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When Shirstie Gaylord walks through downtown Great Falls now, she sees it differently than she did eight years ago. Back then, she was hauling a six-foot table to the farmers market every weekend, selling Hometana's Montana t-shirts that she'd printed with her last few hundred dollars. She'd look around at the Mighty Mo Brewing crew, the Enbär group, Electric City Coffee (businesses that were saying downtown is cool) and think, I want to be one of them. Now she is. Today, Hom

Montana’s landscapes have inspired countless artists, but for Clay Pape, they are the very heart of his work. A Montana native, Clay’s art reflects a deep connection to the place he grew up—capturing the colors, textures, and moods of the American West in a way that feels both timeless and alive. Known for his impressionistic chalk pastel pieces, Clay creates work that invites viewers to pause, reflect, and experience a sense of place. We sat down with Clay to talk about how

Based in Bozeman, Montana, Becca Skinner is a photographer, writer, and National Geographic Young Explorer whose work captures the powerful connection between people, wild places, and purpose. Through her lens, Becca blends conservation and adventure storytelling — creating images that remind us why protecting the places we explore matters. Here’s what she had to say when we asked her about life in Montana, creativity, and the inspiration behind her work. What’s one Montana l

Listen to this article on Spotify Vicki Carle was cleaning house when she took our call, moving from room to room while talking about the eight checks she'd sent out that morning. One to Livingston. One to Pony. A few more scattered across Montana. Each envelope contained a handwritten letter, sometimes artwork from kids, and a check for a thousand dollars with one simple instruction: use this money any way you see fit. What started in 2007 with a volleyball team wearing pink

I'm sitting outside Donation Warehouse in Missoula at 10 a.m. when I see Laci Rathbun turn the sign at the doorway from closed to open. When I walk in, Laci is already behind the counter. She sees me, smiles and immediately offers a tour which allows me access behind those "staff only" doorways. It gives me a peek into the inner workings of an impressive operation. Within minutes, I'm noticing things that don't match my assumptions about thrift stores. Why does this furnitur

Ty Moody never expected embroidery tension to become part of his daily vocabulary. But here he is, standing in a garage-turned-studio in Great Falls, Montana, adjusting spools of thread on a $15,000 embroidery machine like a musician tuning a prized instrument. “It’s basically a guitar,” he says, gesturing toward the colorful threads stretched across the top of the machine. “If one string’s off, the whole thing gets thrown out of whack. You learn to listen for it.” Welcome to

If you’ve ever taken a barre class in Great Falls — the low-impact workout blending Pilates, yoga, and strength training — there’s a good...

Snapshots of Ken Kohoutek’s life are captured in ceramic. The Great Falls artist has been working with clay as a medium for his drawings...

There’s something about an old house that whispers stories of the past, but when Samantha Kaupish stepped into her 1895 Victorian mansion...

February in Montana is a time of year when I start to dream of visiting warm destinations. The days begin to stretch out and I can feel...

The biggest weekend in Montana high school swimming is here! The 2025 MHSA State Swim Meet takes place in Great Falls, bringing together...

Photo Credit: Bridgette Pence Photography Mike Hallahan is not your typical chef. Sure, he’s sliced his way through kitchens from fast...

When it comes to curating charcuterie boards, Carie and Melissa of All the Things Charcuterie have turned a creative passion into an art...

When tragedy strikes, it often leaves us wondering how we can help so that it doesn’t happen to someone else. For Jen Barnett, founder of...

The topic of death and the process of grieving is one that will affect us all, and although it’s not fun to talk about, it’s important to...

Craft beer lovers in Great Falls owe a toast to Casey Kingsland, the creative force behind Mighty Mo Brewing. What began as a...

Great Falls recently bid a heartfelt farewell to Sarah Justice, a beloved figure in the local arts scene, as she embarks on her new...

From running around Gibson Park as a kid to defending constitutional rights in high-stakes cases as an attorney, Raph Graybill has...

Dog hair is the. absolute. worst. The way it collects under furniture, hides in corners of the house, floats around like the most...

At first glance, Geoffrey Stocking’s art might look simple – clean lines, bold blocks of color. But like watching an Olympic athlete...