to everyone who submitted work! We received an overwhelming amount of entires and will hopefully expand this throughout a few issues. If you have work you’d like to share with us or know an artist, let us know at info@montanawoman.com

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KA L I CO

art for all art for all art for all BY MEGAN CRAWFORD

The beauty of contemporary art is that it can mean something totally different viewer to viewer. With traditional paintings (baroque, renaissance, and the like), people have pretty much come to an agreement on a meaning. But contemporary art is a mirror, not a book— what you see is you, whether it’s a manifestation of you or simply what you see in a painting. The art world is oftentimes a bubble. It’s inaccessible to many, it can be (and usually is) elitist, and there are sub-cliques within the greater clique of art. But what if you did away with the old system? What if, instead of pitting artists against each other and “non-artists,” you leveled the playing field? An open, unpretentious space for anyone, any age, any skill. Put that in northwestern Montana and you have Kalico Art Center.

OFF THE DEEP END (DETAIL), HEIDI MARIE FAESSEL ACRYLIC PAINT & SPRAY PAINT ON CANVAS, 96�X60� mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

ART & DESIGN |

In a state where Western art is bread & butter and anything outside of the genre is often shrugged off, it’s exciting to see contemporary art spaces pop up. But still, it’s common practice for galleries to be exclusive. As a young woman in art, I know this first-hand. I’ve been turned away from galleries because they hear “photographer” and immediately discount you (if they welcome photography at all), I’ve been told that I don’t know what I’m talking about because I’m young and a woman, I’ve been mistaken as a lab tech and not an instructor— you get the idea. So, when I first walked into Kalico in December 2019 and met Alisha Shilling, Kalico’s Director, I knew this was different. Right off the bat, we talked about being artists in Montana, which doesn’t have the same platforms you see on the east and west coasts. We talked about being women in art and business, about photography, workshops— and I was just someone that walked in. … Since the Kalispell holiday stroll in December, a few things have changed. I met with Alisha and Michell Wang, Kalico’s Operational Manager, in early March. They were supposed to have their soft opening on March 27th, but the State of Emergency had just been declared. Not long after our meeting, Montana was put on lockdown. There were workshops planned, poetry slams, pottery classes— all canceled at a moment’s notice. They switched gears and prepped curbside pottery and art kits, but when they were deemed nonessential (which eliminated curbside orders/ pickup), Kalico had to pivot again. They worked with local artists and created downloadable coloring pages, hosted online Drink n’ Draws, and revamped their entire website. One of the hurdles, Shilling noted, was holding space among the swarm of businesses and organizations that released free content— The MET, the MoMA, the Getty, to name a few— a slew of museums that released free online collections, videos, and classes. How do you stand out in a sea of free materials, especially when it’s a lot harder for you to create and release free content? 44

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So Virtual Drink n’ Draws became a weekly staple at Kalico. With different open-ended prompts (as opposed to drawing a set subject along with an instructor), they made a space for everyone. But, back to the basics: what is Kalico? When I first heard about it in the fall of 2019, I was told that it was going to be a funky, new art space. And while Kalico is funky and new, it goes so much deeper. “[Kalico is] a community nonprofit art space for people of all ages and abilities to connect, create, and experience art through dynamic classes, workshops, exhibitions, and more,” Wang explains. “We’ve been working on the more part,” Shilling laughs. The “more” part of Kalico is a whole world of interactive elements— from their take and paint pottery to a walk-in pottery studio, welcome to anyone. “That’s also why I like Drink n’ Draw so much,” Wang notes. “It’s all levels… it’s fun when people surprise themselves. ‘Oh, but I can only draw a stick figure.’” “And then they draw more,” observes Shilling. That lightbulb— seeing someone realize their potential or that they are, in fact, an artist, is what drives Kalico. “The vehicle is art— inside that vehicle is the desire to build community and connections. Believing in that ability of yourself to be an artist, reconnecting to that place where you see yourself as innately creative. I think that when we can operate from that space, whether we’re a banker or a lawyer or a mother or a teacher— I think when we operate from that place… we find a lot more joy and peace in our lives.” Anyone, everyone, is inherently an artist, which is one of Kalico’s cornerstones. But art equity is a common issue— art takes time; it takes money in the form of supplies, lessons, workshops, or a degree; it takes an accessible and open gallery space. In response to school closures, Kalico partnered with the Hockaday and the library and created take-home art kits from supplies they had in anticipation of their original opening. Together, they gave out over 500 art kits. “If we can get these into the hands of kids right now,” Shilling noted, “they’re at home.” “We

the

vehicle is

art

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MASK STUDIES, TESSA HECK GOUACHE, INK ON PAPER, 12�X18�

don’t know what supplies people have at home,” Wang adds. For a while, access to art supplies was solely online, which in and of itself excludes anyone without access to the internet. On top of that, several supply websites had reduced stock. Kits from the three organizations went to five local elementary schools and the Heart Locker, a program under local nonprofit Kalispell Heart Program that acts as a donation “store” for students K-12 who struggle with homelessness. … Art, especially contemporary art, holds an important space as a platform for the now— a response to the world as it’s happening. Their inaugural show, Quarantine Dreams, opened on June 5th. Curated by Jenny Bevill, it featured Olivia Stark, Kage Harp, Kelly Moncur, Tessa Heck, and Heidi Marie Faessel. From commentaries on the masks we wear to isolation to loss, the show captured the nuances of covid-19 through the lens of contemporary art. Faessel’s Off the Deep End engulfs the viewer with its sheer size alone (96”x60”), but there’s 46

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comfort in seeing your own emotions laid out in brushstrokes— art communicates what we can’t put into words. In one of the front windows, there’s a torn and safety-pinned black t-shirt made to represent the lives lost in the covid-19 pandemic— the clothes that won’t be worn again, the empty spaces. Faessel’s Lost Time is in the corner of your eye as you walk from piece to piece, with rays of light leaking through the gaps and seams, quietly reminding you that it’s there. From a painting of a pair of lungs (Harp’s Just Breathe) to a sculpture that seems to watch your every move (Moncur’s Skeptica), it’s an exhibition that makes you feel seen. Through the vehicle of art, it’s what we’ve all been collectively, but separately, feeling— loneliness, worry, fear, and the inexplicable things that best articulate themselves through the visual form. Heck’s mask studies feel like a series of mirrors, and Stark’s abstractions capture how we can look at the same subject but walk away with different interpretations and experiences. Despite the difficulties of hosting an exhibition with state restrictions, Kalico created a safe space for the conversations we’ve been afraid to have.

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, the board looked at how they could put action and money where their talk is. “I’m proud of all of us— the board and the artists for Quarantine Dreams for having those conversations. Having space for those conversations… it’s a work environment I want to be in,” says Wang. As part of the Operations team, Shilling and Wang watched as the board worked, starting with the national level and scaling down to the local community. Continuing to work with the community, Kalico plans to create micro-grants for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) artists. “We wanted to figure out a way to keep with that mission of the intersection of art and community,” says Shilling. A call for work from BIPOC artists would have the micro-grants as a sidecar. “If you’re not able to access the materials— the canvases, the paints— if there is a hurdle for you to even get to the point to be in a show, can we remove a hurdle before the show? Maybe you already have the supplies, and [the grant] pays for your time.” … For Kalico, it was important to build a neutral, flexible space for the art community— from mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

JUST BREATHE, KAGE HARP MIXED MEDIA, 48�X60�

poetry slams to living room concerts to art shows to workshops. To have a creative hive where people can come together and feed off of each other’s works and imaginations is imperative to art. A space where you don’t have the immediate upfront cost that comes with college classes, where you can dip your toe into the art pool before you dive in headfirst. Where the community can come together and connect through art in all its forms.

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Quarantine Dreams is on display through summer 2020, and Kalico is planning a Summer Artist’s Market for the end of July. For updates on their hours, events, and paintable pottery, you can check their website at kalicoartcenter.com or sign up for their email newsletters. @kalicoartcenter kalicoartcenter.com

OFF THE DEEP END, HEIDI MARIE FAESSEL ACRYLIC PAINT & SPRAY PAINT ON CANVAS, 96�X60�

WINTER ROOST, OLIVIA STARK ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 36�X36�

EPHEMERA, KELLY MONCUR SHOULDERS 15� ; LENGTH 36�

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ART & DESIGN |

A Call to Action: PARIS GIBSON SQUARE MUSEUM OF ART

BY NICOLE MARIA EVANS | CURATOR OF ART

I sit in my office at the end of the Thayer Gallery and observe the beauty and grace of artist Vickie Meguire’s installation of little paper haikus that curl up and cling to the ends of long branches suspended from the ceiling; they dangle much in the same way that children do from their parents when they are in need of human touch and attention. The haikus are tiny wishes or maybe even little warnings of future dismay written on each small piece of paper. Each one of them plucked from a basket and meticulously placed on the end of a branch by one of our devoted members, visitors, or 3rd Grade students. Not too long ago, I observed visitors at a distance from my office, like a proper curator would, to allow the interactive moment to be natural and self-guided. I enjoyed seeing the reaction of awe and suspense when the haiku was read and slowly whispered across their lips in a private prayer— such a beautiful meditative sight. It has now been a few weeks since the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art (The Square) in Great Falls, MT has opened to the public after its closure due to covid-19 in April of this year. The Square officially opened on May 26, 2020, following the phases of integration set forth by the state, and slowly but surely, the museum has begun to stir with occasional visitors. The galleries remain particularly quiet, especially after the cancelation and postponement of some exhibitions. The opportunity visitors had to manipulate the interactive art elements from Meguire’s exhibition Boundaries…Barriers… Bridges… have been removed to maintain 50

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visitor safety from covid-19. All precautions are taken seriously for the safety of the visitors and employees of the museum. They are consistent with our museum safety protocols, and a reflection of Governor Bullock’s directives on safety. The Square may seem quiet now, but the silence within the halls of the historic building, built by Paris Gibson in 1896, is not a reflection of the actual fervor within. If you are familiar with the founding of Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art in 1977, you know that this museum came to be as the result of the tireless efforts put forth by artists and activists in our community. One being the late Jean Price, former artist activist and a member of the Montana House of Representatives, representing District 20 from 2011 to 2019, and was a force to reckon with! One could say that overcoming obstacles, social change, and transformation are a foundation of the museum’s existence. Before our doors reopened, the staff at The Square knew there was a call to action that needed to be answered. A call to reflect on what the museum represents as an organization. Our answer was to continue to connect with our community through art education, maintain relevancy through our collections and exhibitions, and protect the economic welfare of the institution and its employees. From home and on computers, while working, meeting on ZOOM, and even while managing distance learning for their children, the staff at The Square worked as a team. We addressed the call to action by keeping in mind

Vincent van Gogh, Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889, Oil on canvas, 60.5x50 cm, The Courtauld Gallery, London Object number P.1948. SC.175

Hannah Wilke, S.O.S Starification Object Series (Curlers), 1974, Gelatin Silver Print, Sheet 40x27 in, Whitney Museum of Art, Reference number 2005.33

Francisco José do Goya y Lucientes The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters (El Sueño de la Razon Produce Monstruos), plate 43 of Los Caprichos, second edition, ca. 1803, Etching and aquatint, 71/8x43/4 in, Johnson Museum of Art Cornell University, Reference 63.108

Mary Cassatt, Breakfast in Bed, 1897, oil on canvas, 23x29 in The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gerdens. Gift of the Virginia Steele Scott Foundation. Object number 83.8.6

William Harning, Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 2020, Digital photo with editing

Sarah Justice, Paint Tubes, 2020, Reimagining Hannah Wilke's S.O.S Starification Object Series (Curlers)

Nicole Evans, Sleep of Reason After Francisco Goya, 2020 Digital photograph with photo editing. Re-imagining Francisco José do Goya y Luciente The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters

Frankie Stockman, Breakfast in Bed, 2020, Digital photograph

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the challenges that the world’s new “normal” would become. Sarah Justice, Executive Director, has had the challenge of tackling the economic stability of the museum, including job security. With the support of the Board of Directors, Justice developed and imagined new ways to sustain the museum and avoid cutting jobs. She directed principal staff members to freely use their creative impulses and know-how to brainstorm ways to develop new programming through social media outreach and online education to keep the museum connected to its members and community. In this way, she facilitated ways to continue to connect with people outside of the museum, while also keeping essential staff members at the museum to maintain the historic building for its reopening. Justice explained the significance of the museum’s actions, “The greatest challenge for the museum since covid-19, was connecting to the community and finding ways to fund the museum and keep people paid. Those are the first things that come to mind in addition to securing sponsorships and deciding to host our primary fundraiser, the Annual Art Auction, online on August 29. Nerve-wracking but hopeful! At the museum, we have had to actively respond to the pandemic as a measure to keep our staff safe and keep our community engaged. We had to become creative with our resources and find new ways of reaching out. During the period of closure, we have been successful in connecting with our loyal community of members, exhibiting artists, and the community at large because of our online presence and our generosity with the public. Normally admission is free to the museum, so we offered free ways to experience art through online art studio courses or video tours of an exhibition and an artist talk. Wil Harning, our Director of Education who facilitated new online education classes, referred to something like Bilocation, being in two places at the same time— at The Square but at home. I don’t foresee the need for online interaction going away any time soon, and the challenges for the museum are far from gone. But going forward, we will continue to do this because we have had such a positive outcome.” The Square is not alone— other museums and organizations in Montana and worldwide cultural 52

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sectors are all navigating uncharted territory, virtual and actual, when it comes to responding and adapting to budget cuts and social distancing that are a direct result of covid-19. It has become apparent that the economic and social impact of the arts in society is often overlooked. In Arts and Culture are Worth Saving, published on April 18, 2020 in the Boston Globe, writer Murray Whyte informed us that according to a Bureau of Economic Analysis study released last March, more than $800 billion in arts and culture contributed to the US economy, $400 billion contributing to employment. The arts annual economic contribution to the country outweighs transportation, warehousing, and construction as one of the heavyweights of the new economy. Numbers that are often overlooked and ignored when it comes to placing value in the arts. Cultural institutions, like The Square, now face an undeniable call to action that is twofold: one that addresses the economic sustainability of the arts in conjunction with the need to foster cultural values and interconnections that address the changing needs of our community. An example of reimagining response came as a result of canceled exhibitions; this was a catalyst for empowering our permanent collection and making them relevant to today’s concerns. Taken only from our collection, the exhibitions this spring and summer will address: Montana clay history through Vessel: Formative Works by Peter Voulkos; current events through our exhibition of sculptures by Dr. Charles Smith: Black History Lesson, where the community is invited to visit and write their own experience with racism or respond to his work; and a selection of works that focus on paintings and drawings that is still being developed. In the wake of covid-19, Black Lives Matter, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, which resonates more specifically with Montana, there is a deeper understanding that The Square must develop broader and diverse relationships. Doing so will stimulate economic growth, all while communicating institutional values and principles that honor the institution’s history, remain relevant to the community, and reflect on the state of current events. In this way, there is a more genuine and human connection between the institution and the community it serves, which is now local and virtual.

see the art & make the art at the square a contemporary art museum

The Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art (The Square) in Great Falls, Montana has been exhibiting art, teaching art and supporting the development of contemporary art and artists since 1977. Housed in the historic Great Falls school built in 1896 by Paris Gibson, the founder of Great Falls. The Square is known for its exceptional rotating exhibitions showing local, regional and national contemporary artists, in addition to its outdoor sculpture garden and educational gallery programing. The museum offers outstanding onsite studio classes to the community in ceramics, printmaking, painting, drawing and more!

PARIS GIBSON SQUARE MUSEUM OF ART

1400 First Avenue North Great Falls, MT 59401 (406)727-8255 www.the-square.org www.facebook.com/PGSMOA/

HOURS OF OPERATION

Open Monday-Friday 10am to 5pm, including Tuesday Evenings 5-9pm, and Saturday Noon to 5pm. Closed Sundays and Select Holidays.

free admission!

Exhibitions presented by Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art are supported in part by the Montana Arts Council, a state agency fundedmon by the of Montana the National Endowment tanState awoman .com | and july/augus t 2 02 0 53 for the Arts. Additional funding is provided by museum members and the citizens of Cascade County, and generous support from Montana Federal Credit Union and D.A. Davidson.

FEATURE |

YOU

BELON G

HER E ARTICLE BY MEGAN CRAWFORD IMAGES BY JACI VIGIL 54

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FEATURE |

“What are you uncomfortable with?”

Wednesday, June 3rd, a group of 60-70 peaceful protesters gathered in Whitefish.

A group of Montanans, carrying signs, wearing masks, and chanting “peaceful,” were met with a tirade of hate from one man: Jay Snowden. A portion of his rage-induced verbal assault was captured by Grace Jensen, and in that three-minute video was one moment 15 seconds in. The 51-year-old White male made his way around the group, screaming profanities inches away from protesters’ faces, when he came up to Samantha Francine, a Black woman from Whitefish. Her sign has a simple plea: Say Their Names, surrounded by the names of Black men and women who have been killed by members of the police.

woman, Samantha finds herself being followed in Whitefish stores on a regular basis. “I had gotten so used to it that I even stopped caring. ‘It’s normal, it’s okay, they’re ignorant.’ But I’ve allowed that, too, so I have to take responsibility for that.” This is just the beginning, though— local and national coverage have catapulted Samantha onto an incredibly public stage, and she’s determined to use that space to keep the conversation surrounding race moving forward.

No matter who the threat is, no matter what the threat is, you look them in the eye so that they know you’re human.

With his hands in fists so tight you could see the veins in his arms, Snowden approached Francine, screaming into her face: “F*ck you! F*ck you!”. In the video that’s now made its way around the world, she lifted her sunglasses to look Snowden in the eye.

No matter who the threat is, no matter what the threat is, you look them in the eye so that they know you’re human. Growing up, Samantha Francine’s father instilled that wisdom. Instead of the usual “be safe, make friends!” a lot of us received as we left for school, Samantha’s dad taught her and her brothers how to stay safe. “If you’re grabbing something in a store, [make it so that] people know you’re not stealing,” she recalls. Even now, as a 27-year-old 56

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“This moment— having my voice heard the way that it’s being heard— is so amazing. It’s so motivating. There is the fear of what’s next, how do I keep this going? …But this doesn’t end here for me. Now that I’m here, I’m going to be here.”

Protests over the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement have been happening weekly in Montana— Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Missoula, Kalispell, Whitefish, and even a small gathering in Columbia Falls at our local Farmer’s Market. In a state that’s 89% White,1 these protests carry weight. Met with both covert and overt racist comments— this isn’t a problem in Montana; I’ve never experienced racism; I don’t have a problem; but I don’t see color; all lives matter— small town protests are vital. This is solidarity. It’s acknowledging that there are people in Montana who care, who are actively fighting against racism, who are helping to cultivate an environment that welcomes and accepts everyone.

That’s what’s so vital about the small town protests— visibility. That there are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) in these small towns, that there are allies and advocates, and that there are people who are willing and ready to listen. Visibility as a whole needs work. Across media, across platforms, and, yes, across Montana. Why is Montana 89% White? Why are White Supremacist groups still in the state? Why does a Montanan man become uncontrollably enraged at the sight of protesters asking for equality? Because racism does exist here. Denial is part of the problem. Saying that people don’t need to march in Montana is part of the problem. We can be allies, we can use our White Privilege to share the platform and promote visibility. Maybe it’s marching and protesting, maybe it’s signing petitions, donating, creating infographics, reading Black literature, learning about Black history (beyond the school standard of MLK and Rosa Parks), supporting Black businesses and artists, visibly making your business inclusive and intersectional, voting in local, state, and federal elections — there are so many venues to promote equity. As Francine urges us: “Find your niche in this and do it.” Do the work. Do the hard things. We as Montanans have a long history of being stubborn and hardworking. Imagine the possibilities if we actively apply those attributes to contemporary racism? For Samantha, it’s especially important to involve more BIPOC in city politics and local schools. “Growing up here in Whitefish, we’d get Black History Month— talk about Martin Luther King, throw a little Rosa Parks in there, and that’s it. You talk about the same stories every year for twelve years, and then what?” I received my History minor from Montana State University, but looking at my bookshelf of coursebooks, there is only one about Black America: Radio Free Dixie by Timothy B. Tyson. Written about Robert F. Williams, an American civil rights leader and author, best known for serving as the leader of the Monroe, North Carolina chapter of the NAACP, I keep wondering: Why didn’t I learn about him before my junior year of college? If Black history isn’t even being taught at the collegiate level in history classes, where is it being taught?

IMAGE BY GRACE JENSEN

It’s not, and that is part of the problem. There are so many sectors that need work, and that’s why protests in rural America do matter. This isn’t just something that needs to be fixed in major cities. This is happening everywhere, even in Montana. This involves everyone. … Growing up, Francine tried to change who she was to “fit in” to the White demographic of Whitefish. From feeling too curvy, being too mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

loud, having big lips, having curly hair— things that are normal parts of being human. “I didn’t have the examples— I didn’t have women of color when I was a little girl that were examples to me. I used to tell people that Mary J. Blige was my mother because my mom wasn’t in the picture… it was always women that I watched on TV.” Again (and again and again), this is why visibility is important. To celebrate diversity, celebrate that our bodies, our skin, our hair, are different. Replacing “but I don’t see color” with “I see you, I value you, and I hear you.” Acknowledging that yes, racial differences do exist, and being White has absolutely given me an advantage in life— even something that may seem as simple as seeing 58

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people who look like you. I never felt excluded because of the color of my skin. My teachers looked like me, Disney characters looked like me, my neighbors looked like me. I can get pulled over by a cop, not be able to find my registration, and still be sent on my way without ever feeling like my life is at risk. I never once wondered if I would be shot— I was worried that I would be late to class. That is White Privilege. My life was not made more difficult or unsafe because of my skin. In fact, it’s been easier because of the systemic advantages White skin comes with. “Being able to have people reach out and say ‘Oh my gosh, you’re an example for my daughter’ is the most amazing thing that someone could say to me. Knowing that I can be an example and a leader now… that’s priceless,” Francine notes.

There are so many layers to the Whitefish protest and implications of Francine’s media attention— from Montana finally having discussions about diversity and its deep-seated racist past to highlighting the importance of visibility in rural America to BIPOC Montanans owning their rightful space in this state. She’s clear that this is just the beginning— that this moment is part of the movement, especially in Montana. For people thinking with we can agree to disagree, all lives matter, this isn’t a problem in Montana, I haven’t experienced racism, there’s a simple answer: “I am telling you as a woman of color, this is a problem in Montana. This is bringing light to places where ignorance has been okay for a long time.” On Tuesday, June 9th, I received a press release for an apology letter from John Muhlfeld, the mayor of Whitefish. It was a fine apology, but that’s sort of where it stopped. Yes, we do “have a strong, inclusive community,” but we do still have an active White Supremacist group. We do still have a majority White local and state government. All 24 state/territory senators, from 1864 to today, have been White. Muhlfeld’s apology also contains a paragraph praising the police department’s handling of Snowden. But Snowden wasn’t arrested until the day after the protest, after the now-viral video of Snowden’s tirade began to make its way around the internet (editor’s note: Snowden pleaded not guilty for disorderly conduct on June 17th despite concrete video evidence. He is not set to appear in court again until August 18th). In the series of international protests that were set off by George Floyd being killed by a police officer, there’s a certain level of dissonance when a man can verbally assault peaceful protesters, throw their signs, yell in their faces (without wearing a mask during a pandemic), and be escorted away only to receive a charge for disorderly conduct the next day. Whitefish, the Flathead Valley, and Montana in general have their inclusive pockets. But we need to go beyond talking the talk, beyond sharing a black square, beyond talking about Black Lives Matter for one day and then posting business as usual the next. Despite Snowden’s aggressions, however, Francine said she’s ready to talk when he’s ready to

be honest. “I have no malice or hatred or anything negative towards him. He wasn’t afraid of me, he was fearful of what was happening.” Francine and a few other protesters put together a care package for Snowden’s wife, noting that his actions and words are not hers— a direct example of putting action behind your words. At the Kalispell protest later that week, there were heavily armed anti-protesters (self-titled as “peacekeepers”), and one was holding the hand of his young daughter. “She was sobbing. They were yelling at us— we weren’t yelling at them. They were screaming profanities, and he was basically just dragging her down the street.” “The majority of the community has been awesome.” From difficult conversations to acknowledging White Privilege to showing up in solidarity, there’s been an outpouring of support in Montana. “While I have this spotlight, I want to use every ounce of it to just show the reality of what it is to be a woman of color, especially in Montana… It’s such a beautiful place, you don’t get this anywhere else. We have this beautiful environment, we have a really awesome community, and now if we can just get everyone comfortable, it’ll just get better and better and better.” The better comes from putting actions to words. Yes, post an inclusivity and diversity statement on your business’s social media, but also put in the work. Share resources and steps people can take to be better allies, but also follow through on those steps. Say that you are here and ready to listen, but actually take the time to listen. “I want to be a voice for the people who can’t find theirs yet. I found mine— I want everyone else to feel that way. I’m talking for all of the people who are standing with me… I’m ready. I’m ready for it.” U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Montana. United States Census Bureau, 2019. census.gov/quickfacts/MT. 1

IMAGES BY JACI VIGIL: @J.VIGILPHOTO GRACE JENSEN YOU BELONG HERE. mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

Closing statements from select Montana governments and institutions: Montana State University, June 2: Let us come together as one people to create an environment in which our differences are the source of our strength. — Waded Cruzado, President Carroll College, June 2: If we are to be a “beacon to the Church in the Northwest,” as St. John Paul II called us, I hope that we can pray together as a loving community of Saints and reach out with compassion to our broken world. — John E. Cech, President University of Montana, June 4: We commit to listening to, learning from and acting alongside BIPOC members of the UM family and broader community to root out institutional racism. — Seth Bodnar, President Montana State University Billings, June 4: Moving forward, we will be exploring additional ways our campus community can continue to foster a culture of respect and equity that allows everyone to work and study without fear. Bozeman, June 5: Let us embrace this opportunity for our community to listen to one another, to renew our commitment to inclusivity, and to act and participate in our community so that Bozeman remains a place worthy of all people. — Bozeman City Commission University of Montana Western, June 8: This is not a time for us to speak for our students or to put words in your mouths. We do, however, know some things about you. You care about learning. You care about other people. You have told us that you want to learn how to lead. You have it in you to rise to meet every challenge that comes our way with your eyes wide open. We are committed to supporting each of you as you continue to learn and grow. — Beth Weatherby, Chancellor Whitefish, June 9: There is still much work to be done. — John Muhlfeld, Mayor Missoula, June 14: I believe Black Lives Matter. Now I have to prove it. — John Engen, Mayor Governor Steve Bullock posted a tweet on June 14 with the following statement: I’m pleased to see Montanans continue to make their voices heard in demanding justice and pursuing progress— doing so peacefully and safely in communities all throughout our state. As of June 17, there has not been a public announcement. There have not been statements from the following cities as of June 17: Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, Kalispell.

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symmetry S U MME R S I N T H E E A ST A N D W E ST BY AUTUMN TOENNIS

rowing up in Montana, the summer months were parceled out by hallmarks of the weather: the time it did not rain once; the August when the Tongue River came up only to your ankles; the week in July the sky was the muddy brown of wildfire smoke; the June when torrential thunderstorms turned all of the hills yellow with clover. Here, it is a single hallmark: the air. Within a month of moving to New York last year, my nosebleeds disappeared, the ridges of my skin smoothed themselves out in the imitation of a younger age, and the trees stayed a fresh green long past my expected expiration of mid-June. In Wolves and Honey by Susan Brind Morrow, she writes, “One night we slept on the Yellowstone River, at the base of hills covered with scorched, still standing pines. In the morning we got up and drove for eighteen hours. Halfway across North Dakota in the dark, we crossed a line. We could feel a dampness in the air—the smell of damp ground and high grass wet with dew and cornfields. In the dark, I felt the great relief of the familiar presence of water.” Here, everything is water. For someone who grew up on the dry prairies of Eastern Montana, the abundance of it is almost inconceivable. The humidity settles in slowly, but by late June, walking out into the day feels like wrapping a wet sweater around your mouth. My husband grew up in Pennsylvania where summers without air conditioning were normal (he told me the wind of the ceiling fan cooling the sweat on your skin

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was at times the only means of falling asleep), but I was shocked every day by this wet slump of heat that made me look at people wearing jeans as though they were absolutely mad. When the summer humidity descends on this city, so much of your time is controlled by it; afternoons become studies in how to avoid being inside the house, boxed in by the heat. When I wasn’t at work, I was chasing coolness, in search of cafes that allowed me to sit near a window unit, buying only a glass of lemonade for a few hours of AC. Laundry day each week became a holiday, and I would choose the longest wash cycles in order to camp-out on the folding chair in the corner with a book. Sweating as I walked home, I would look up at the humming white units poking from varying levels in apartment buildings and wonder what it would be like to be friends with the people inside. I had never experienced air as something oppressive. Eventually though, the beauty began to grow out of the woodwork. With the mugginess came fireflies, a nightly occurrence, something I had never seen. Nik and I would meet at a little park a few blocks from our jobs and watch them wink in and out of the flowers, between the slats of the benches. Katydids replaced cicadas, and the ocean was suddenly accessible by subway. Once we spent a whole day in the water before trailing sand back onto a train car, legs stuck fast against plastic seats. I discovered Italian ices—lemon ones—from the ice cream truck parked down our block and scraped them up with a wooden scoop while the

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condensation dripped onto my knees. Not long after, we made the adult decision that ice cream was an acceptable dinner choice on the hottest days; a creamery in Red Hook, a shop in Crown Heights, a tub from the bodega on the corner. Every night as we tried to fall asleep in our stifling apartment, Nik would bring out the cold fruit we kept in the back of our mini-fridge, near the ice block that had formed (it had swallowed a beer bottle and we left it, calling the bottom shelf “our freezer”). Two grapefruits would sit at our feet, and I would fall asleep holding oranges in my hands like icy stuffed animals. And then, in the middle of all this change, a hallmark I recognized. One evening, we decided to walk the High Line, a raised park created from an old stretch of railway on the west side of Manhattan. Trees spring up between old railroad ties and grasses and plants line the walkway. At one junction, the path opens onto an amphitheater from which you gaze down 10th Avenue, an overlook lined with car horns, apartment buildings, and high-rises so reflective they take on the color of the sky. Here, we straddled a bench with our dinner tamped down on paper between us, dipping battered fish in tartar sauce as people stood invasively close to take photos. All at once, the wind blew in from over the Hudson and great rolls of clouds billowed up, lit from the inside by lightning—the first crack of thunder was the kind that feels like an earthquake. 64

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Within seconds, all of the tourists had put away their iPhones and run for cover. We stayed when the rain came. For a little while, we had one of the busiest landmarks in New York City to ourselves. We watched lightning strike the tops of skyscrapers while we ate soggy fries and our clothes soaked through. It was the coolest we’d been all summer, and we gladly walked through the downpour without umbrellas, our wet shoes squelching. The thunder was deafening. It was the kind of storm that I used to wait for with anticipation as a kid in the West, the only thing that smells more deeply to me of summer than hot sage or the smoke from barbecues. Thunderstorms that would knock out the power for a few hours and rattle the window panes. These marked summertime in the East, too. Even at a distance, Montana finds its way to me. AUTUMN TOENNIS is a writer and artist from

Miles City, Montana. She graduated in 2014 with a degree in English Writing from Montana State University Bozeman, and has spent her time since then following words around the country and the world. Last year, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in publishing, and continues to work remotely for Open Country Press, a small, independently-run Montana press. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and a small windowsill orchard. You can follow her on Instagram @autumn_toennis, or find her at her Etsy shop, AutumnMarieArt.

from our readers I just wanted you to know how very excited I get when I see your magazine in my mail box. You have generated a most amazing and beautiful magazine. For us that don’t live in Montana… you tempt us with desire to want to live in that beautiful state. The tactile feel of the front cover, the gorgeous photography, and the deep and meaningful stories and recipes pull your audience in and offer us a peaceful place in reading your gem. Keep up the great and wonderful work that you have created. You have transformed this magazine into a treasure to read over and over again. With friendship, — Debbie T. CALIFORNIA

When the large white envelope arrived in the mail, I wondered what I could have possibly ordered this time, but what greeted me inside was a magazine that I can only describe as achingly beautiful. Each page looks like a work of art, from a museum or botanical library, serenely matched with words that tell heartfelt stories about women, life, nature, nostalgia, and new directions. I thought I might not quite “get it,” being from California, but if this is any sample of Montana creativity I “get it” now. — Morgan H.

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FEATURE |

Marcedes

Carroll

FROM THE DIVIDE 66

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ARTICLE BY BRIAN D'AMBROSIO IMAGES BY CHLOE NOSTRANT

you wanted to boil down Livingston singer-songwriter Marcedes Carroll’s debut CD “She’s Pretty” to just three words, you couldn’t do better than “coming out party.” Indeed, it’s a lovingly assembled package of seven songs of affection, beauty, and relationships, grabbed from a variety of influences and her own vivid imagination. “I’m honing my craft a lot more,” says Carroll. “(Vocalist) Krista Barnett and I have been working together and her education on vocals helped me navigate what I’m doing and where I’m going. Krista helped me develop the technical side, pitch and tone, and things like that. I’m 68

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constantly trying to improve that.” It’s Carroll’s longstanding relationship with Live From the Divide (lftd) that has had an immensely fertile impact on her creativity. The ultimate intimate jam, lftd is a live music venue and public radio broadcast in Bozeman celebrating both the lineage and modern-day voice of the American songwriter. A few years ago, she crossed directions with lftd founder and musician Jason Wickens at a local open mic event, and soon after meeting him she was volunteering at the intimate 50seat, converted cold storage warehouse. Now an employee, she has been spectator to at least 300 live shows at the unique venue.

“It has created such a well-rounded view for me when it comes to the industry,” says Carroll. “I’ve learned the tech side of stage set-up, of sound, of miking, and venue optimization. But the parts that interest me the most are the songwriting and the performance, and hearing the great intimate interviews as they are happening. It gives you a bar to reach. It’s incredible to be able to see that bar without having to travel to see it. There are so many different musical styles and stage presences, and that’s allowed me to see what works and what doesn’t.”

“It’s on the blues side of things,” says Carroll. “But it’s also one big mash-up, really. The songs we worked on for “She’s Pretty” could be divided in two halves. There is the big, bombastic, the rock, and the blues, the country, and there will be a second half, that’s acoustic, bluegrass, also spanning quite a few genres.” Carroll was born in Colorado to a pair of North Dakotans, raised in Montana from the age of nine, and attended college in Idaho.

Grammy-winning producer and coowner of Live From the Divide Doc Wiley added his inestimable touch to the recording of “She’s Pretty.” For example, he created the introduction of the song “Downriver,” a bluesy, brawling mood-enhancer that Carroll— and Wiley— pulled off seamlessly. “Over the past seven years, Doc and I have gotten to know each other, and he has been paving a very nice road for me. Doc emphasized to me to take my time. And he really put intention into the work for me. Through this experience, I’ve learned that it’s better to tap into your heart and do what’s important to you, and to draw from that. Doc brought a lot of life to these songs, and you could feel his experience in their arrangement. “Downriver” was barebones, and he turned it into this very beautiful gospel piece. It’s a record that took a village.” With a voice that carries a blitzkrieg of energy and taut thunder, “She’s Pretty,” which features the LP artwork of her husband and frequent guitarist, Isaac Carroll, widely spreads Carroll’s rockin’ country-blues gospel wings.

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FEATURE |

BRIANNA BOTTLE-FEEDING A KITTEN | MOLLY WALD

Though she knows that her mother played the saxophone while mom was a high schooler, she has only recently come to better understand why she has such an inborn drive for music.

VENUS ENJOYING MORNING CARTOONS | MEGAN CRAWFORD

Of late, Carroll realizes that when she is in the zone— the state of focused attention in which performance thrives and creativity soars— she can do no wrong. In the zone, lyrics and energy flow without effort. After a brief time in Seattle, Carroll returned to Bozeman in 2013 and settled into a job at a medical supply company. Afterwards, she worked as a massage therapist. Hoping to no longer have to balance other jobs with music, Carroll’s slowly transitioning to recording and performing music full-time.

when we get through this, everyone is going to realize that we need to cherish everything that we have

“I’m a bit of a black sheep of the family— computer programmers, with very analytical brains. After getting my Biology degree, the art of music and writing appealed so much more to me. At 28, I went to North Dakota to hang out with my family, and I found out that my biological dad’s side of the family was incredibly musical. His mom was a great singer. Two of his cousins, one was a Nashville fiddle player on the indie charts, and the other played a lot of bass.” 70

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“It’s like when I was working as a massage therapist a while back. I felt like I got better and better at it, and I loved it. I loved the science behind it,

human anatomy. But I wasn’t doing music that much. The life of music was more appealing to me. It’s the routine versus the spontaneity. I like that every day is different.”

coming, one that’s acoustic and roots. We’ve been referring to the two halves: the first half, “She’s Pretty,” is Saturday night, and the second half is Sunday morning, a little more relaxed.”

Even at a relatively modest seven selections clocking in at less than 40 minutes, “She’s Pretty” feels ambitious, sprawling, and expansive. As many as 25 songs were initially considered for inclusion, and from them Carroll whittled the possibilities down to about 12 “fairly solid” compositions, she said. Ultimately, the seven finalists included a couple of covers— her scrappy homage to one of rock and roll’s most beloved jams “Cripple Creek” is stellar— that she was able to build her sound and vision around.

Clearly, Carroll intends to straddle multiple worlds to put in the effort to securing her reputation.

“Seven songs that are big band, rock, blues, high vocals,” says Carroll. “There will be a second half

“Solo acoustic, duos, trios, small five-piece band, big band,” says Carroll. “I want to be well-rounded enough to play anything from solo sets to big band gigs. We hope to have runs in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and seeing wherever else I could connect and play and build that fan base.” As the deadly Coronavirus disease (covid-19) national emergency devastated the country and disarmed the economy, Carroll sought to find the reassurance of normalcy through artistic immersion.

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“Right now, I want to keep encouraging people to be kind and supportive, and live streams of music have given people something to look forward to, and to get their minds off of things for awhile. When we get through this, everyone is going to realize that we need to cherish everything that we have. There will be gratefulness in music and friendships and even the ability to go in to work… Personally, I want to get back to the fundamentals and keep creating. That’s something that will get a lot of people through.” Indeed, “She’s Pretty” provides a certain guide that Marcedes Carroll is on the course to becoming

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one of the state’s most defining voices. She is excited and ready, and there are no obstacles to stop the momentum. “I vow to keep learning and trying, doing things like training my ear better or singing up and down the scales. It takes a long time to be comfortable totally on your own.” SHE'S PRETT Y IS AVAIL ABLE FOR STREAMING AND DOWNLOAD AT SPOTIFY, ITUNES, YOUTUBE, OR MARCEDESCARROLL.COM

IMAGE BY HANS VETH

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Think for Yourself, Darling

“Ceremony is essential to humans: It’s a circle that we draw around important events to separate the momentous from the ordinary. And ritual is a sort of magical safety harness that guides us from one stage of our lives into the next, making sure we don’t stumble or lose – ELIZABETH GILBERT ourselves along the way.”

BY SARAH HARDING

I’ll never forget the day I rediscovered coffee. I was 24 years old, and it was my first day working for Montana Coffee Traders. I worked an 8-hour shift at the roastery, during which I was allowed— encouraged even— to try the different coffees. And then I went home and enthusiastically cleaned my house. When John got home from a long day of carpentry, he asked me with a curious side-eye, “Hey, how was your first day? Whatcha doing?” And I excitedly yelled, over the vacuum cleaner, “Coffee!” “It’s the missing ingredient in my life!”

a healthy planet full of thriving people. It seems pretty obvious, right? Where have Humanists been all my life? I was a Humanist before I’d ever heard of it. Through marriage, parenthood, and forward into my future, Humanism was the missing ingredient in my life. Now that I’ve found it, I’m diving deep.

I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without rewards or punishment after I am dead.

A few years after the coffee binge, John and I got married. I wasn’t sure what kind of wedding we would have… on the beach? In a botanical garden? I only knew how I didn’t want to get married. I knew that a traditional church marriage wouldn’t suit us. A typical, I felt the same way when I religious ceremony was not – KURT VONNEGUT discovered Humanism. congruent with who we are. 1994 HUMANIST OF THE YEAR AND PAST So I wrote our ceremony AHA HONORARY PRESIDENT … myself. Our aunt still tells me it was the most beautiful What the heck is humanism? Here’s my elevator wedding she’s ever been to. Not because of the speech of what it means to me: location (my brother’s backyard), the tables, the Humanism is a non-theist organization based dresses, or any of the decorations. It was beautiful on the idea that all humans are equal and worthy because our love was the star of the show. We of dignity and respect. Humanists live a life promised our lives to each other in a ceremony full of integrity, empathy, and kindness. We are that reflected our relationship. It was honest, appreciative of art and guided by science and personal, romantic, and beautiful. I wish I had reason. We work toward democracy, equality, and heard of humanism back then. 74

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IMAGE BY LINDSEY JANE

Humanist celebrants recognize that church marriages don’t work for everyone, and so create secular, personalized, and memorable ceremonies of the highest quality. They are trained to mark life’s milestones with customized, authentic, genuine rituals— to create meaningful ceremonies outside of religion. I did a good job with our ceremony, but now that I’m studying Celebrancy, cultural and creative rituals, and public speaking, I’m excited to do even better. When we started our family, I again only knew how I didn’t want to raise our children. I wanted

to live free from violence, rewards, punishment, yelling, and whining. Fortunately, through a close friend, I discovered Positive Discipline and devoured the entire library. Positive Discipline shares many of the same philosophies with Humanism, beginning with the idea that all children are worthy of dignity and respect. Positive Discipline encourages parents to know the science behind their children’s development so they can adjust their expectations accordingly. They encourage empathy, firmness and kindness, and personal responsibility. Studying and teaching Positive Discipline has shaped me mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

IMAGE BY LINDSEY JANE

more as a human than any other relationship besides my marriage. I think that’s part of why Humanism felt like coming home— so many of the ideas I’d internalized from Positive Discipline are mirrored in Humanism. For the last 10 years, we’ve had the same homemade, large, purple, watercolor poster on our fridge of The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz. I went ahead and added 4 or 5 more on the end there— reminders to our family to be good to each other, to be ourselves, and to use our sense of humor. After discovering Humanism, I’m inspired to add another large, watercolor poster to our fridge. I found 10 General Philosophies of Humanism on the American Humanist Association website, and 76

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I paraphrased them in my own informal words: 1. Think for yourself, Darling. 2. My brain is all I’ve got— I’m not supernatural. My other vehicles are Reason and Science. We’re in pursuit of knowledge. 3. Imagination is an awesome tool for problemsolving. 4. I get one life. This is it. So, be excellent. 5. We are all in this together. Let’s take care of each other. 6. Shit is real. Our choices matter. Do right. 7. I believe in science. 8. Love is Love. Celebrate Diversity. Equal Rights. Black Lives Matter. Vote. 9. Scientific discoveries and new technology rock. 10. Especially when they save the planet.

This fridge art can serve as notice, to ourselves and to any guest in our home, of our Humanist values and a reminder to put our values into action. The Four Agreements certainly helped us in our principles and relationships, but the Humanist Philosophy expands that lens to include science, society, democracy, social justice, and ecology. I am training to become an endorsed Humanist Celebrant, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m thrilled to offer celebrant services to Montana. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such an adventure and an honor to be invited to officiate services celebrating rites of passage such as marriage, memorials, babynamings, and trans-namings. My full-service approach toward crafting meaningful rituals allows my heartcentered, genuine, and honest personality to shine. I bring all of the skills I learned from Positive Discipline: using non-violent communication, treating people with respect, kindness, and empathy, and the importance of encouragement. I bring lessons from my own marriage, the best thing in my life. I get to write about love, appreciation, esteem, and putting each other first. This important work is about celebrating rites of passage, creating a deep experience for people who are looking for meaning outside of religion, and bonding a community together. Humanism is no longer a missing ingredient in my life. Not only do I get to wake up in the morning excited about writing, rewriting, rehearsing, and delivering ceremonies, I get to drink coffee, too.

Be really good people to each other and to the planet.

SARAH & JOHN IN 2002

"The Humanist view of life is progressive and optimistic, in awe of human potential, without fear of judgement and death, finding enough purpose and meaning in life, love, and leaving a good legacy." Polly Toynbee, President of the British Humanist Association For more information on Humanism, please check out thehumanistsociety.org or americanhumanist.org SARAH HARDING grew up in North County San Diego. She spent her childhood surfing and loving the ocean. She and her husband, John, moved to Montana when they were 22 and spent the second half of their lives farming and raising a family. Now theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Coconut at Sea Soap Co.; a family business determined to reduce the amount of plastic in our world. Sarah and her family live on their tiny homemade farm in Whitefish. For more information on her soap and shampoo bars, visit her website at coconutatsea.com mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

LIFE |

I am racist

Embracing Humility in a Time of Utter Uncertainty BY KELSEY WEYERBACHER

I’m a 27-year-old mother from Belgrade, Montana. I grew up a farmer’s daughter in Eastern Montana, I earned a Master’s Degree in English from Montana State University, and I have owned several small businesses over the years. I’m a hard worker, a kind heart, and a tough spirit. I love period-dramas on Netflix, look forward to gardening in the summer, and cook a mean spaghetti sauce. And, I’m racist. I was raised with unconscious racial biases that I am always— and will always be — working to dismantle. I inherently hold these racist biases because of the environment I was raised in— the community that raised me, the schools that taught me, the peers that influenced me. I grew up believing that it was normal to go to an all-white school in a 99.9% white community. If someone I saw wasn’t white, I just assumed they weren’t from Montana. I believed that Black men were more prone to violence, that persons of color were better athletes, that Black women were louder and more readily confrontational than White women. This is wrong. And this is racist. The town I grew up in was small, with little racial diversity at all. But, the Catholic foundation I was taught instilled in me the love that I was supposed to show to all persons, no matter the color of their skin. No matter the racist jokes laughed at by peers that I was expected to brush off because they didn’t “really mean it,” or the fact that my first “boyfriend” in Kindergarten was a 78

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Black boy whose family moved after only a year, much to my devastation— though, I wonder now if they moved because they felt unsafe and uncomfortable living where they did. These biases weren’t a product of my parents’ or any singular person’s wrongdoings. Instead, they were constructed as a byproduct of my environment. Now, I find myself an adult confronted with the realities of how very wrong these biases were and are still. I was ashamed that I ever considered persons of color as “other” or as people that simply weren’t a concern of mine, because I didn’t personally interact with persons of color. Now that I’m older, I realize the ownership that needs to occur. Our environments, our communities, created these injustices. Now it is our responsibility as a part of those spaces to dismantle. When I first heard the term “White privilege,” I didn’t understand what it meant. I felt defensive: As if I was being stereotyped by the color of my skin, much like the stereotypes I placed on people by the darker color of their skin than my own. The explanation that has since made the most sense to me was written by Tyler Feder: “White privilege doesn’t mean your life hasn’t been hard— it means your life hasn’t been hard because you’re White.” As a White woman, the recent protests and revolutionary “riots” surrounding the outrage over George Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, have

been filled with uncertainty. I, like many of us, was heartbroken watching the video of a man crying out for his mother while he suffocated for air following an arrest for the usage of a suspected counterfeit twenty-dollar-bill. I knew the officers were wrong for kneeling on his neck. I knew that they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t listening to him. And I knew that what killed George Floyd was the hardships associated with the color of his skin. For this summer article of Montana Woman, I had originally written a piece on my memories surrounding water. I wrote of the Yellowstone River, where I grew up fishing and hunting for agate rocks. I reminisced on the legendary family camping trips to Fort Peck Lake. But, as the end of May and beginning of June showed the turmoil and unrest of the racial discussion happening all around me, I found I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t submit a frivolous article about summer activities. I can no longer settle for being racist. In order to grow, I know I will make mistakes. I will unknowingly say the wrong thing, share the wrong post, or make the wrong judgment. I will not be perfect. I will never understand what it means to be a person of color living in America because I am White. But, I can stand with those who face the prejudices of those like me every day. I urge us all to do the same. We have not listened enough. We have not used our privilege to amplify Black voices enough. We will do better. We will continue to unlearn and learn new ways of knowing. In particular, it is my mothering I hope to work hardest on. As a white mother, I will work harder to include diverse voices on my sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bookshelf, such as Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara, Whoever You Are by Mem Fox, and Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson. I will teach him more about the realities of racism for people of color in our country by opening conversation and being transparent with him regarding the news. I will teach him to listen harder when those less privileged than the color of his skin speak by setting the example where he can see me being vulnerable. I can call out those who make racist jokes. I can raise my son to be an ally and a good listener. mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

I can support black-owned small businesses like Source of Knowledge bookstore, Edas jewelry, and Label By Three sustainable clothing and learn about artists such as Kehinde Wiley, Kara Walker, and Adrian Brandon. I can read and listen and listen and listen. We can all do these things. As James Baldwin, the Black activist and author, wrote in Notes of a Native Son, “I love America more than any country in this world, and exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” I can respect police officers for the work they do, and I can call upon them to hold their peers and themselves accountable. I can love my country and work to make it a better place, and I can call upon our leaders and representatives to take a stand against racism. I can employ constructive criticism with myself, never settling for the easy answer to life’s complicated problems, and love myself despite having been racist. Amidst my continued confusion regarding the riots and protests occurring, I can consider the thoughtful words I read by Randall Telfer, a prior American football player, who wrote: “You keep saying ‘It’s horrible that an innocent Black man was killed, but destroying property has to stop.’ Try saying ‘It’s horrible that property is being destroyed, but killing innocent Black men has to stop.’ You’re prioritizing the wrong part.” We need to admit when we are wrong. We need to embrace humility, and I challenge us all to grow together. As Montanans, I consider the ways we work hard to love our neighbors and the ways in which we ardently support our local businesses. Now is our time to reveal and change, to move, and to take the leap that with change we can become better and grow — our soil is fertile. Together, I believe we can create powerful change. Regardless of politics, parties, or unconscious prejudices. Together, we can grow. We can do better. We must do better.

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In order to grow, I know I will make mistakes. I will unknowingly say the wrong thing, share the wrong post, or make the wrong judgment. I will not be perfect. I will never understand what it means to be a person of color living in America because I am White. But, I can stand with those who face the prejudices of those like me every day. I urge us all to do the same.

mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

LIFE |

don’t lose your charm BY STEPHANIE EVANS

avigating through a life transition can be downright nasty. You come to a point in which you just want to tell everyone in your life to just step off ! Step off, period. You’re tired of the masks, the false faces, the insecurity, and instability of standing on a platform that has been built entirely out of matchsticks, rubber cement, and incense (just for a bit of aromatherapy). There is a pendulum beneath that platform— it is made of flint and lowers ever so slowly… it goes back and forth in a rhythm you have become accustomed to. Back and forth it goes as the rope becomes weaker and weaker, lowering ever so slightly with each motion. As the days and years wear on, that rope that is holding it all together stretches and wears. You find yourself getting more irritable as the flint gets closer to the steel base of that pedestal. You know that a storm is building and when the first spark happens, it may catch you oﬀ guard and you may think to yourself, “Wait! I can hold this together a bit longer!” Tread lighter. Breathe shallower. Make yourself smaller. As I write this, I am watching a whole Charm of hummingbirds (how fantastic is the name of a group of hummingbirds!). These tiny little birds are not afraid to go for what they want. They are not afraid of the larger Red-Winged Blackbirds. They are not afraid of me. They are only concerned with feeding their tiny lil bodies. They are only concerned with their survival. I wonder, as I watch them, are they afraid of that platform? The platform of survival? As I witness the fearlessness of this particular Charm of hummingbirds, I start to recognize that attitude of step off.

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It brings me back to the pendulum of flint I was speaking of before. The very platform is in danger. The platform could be recognized as “the masked life” or your “heart versus ego.” Maybe it is “life transitions” or “reoccurring patterns” in relationships? The duality of life, “This is that, that is this”…? I have been on this platform. The platform sounds like all of those things. I built that platform. I followed unhealthy patterns. I became dependent on someone other than myself for happiness. I lost (or maybe never found) my identity. I allowed my ego— that stubborn swine— to rule my life. I let “normal” take over my authenticity. I caged the wild hummingbird. I numbed that burning desire to be oﬀ that platform. I would much rather be rolling in the dirt, covering myself in glitter and flying through a field of wildflowers.

I just recently received a picture of my youngest daughter. She is holding the oldest, most evil chicken in the land— Duck. Duck is a hen. Duck does not act like a hen. She crows, attacks, and will live forever. She is stuck in a body that does not support her authenticity. Our family knows she is a rooster in a hen’s body and is just pissed oﬀ at the irony. The fact that my daughter is holding her brings a smile to my face. My daughter is “listening” in a way I taught her. I know now that maybe my platform metaphor may not be a generational pattern that will be followed by her. That brings me relief. It brings my heart a lightness knowing that perhaps some generations are immune to the pain of some curses passed down from one generation to the next. Maybe the platform the next generation will build will be made of sustainable materials and a strong, authentic base. A base that can allow clear communication to pass on to the future. It is never too early and it is never too late to build that beautiful, strong, sustainable foundation. The time is now. It is always now.

IMAGE BY JOHN DUNCAN

I would much rather be rolling in the dirt, covering myself in glitter and flying through a field of wildflowers

Instead, I was nourishing myself with red dye #50 and living in an environment that did not support me. It wasn’t supporting me because I chose to lose my “Charm,” and I waited until that pendulum hit that steel base. It hit over and over again, and still my ego held steady as my heart grew weaker. I waited until that flint hit so damn hard the whole platform exploded, spreading sparks, flame, and toxic smoke to every person I held dear and close to me. This explosion damaged relationships. This explosion damaged my heart and soul. This explosion could have been avoided. It could have been avoided if I could have spoken more clearly, listened to my intuition, or had been heard. It could have been avoided if I had recognized an unhealthy generational relationship pattern sooner. Maybe if I would have listened to my heart and told my ego to get out. Maybe I could have prevented that explosion if I would have listened to nature/ intuition a bit more?

STEPHANIE EVANS is

a lover of nature, ceremony, movement and adventure. She is the mother of four magical spirits, Writer, Ceremony Officiant, Yoga Instructor and Retreat Leader. She was born in Montana with the spirit of a fairy, the mouth of a sailor and the heart of a hippie. She learned early in childhood that Mother Nature and expression with movement and words were three vital ingredients to a beautiful life. The ability to release tensions, aggressions, anxiety and fear while in nature is a tonic. She would like to share with all who walk into her path how to open their senses to all the magic that surrounds us in this beautiful state and to extend it into their life. Body, mind and spirit.

mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

LIFE |

a mother, a daughter, & a Montana dream BY STACEY LINDSAY

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ontana first came into my mother’s life when she was a little girl. Growing up in New Jersey, she’d watch The Big Trail with her father, her tiny chin propped on her palms as images of mountains and prairies flashed on the screen. During my youth in Massachusetts, my mother would always have her nose in Travels with Charley, re-reading Steinbeck’s sentiments about Big Sky Country. “Of all the states it is my favorite and my love,” wrote the author. She would absorb everything she could about the land, the people, and the spirit of Montana. Even the way she’d say the name— Mon-taaaan-ahhh— gave her delight. Montana seemed to be everything that our part of Massachusetts was not. Spacious. Wild. Surreal. Even though she’d never been there, the state provided her comfort and evoked a yearning. …

IMAGE BY STEVEN MILLS

In the summer after seventh grade, my mother had an idea: Let’s go to Montana. Just the two of us. The plan was to follow our hearts. Correction: The plan was to follow my mother’s

heart. The next thing I know, we’re renting a car at the Missoula airport and hopping on the road. We spent weeks touring Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, and Billings, then we looped through Great Falls and Seeley Lake before ending back in Missoula. The days blurred together as my mother and I explored new towns, new roads, new views, and a new way of life. We lost hours. I remember how the smallest of things grabbed her attention. Fresh tomatoes at the market. Grazing horses. Soft, doughy pizzas at lunch. And then there was the landscape. The mountains, with their ivory hats, seemed to smile at her, and she smiled back. Seeing my mother happy like this, in the place she had longed for her entire life, was surreal. Was this state of bliss called Montana even real? Weeks later, back home in Massachusetts, I found threads of grass clinging to the sweatshirt I wore on our trip. They felt like omens of truth. Tiny particles representing Montana’s gravity, reminding me that it was, in fact, real, and my mother’s yearning was not a fantasy but rather a calling for something tangibly and irrevocably true.

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The decade-and-a-half that followed that trip was an amalgam of beauty and pain. My parents amicably split, and my mother moved to northern California to be near her parents and brother. She was lost and searching. The California sun and Pacific air seemed to mollify her yearning for the big skies of Montana, at least for the time being. Then a loss ripped through us, leaving a channel so deep it felt as if we would float away. My father, with whom my mother remained dear friends, passed away. Our worlds shattered. As both her husband and her confidant, he would always listen to her Montana tales— even after they divorced. He’d encourage her to make the state her home. Just go, Lynn, he would say to her. Just go. My father’s death was followed by the passing of my mother’s parents, and then my father’s parents within several years. All of this loss created a propulsive shift in our family. It unveiled a capacity for adventure that needed to be filled in all of us. I went off to graduate school. And my mother started to think, to really think, about moving to Montana.

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Sometimes we have ideas that take up so much mental real estate, they seem destined only to be thoughts. It feels like their fate is to be only dreams against which we break ourselves. But when we push them ever so gently to the other side, they can topple over into existence. That’s what happened with my mother and Montana. It was an idea, a fantasy, until the day she made it something different. On that day, she packed up her things and drove out to the Bitterroot Valley, where she signed a lease on an apartment. I watched from afar, a daughter overcome with pride. … One day, while reading the Bitterroot Star newspaper, my mother spotted an ad for dance lessons in downtown Hamilton. Why not? When she arrived at the venue, she saw couples in the parking lot smiling and holding hands. And my mother froze. She never left her car. The following week, she went back. She sat in her car. She hemmed. She hawed. Then she thought: What is there to lose? Before she knew it, she was learning the West Coast Swing, and her whole world started to change. Dancing unveiled something in my mother: a capacity to have fun and form new friendships. About two months after she went to her first dance lesson, I visited my mother again. As we shuffled along the Hamilton Farmers’ Market looking at tomatoes and turquoise, we were stopped by people who knew my mother from dance class. Lynn! How are you? There were hugs. They shared laughs and inside moments about the previous week’s dance lesson. I saw that she was building a community. Perhaps that was what she had been wanting all along: to belong. … “There’s a man at the dance classes,” my mother said one day while I was visiting her. We were eating pizza in the living room. “He’s nice.” That this seemingly innocuous conversation unspooled into my mother marrying the most wonderful man seems too-good-to-be-true. But that is what I had come to expect of her new life in Montana. Once she opened up and let

all the newness in, the warmth kept attracting new warmth. She had found her community, her friends, her love. She had found herself. My mother eventually moved to Darby, where she and her new husband now have a small ranch. It’s idyllic and rugged. I tell people it’s where they make postcards. But my mother takes none of it for granted. She works hard to give back to the state that has given her so much. Today, she is an active volunteer firefighter for the West Fork Fire Department, a role that both electrifies and terrifies me. She also now produces many of the local dances, has volunteered at the Marcus Daly Mansion, and has worked as a local substitute teacher. Over the past nine years, since my mother made her Montana dream a reality, I have learned many things. For one, I now know that it’s never too late. Wherever we are in our lives, and whatever has happened, we can always honor what pulls at our hearts. A dream is just that— a dream— until we leap to the other side. I’ve also learned that there isn’t logic to our desires. We want what we want. We yearn for what we yearn for. My

mother’s soul belonged under the Big Sky. She finally followed her heart. … There’s a spot on the west side of Route 93, about halfway between Missoula and Darby, where my mother and I love to stop. There in the Bitterroot, the Rockies sprout up from the land and pierce the sky. Rivers that look like sapphire ropes shimmer in the distance. We’ve been coming to this spot ever since my mother moved to Montana. During one of my recent visits, we pulled onto the craggy side of the road and stepped out. The sun was moving behind the Rockies, leaving a quartz glow. The river waters ebbed along the surface. My mother and I stood there, saying nothing. A few minutes passed, and I looked at her. Her eyes mirrored the river. “Can you believe it?” I asked. “You live here.” “No,” she said. “I really can’t.” STACEY LINDSAY is a Los Angeles-based journalist.

third hand

silversmith thoughtfully crafted jewelr y thirdhandsilversmith.com @thirdhandsilversmith

IMAGES BY SERENA GOSSACK

LIFE |

life is good BY NICOLE DUNN

It isn’t hyperbole for me or some wishy-washy hollow sentiment. When I say life is good, I really mean it. Having a foundation and practice rooted in mindfulness allows me the opportunity to engage with the wonders and preciousness of life with eyes open and heart receptive. The more I practice to ground myself in the present moment and connect with what’s happening in the here and now, the more I am able to tune into the many causes and conditions for happiness within and around me that always exist. What I mean when I say life is good is that right now as I’m typing: I can hear birds singing outside my window— I have ears that can hear! My clothes are spinning around in the washing machine of a local laundromat— soon I will have the luxury of clean clothes! My belly is full from having a nutritious breakfast— I have the great privilege, ready access, and the means to purchase delicious and nourishing food! When I look up from my keyboard, I can see green trees, blooming flowers, and a clear blue sky - I have eyes that can see! And I have fingers that are capable of crafting this article, with a poet’s heart-centered insistence to keep on keeping on – I have use of my hands and access to my heart! I trust that, like me, you have been encountering more people around you lately saying such things 88

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as: It’ll be so nice when this is all over (this meaning covid, of course) or I can’t wait for things to return back to normal. This sort of approach to life isn’t new. We are forever waiting for some undisclosed point of time somewhere in the future for happiness to just sort of ride in on a white horse and present itself. Once I land this job, I’ll be happy; once I get this degree, I’ll be happy; once I make X amount of money, I’ll be happy; once I go on vacation, I’ll be happy; once this work project/wedding/move/ holiday… is over, I’ll be happy. This isn’t to say we shouldn’t strive for the job or degree or whatever it is we want for ourselves or that we shouldn’t be happy when certain things we’ve been working towards come to fruition. This also isn’t to say that we should ignore the fact that things do get stressful sometimes, and we will truly be relieved when certain things are completed or done with in some fashion. The difficulty, and the suffering that comes with it, is when we hinge the entirety of our state of happiness on some future moment that isn’t happening yet— turning a blind eye to the current points of goodness that exist. There’s nothing wrong with planning for the future and setting goals, but when it comes at the expense of our state of well-being in the here and now, it may be worth a closer look into what our priorities are and whether we are truly manifesting the kind of life we want. Because when it comes down to it, life is only available and livable in the present moment. Sure our minds regularly trail

off into the past and into the future, but our true physical experience of life is only possible in the here and now. What good is the future if we are unable to get in touch with joy, goodness, and gratitude today? Strengthening our “life is good in the here & now muscle” is a worthwhile and important endeavor. Plan for the future, yes. Look forward to the future, yes. But may we all remember that the river of life is flowing at our feet in the present moment. Let’s make good use of: today. Let’s make a conscious effort in choosing to live our life well— today. Let’s make the most of the precious time we are afforded and live today on purpose, as though it really means something— as though it means everything. NICOLE DUNN is the director of the Open Way Mindfulness Center in Missoula, MT, and helps lead retreats, organize events, and serves as the program director for Be Here Now, a weekly meditation group she founded in 2002. For more info: InMindfulMotion.com

Coconut at Sea Soap Co.

IMAGE BY THE BIALONS

w w w . c o c o n u tat s e a . c o m

O ur m i s s i o n i s t o h e l p f o l k s f eel go o d — in s i d e a n d o ut . He a l t hy, c l e a n s k i n a n d h a i r o n t h e o ut s i d e , a n d go o d ka r m a o n t h e i n s i d e . We a r e a f a m i l y r un b us i n e s s c o m m i t t e d t o s us t a i n a b i l i t y a n d z e r o wa s t e . c olumbia fall s | helena | kalispell | whitefish

Backpacking last summer in Montana. This is one of my newer sports that I've found an absolute love for. I'm in my own world and feel so strong on these hiking adventures. My boyfriend and I do this trip every year and it's one of the most memorable adventures I have. The first time we went backpacking, he was shocked because there were many times he wanted to stop and set up camp but I wanted to keep goingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; I became the motivator. 90

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the healing power of

ADVENTURE BY SYDNEY MUNTEANU mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

ACTIVE & OUTDOOR |

I met Megan at Camp Bio Bio,

an off-the-grid glamping destination in Patagonia, Chile. We were both there as willing participants joining our boyfriends on their adventure to kayak the Futaleufú River. Neither of us paddled, nor were we about to start learning on a class 4/5 river, so most days we would each opt for the alternative activity. Over the following days spent rafting, hiking, practicing yoga, or taking long bus rides to travel around, I had the joy of learning a lot from this woman about how to adventure— like a girl. Megan Kee is the founder of @mountaingirls, an Instagram account she started in 2012 to inspire

more women to get outdoors. She did this after coming home one day from riding alongside another lady shredder, and realized she learned more about snowboarding in one afternoon than she had in all those years riding with the boys. The account has become a collective community and currently boasts over 326K followers. Kee lives in Big Bear, California, where she spends most days teaching outside and often snapping photos while hanging off the edge of a rock. She’s a killer climber and has led numerous workshops for women, observing how female environments create the space to feel at ease and confident while learning.

A beautiful fall hike with my friend Meagan Z. in the Ozarks. This one is fun to reflect on for me because we were both in the same place at that time -- I was considering moving from LA to Montana, she from NY to Arkansas. We both finished that hike and decided we were going to do it! 92

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On one of our last days at camp, Megan and I jumped at the opportunity to join a day-long horseback riding trip to check out a nearby waterfall complete with a traditional asado (Chilean barbecue). It was one of those memories, the conversation really, that in reflection serves as a turning point in your life. I found myself begging Megan for more stories and details about what she had observed in the way women learn to enjoy outdoor sports and adventure. I had just moved to Montana from Los Angeles, and I was so eager to jump into the outdoor lifestyle everyone here embodies. But I was also incredibly intimidated. In my mind, adventure came so naturally to these people; everyone was always biking, hiking, skiing, or backcountry-ing. An epic adventure was just a part of the daily schedule. I so wanted to be a part of it, but how would I fit in? And how would I learn, let alone even try to keep up on an adventure? “Women act differently than our male companions when we’re having an adventure. We are inherently nurturing, we genuinely care for others, sometimes we over-analyze too much, we like to have our silly jokes and light-hearted conversations (our hair is a mess… this is ruining my nail polish!), and overall, we’re less competitive when we’re together,” Megan says. “Watching our male friends learn a sport, I see a bit of what women regard as bullying. Their descriptions on ‘how to do things’ may lack the little details we as women love to know and have described when learning something new. Guys are fast, ballsy, and often just jump into it. And that’s totally rad!” She’s observed even in watching as her son picks up interest in some of her favorite sports, “But in my experience, it’s simply not the way most ladies operate.” Outdoor adventure is important for everyone, but Kee feels that for women specifically, being a part of the outdoor community leads to a greater opportunity to connect in a place we are so naturally in-step with. “A wonderful thing I see when women gather, share, and learn with one another is the on-going networks that are developed. Getting out with groups of other women brings that sisterhood feeling; the feeling of connectedness and true support— we genuinely want each other to succeed.” As Montanans, whether by birth or by choice, I

think we all intuitively know that being in nature is therapeutic. Whether you’re with a group or out solo, getting a daily dose of those mountain views is like looking at a real-life artistic masterpiece. A hike with a friend chatting the trail away can be the best therapy session you’ve ever had. An outdoor run breathing in the scents of the forest is not just exercise, it’s mind-clearing. Looking further into the “nature heals” argument, new research states the same. It has been scientifically proven that getting out in nature can relieve clinical levels of distress in areas such as depression, anxiety, feelings of isolation and alienation, and equally, improve our feelings of self-esteem, self-confidence and body image.1 Medical practitioners are increasingly realizing that time spent outdoors can be an excellent treatment for chronic health issues. In fact, doctors in Scotland will even issue prescriptions to go hiking.2 Currently, there are groups of clinicians, veterans, and environmentalists working to scientifically prove that time spent in the wilderness serves as an official medical treatment for PTSD.3 The Great Outdoors Lab, a partnership between the Sierra Club, UC Berkeley, and REI, has published numerous research findings in peer-reviewed journals that quantify the effects nature has on chronic health conditions. In summary: Adventure has the proven power to heal. I flew home from Patagonia after vowing to Megan that I would really try to put myself out there when I got back to Montana. I would ask other ladies for opportunities to join them for an adventure, I would look up local outdoor groups, and I would stop coloring my hair (a story for another time!). That spring, I learned how to properly skin the mountain with my friend Christi. “Always bring an extra sports bra. Because nobody likes to wear their boob sweat skiing,” she advised while sharing her fancy SPF lip gloss. That summer, I made some of the most wonderful friendships I have now by employing the excuse of asking for a buddy to join on a hike. These hikes then allowed for the hours needed to get to know a person and cultivate a real friendship. By winter, I even took some serious steps towards battling my fear of avalanches by going backcountry skiing in Revelstoke with mon tan awoman .com | july/augus t 2 02 0

Heli-skiing trip for 3 days learning with a group of women in Revelstoke, BC. There were 6 of us and only one had ever done something like this before so it was so fun to learn together and we all felt so accomplished by being able to pick it up quickly and eventually all felt confident skiing in the powder. IMAGE BY DANIEL STEWART

a guide-led group of entirely women. We took ample breaks for hot tea and photoshoots, we cheered each other on when someone fell in the powder, and I finally realized this was my kind of way to learn: adventure with a girl gang whenever possible. We are lucky. We have this amazing resource to access therapy, healing, and connection in our own backyards. And we’re even luckier to have groups dedicated to getting women out to experience it. Outsiety (outsiety.com), a group dedicated to getting women ‘out’ of their comfort zone, operates in the Flathead Valley and typically hosts weekly community activities. Rocky Mountain Women Outdoors (rockymountainwomenoutdoors.com) offers backcountry retreats throughout Montana and the Rockies, with a focus on empowering women through outdoor adventures. Even beyond Montana, #girlgetafterit, the Bozemanfounded wellness movement brings women together through nationwide sweatworking events, gear that gives back, and a girl squad that gets it. These and other local groups can provide a great place to start your next adventure. Fresh air, sunlight, and plants have medicinal powers. And with that knowledge, I’d argue that 94

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as women of Montana, we owe it to ourselves to take advantage of this tool now more than ever. Call a friend for a hike. Find a new group you can join for an afternoon. Give yourself an excuse to try a new activity. Adventure remains an inspiring retreat, even as everything else is in flux. 1. firstdescents.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Journalof-Psychosocial-Oncology_First-Descents_OutdoorAdventure-1.pdf 2. adventure-journal.com/2018/10/scottish-doctors-arenow-issuing-prescriptions-to-go-hiking/ 3. backpacker.com/stories/wilderness-treatment-for-ptsd

SYDNEY MUNTEANU is a communications and branding strategist with a passion for storytelling. She grew up in Colorado and received her B.S. from the University of Colorado, Boulder and left in 2012 to pursue a marketing career in Los Angeles. After 5 years of city life, the call back to the mountains was too great and she found (and fell in love with) her new home in Whitefish, Montana. Sydney has a marketing consulting business working with food & beverage, wellness, and women’s brands. Connect and find her work at backlabelbranding.com

CLOSE TO HOME WHEN IT MATTERS MOST When your child is sick, you’ll do anything to stay by their side. For many Montana families, getting specialty care used to mean traveling out of state, separating siblings, and missing school and work. Pediatric specialists at Montana Children’s are the

montanachildrens.org

largest group of pediatric physicians in the state, and they have the expertise and resources to provide comprehensive care for a wide range of medical conditions — so kids can heal and families can stay close.

WELLNESS |

maximixing the quality of self-care BY MINDY COCHRAN | LEVITATION NATION

I live in Kalispell, Montana, where we are blessed with amazing outdoor recreation opportunities. In summer months, I spend a lot of time hiking in Glacier National Park in the most breathtaking areas where frequent run-ins with wildlife run the gamut: marmots and mountain goats, and yes, even bears. Once we ran into three grizzlies as we were traversing across a very steep and craggy mountainside. When my husband recounts the story, he talks of how they were so close he could see the whites of their “fingernails.” It was scary, empowering, and humbling all at once. In winter, I get to snowboard and snowmobile in wintertime playgrounds where trees covered in white snow known as “snow ghosts” make you feel like you are in some kind of spectacular Dr. Seuss wonderland. Afternoon runs down Whitefish Mountain’s “Russ’s Street” viewed through the amber lens of my snow goggles are stunning sights to behold.

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I work hard during the week to stay on top of my health-and-fitness-game so that I can charge into the weekend ready for these outdoor activities that I love so much. I strive to fit in exercise, get to bed at a decent hour, and eat healthy food. But, if I am not mindful, I know it’s possible to get all the boxes checked without any real adherence to the quality of each component. Even as a fitness trainer that knows better, I have occasionally been guilty of surfing Instagram while I ride the exercise bike. I indulge, too often, in less-than-healthy treats from the diner near my work. I make time for at least eight hours of shut-eye, but unless I shut my cat out of the bedroom, I have a furry visitor interrupting my REM cycles several times a night.

To top matters off, it’s summertime in Montana, which means squeezing in as much fun as possible into a few months that go by in the blink of an eye (rest when you are dead, right?). Well, that is not exactly a good health strategy. That’s what makes this an uber-important time of year for a wellness check-in and tune-up! Don’t worry, I won’t ask you to do a massive overhaul to your lifestyle. Let’s just check into the quality of what you are already doing. QUALIT Y FOOD: Making sure your diet is comprised of real food is a no-brainer, but in this day and age, with processed foods everywhere we turn, it can take a little attentiveness to ensure we are putting quality food into our bodies. A great place to start is by stocking up on fruits and vegetables, organic if possible. It’s a great time of year to peruse the farmer’s market for affordable organic produce or consider investing in a CSA (Community Shared Agriculture).

Also, be wary of alcohol intake over the summer. I know from personal experience that nothing can derail a plan for a healthy weekend like overindulging in booze. Not only do you have all the calories from the alcohol, but once the effects of the alcohol take hold and inhibitions fall by the wayside, it is easy to ingest an entire bag of potato chips without even noticing. QUALIT Y WORKOUTS: It’s hard enough to carve time out for exercise, so you can make sure every minute counts by staying mindful through your workouts. For example, use music to drive intensity in your cardio activities. During strength building, lift weights that are heavy enough to challenge you and focus on engaging the muscle doing the work. Vary your exercise routine to help you stay physically challenged and keep you from plateauing. QUALIT Y SLEEP: As anyone with insomnia knows, spending time in bed and getting quality sleep are not necessarily synonymous. The blue light from televisions and cell phones can interfere with melatonin production, so I recommend installing an app that will automatically reduce the blue light on your device at sunset. There are obviously many other factors that can affect sleep. If you feel you are struggling, definitely have a conversation with your doctor to get to the bottom of it.

QUALIT Y REL ATIONSHIPS: Interacting with your friends on Facebook is not the same as spending quality time together. You have likely already heard about the studies indicating that social media is making us feel more alone than ever. The solution is obvious: make sure you are spending real time with real people. You don’t have to give up social media altogether, but do a periodic check-in with yourself to determine if your time spent on social media is bringing you enjoyment. If not, don’t waste time cutting it back. STRESS REDUCTION: The coronavirus threat has made this year a difficult one to keep stress in check. Augment the challenge of keeping stress in check with the desire to squeeze in all the summer activities, and it can be really easy to overtax your parasympathetic nervous system, which needs rest in order to do its reset duties. Pay special attention this time of year that you are taking adequate time for yourself to rest and recover each week.

Summers in Montana are fast and furious, and too precious to waste. You can get the maximum enjoyment out of your summer activities by staying on top of your wellness game. Use this list to get you started brainstorming where you can make other enhancements to what you are already doing for health and fitness. Lots of little changes can really add up to big gains for a memorable, healthy summer! MINDY COCHRAN Is a columnist for Montana Woman Magazine. Her column, “The Real Levitation Experience,” shares expertise for elevating health & wellness that she has acquired through her certifications as a personal trainer and life coach. Mindy is also the founder of Kalispell’s Levitation Nation Aerial Studio, where the catchphrase “fitness is fun” is embodied alongside a culture of movement & women empowerment. For more about Mindy or Levitation Nation, please visit levitationnation.org.

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| WELLNESS

SPOT CHECK:

skin cancer prevention PROVIDED BY KALISPELL REGIONAL HOSPITAL

asking lakeside in the sun’s warmth all summer gave you a great tan, but it also exposed you to an abundance of ultraviolet (UV) rays. When cooler weather moves in, it’s important to keep an eye on our skin’s health before we start piling on the winter wardrobe. Making an effort to check your spots— beauty marks, blemishes, moles, freckles, or scars— at least once a month can help identify abnormal skin changes or potential skin cancers. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the world, and it’s easily treated if detected early. A person is at higher risk of skin cancer if they have had skin cancer already, or if they have a family member with skin cancer.

GETTY IMAGES VIA KALISPELL REGIONAL

“For new or changed skin spots, we are always on the lookout for skin cancer, but we see a lot of benign skin spots, too,” explains Marisa Hoyne, MD, internist at Woodland Clinic, a department of Kalispell Regional Medical Center. “Most spots are pretty easy for doctors to tell if it is an area of concern or not. And, if you have a spot that is strange when compared to your other spots, it’s best to get it checked out by your doctor.”

Here’s what to look for when performing a spot check on yourself For melanoma, use the ABCDE guide to identify any concerning features: ASYMMETRY: Is one half shaped differently than the other half ? BORDER: Are the edges uneven, notched, or irregular in other ways?

COLOR VARIATION: Is it multiple shades of browns or even other colors like green or gray? DIAMETER: Is it greater than 6mm (get out your ruler and check)? EVOLUTION: Has it changed in size, shape, or

color, or is it a new spot?

BASAL CELL skin cancers are often a pearly pink with a tiny blood vessel visible inside. SQUAMOUS CELL skin cancers often appear as an unhealed, scaly area; they can be raised like a button or even get a hard horn that protrudes from it.

Areas with higher elevation have a thinner atmosphere and filter less UV radiation. The Flathead Valley is at an average of 3,000 feet above sea level, which puts us at a higher risk— even in winter months, cancer-causing UV rays are just as present. Taking preventive measures to protect your skin while outdoors is important for your health. “I tell my patients to apply SPF-containing lotion on the face, neck, and upper chest daily as part of their morning routines,” says Dr. Hoyne. “Sun tans lead to wrinkles and older looking skin; sunburns lead to melanoma. Don’t set foot in a tanning bed. And, always use hats, SPF clothing, sunscreen, and shade. If you notice any suspicious spots on your skin or your partner’s skin, or unusual skin changes, contact your primary care doctor or dermatologist for an evaluation. Protect the skin you intend to keep!”

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WELLNESS |

N O R T H VA L L E Y H O S P I TA L

Looks Ahead to Summer

It’s getting warmer outside, and people around the valley are in the full swing of summer. At North Valley Hospital (NVH), there is a lot to look forward to for the next few months. From patient services to improving facilities, additional programs and partnerships, summer is an exciting time at North Valley Hospital. North Valley Hospital will continue to engage with the community as we forge ahead from the coronavirus pandemic with many changes still in place, phased reopening, and some aspects of medical care adapting to a new normal. While we continue to stay diligent to keep our patients, employees, and community safe, we will also find new ways to interact with our community and build and foster local partnerships. PLANETREE HEALING GARDEN

The Planetree Healing Garden is going into a third year of providing a comfortable, quiet space for patients, visitors, and employees to enjoy nature in the summer and also creating an abundant food garden to support various programs. The garden produce will ultimately be used in the Food Rx program at North Valley Professional Center, in the backpack assistance program also in Columbia Falls, and in the NVH Valley Café. The Planetree Healing Garden is operated in close partnership with Farm Hands – Nourish the Flathead working as the garden managers. The public is welcome to come appreciate the community garden and its abundance as it grows more every year, and volunteer opportunities are available through Farm Hands. The garden 100 m o nt a n a w o ma n ma g a zi ne | is s ue 7

is located just north of the main hospital on the North Valley Hospital campus along the Fitness Trail and is surrounded by a large wooden fence. N O R T H VA L L E Y P H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y

North Valley Physical Therapy is building a new, state-of-the-art facility to better serve patients and provide a comfortable space for physical therapy treatments and patient needs. The new facility will provide additional space for professional therapists to treat patients and allow for additional appointment availability. The facility is in the same location as the current building on Nucleus Ave in Columbia Falls and is slated to open in fall 2020. WHITEFISH COMMUNIT Y FOUNDATION’S G R E AT F I S H C H A L L E N G E

This year, North Valley Hospital is raising money during the annual Great Fish Challenge for emergency and education department equipment. The emergency department at North Valley Hospital has critical needs for updated equipment for medical needs, such as assessment of the eyes. The North Valley Hospital Foundation agreed to raise funds for the emergency department equipment needs so that emergency department providers can continue providing high-quality care using the updated equipment necessary for the best possible outcomes. The education department has needs to upgrade the current in-house training capability by adding a video and a transportation system to the simulation manikin purchased in the past year through philanthropy. Adding video playback will significantly improve the training exercises

for clinical staff, and new transport equipment will allow for on-site training at clinics and in the field. The Whitefish Community Foundation operates the Great Fish Challenge every year from July through September, so stay tuned to the NVH website at nvhosp.org for more information as the challenge begins. INCREASED SERVICES AND ACCESS TO CARE

Throughout the summer, keep checking the North Valley Hospital website at nvhosp.org for updated information about community partnerships and updates on coronavirus restrictions or information.

IMAGE BY NIKOLAY VOROBYEV

North Valley Hospital and all associated clinics are working hard to provide increased services to meet patient needs and access to all health care services. The new transcranial magnetic

stimulation (TMS) treatment for adults with severe depression is now available at North Valley Behavioral Health. From adding new providers at clinics to additional telehealth mental health services, rescheduling postponed surgeries and procedures to working closely with the community to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, North Valley Hospital continues to be the center of healing in the community.

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Montana Woman Magazine, Issue No. 7, July/August 2020

Articles inside

KALICO: art for all

Letter from the Editor

Marcedes Carroll: From the Divide

Samantha Francine: You Belong Here