Of All The Places

Buck and Bridget Miller are the creative power-couple behind High Life Tattoo. After meeting each other through the Missoula tattoo community, their mutual love of Butte’s grit and weirdness had them traveling I-90 anytime they had the chance. As soon as they could, they made the move and went full-Butte, raising the city’s cool-factor exponentially. Throughout our conversation, their selflessness shines through. They talk about having an art ‘style’ but flexing diverse creative muscles that lead to being more well-rounded artists and ultimately providing better service to clients. Bridget, a recent addition to the board of directors, shares an unequalled love for Our Lady of the Rockies and talks about the statue as a cherished example of the uniqueness in the Butte community.Their business dreams came true recently, purchasing and renovating an uptown building, the permanent home for High Life Tattoo and Buck’s majestically manicured mustache.Whether it’s making pasties or tattooing clients, the couple shares how they lean on creativity and their community to push back at the challenges and inequities we’re experiencing in our country.Of all the places, Buck and Bridget are happy to call Butte, Montana home.For more of their work, visit tattoosbybridget.com and @high.life.tattoo on Instagram.

BT Livermore has been an Artist, Maker of Things, and Provider of Services ever since much since they were a small child in Minnesota. In addition to a web design degree, they completed a BFA degree in Illustration while working in Portland, OR. It was an artist residency at the Imagine Butte Resource Center that brought BT to the Mining City and they became enveloped by the history, grit, and wealth of ghost signs of Butte.When your list of talents exceeds the room on a business card, your title simply becomes ‘maker of things. BT's professional skillset these days include traditional sign painting and gold leaf work, handmade lettering, illustration, logo design, murals, woodworking, furniture restoration, screen printing, and letterpress printing.While excelling at each, none surpass BT’s passion to provide and support their community however they can. Like a good ol’ midwestern hot dish, their teaching and studio spaces bring people together. It’s the creations of BT Livermore that will continue to reach people far beyond the classrooms, studio spaces, and years. We all could be as fortunate.Of all the places, BT Livermore calls Butte, Montana home.For more information on BT’s projects, shows, and information on commissions, visit btlivermore.com and Instagram at @bigtimelivermore

Chad Okrusch is a professor, author, photographer, philosopher, and singer-songwriter with deep roots in Butte, Montana. After attending graduate school in Eugene, Oregon, circumstances brought him back to his hometown to accept a pair of jobs in a city that, at that time, had no jobs to offer. The Butte “vortex” has kept hold of him since, and continues to inform and inspire his myriad creative projects and academic career.Chad reflects on spending decades within a creative community that is blossoming, one that is creating inspiration and truly authentic stories. His latest project, written for his daughters and titled ‘Mostly Love’ explores themes of resilience, connection, heartbreak, and all that keeps us making songs when life gets messy. A thoughtful love letter to a place, people, and community that Chad holds dear.In the classrooms of Montana Technological University, Chad teaches philosophy and communication, where he works with students on questions of ethics, meaning, and how we live together in community. He shares his thoughts on AI and helping young people find clarity and humility in a world that’s moving faster than any of us can track.One thread running through all of Chads works, is exploring how people build lives of integrity and creativity in the places they love, and how they contribute to the place's capacity to grow in healthy ways.And maybe the appropriateness of the Comic Sans font… and aliens.Of all the places, Chad Okrusch calls Butte, Montana home. For more information on Chad’s projects, visit www.chadokrusch.com

Scott Tallman Powers is an internationally-recognized naturalist painter. His talents have taken him all over the globe, creating art that depicts different world cultures. Originally from Alabama, he attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago. While working toward his dream of becoming a full-time artist, he founded a weekly outdoor painting group known as "The Plein Air Painters of Chicago."Scott’s passion brought him to Butte in search of… well, love… and the inspiration he feels in Butte’s uniquely urban setting and SW Montana’s dramatic landscapes. Scott bought an uptown building that will soon become his studio and classroom with the aim of being a community art hub to share his knowledge and hopefully bring the Plein air Painters out west.Over a perfectly mixed negroni, Scott shares stories of painting on the streets of Italy, working in a tent in Alaska, and teaching art classes in China. Through our conversation, one thing becomes clear: the intersection of community, passion, talent, and adventure is where Scott finds his calling.Of all the places, Scott calls Butte, Montana home.You can find Scott’s work at www.scottpowersfineart.com and at galleries  www.illumegallerywest.com in Philipsburg, Mt and www.settlerswest.com in Tucson, AZ

Zooey Zephyr is on a wild ride through the halls of the Montana State Capitol building. She represents Missoula in the Montana House of Representatives. Zooey didn’t necessarily seek out the political arena; it was frustration at seeing anti-LGBTQ and transgender bills being passed that spurred her to run. She was sworn into the Montana House in November 2022, becoming the first openly transgender person to be elected to the Montana Legislature.We immediately found out that government work is no joke. Zooey tries to help us understand the inner workings of the job: how she balances different needs and allegiances and navigating the tidal wave of 1,800 bills during the 90-day session. All this while keeping her principles and promises grounded. The job can be a seemingly impossible task while simultaneously being completely worth the effort.Zooey is most widely known for speaking out during the 2023 legislative session in opposition of multiple anti-trans and LGBTQ bills. She shares the moments leading up to and through the experience of being silenced, and eventually censured, from the House floor, resulting in protests, violence, and arrests. Throughout the chaos, Zooey stood at her desk, calmly and symbolically holding her microphone over her head, asking to speak truth on behalf of the transgender and LGBTQ community she cares deeply about.Even while revisiting these challenges, participating in the democratic process energizes Zooey in passionate and thoughtful ways. She gets the same twinkle in her eyes while talking about visiting Glacier National Park with her family and friends. As well as painting… and gaming. Proof there’s still a lot of gas left in her tank. Oh, and belting out Broadway showtunes... we can’t wait to join her for that.Of all the places, Zooey Zephyr calls Missoula, Montana home. For more information, check out Zooey’s Wikipedia page (And, yes, we’re all jealous she has one): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zooey_Zephyr  and keep up with her work on Instagram at @zoandbehold

John McKee is the owner and founder of Headframe Spirits; Butte’s first (legal) distillery that opened its uptown doors in 2012. His journey is as tasty as the whiskey he brought us to enjoy during our recording.As a typical Butte kid, John played on mine dumps and brought home liquid mercury that bubbled up through the streets. This ‘Butte grit’ led him to an attempt at playing high-level rugby in Tennessee. When he arrived back in his hometown, he began noticing mine waste being cleaned up. Noticing barren yellow rock piles now green with life, he saw his community forging its own path out of a challenging era – a realization he’s working toward still. So when a career venture in expired butter went upside down and being a kept-man wasn’t the option he hoped for, the idea came up of possibly making booze. He was all in.John talks about the struggles of finding financing, to a point where his family became concerned about having enough food. When the 13th bank finally took a chance on the dream, it was off to the races.Headframe Spirits launched with a vision of fusing community, history, and vision one bottle at a time  …all because of some bad butter. Who would have thought? Of all the places, John calls Butte, Montana home.Learn more about Headframe Spirits visit www.headframespirits.com

Cassie Wick likes good trouble, the kind that elevates community and the people around her. She is certainly doing that as the business owner at 5518 Designs, as a member of uptown Butte’s Business Improvement District, and most recently as the Public Policy and Grassroots Advocacy Coordinator at Ability Montana. She credits the roots of her contagious passion to a year in AmeriCorps and being ‘radicalized’ in a conference promoting walkable cities. Once she realized her ability to create change for good, there was no looking back. She is working tirelessly to create a vibrant, more desirable and visionary uptown business district in Butte. Her community building efforts range from snow shoveling to a city-wide program aimed at neighbors connecting in more meaningful ways. Through her work, she is advocating at a state-government level to promote systems change that benefits people of all abilities. All that and she still gets labeled as a ‘radient goddess.’ Not a bad adjective for a gal who grew up playing bartender with her dolls. Then again, bartenders are some of the original community builders. Of all the places, Cassie (and Jon) call Butte, Montana home. You can learn more about Cassie’s work at www.abilitymt.org, her community advocacy efforts at www.uptownbuttemt.com, and shop at www.shop5518.com

The powerhouse duo behind RESTÔR design + build is the husband-and-wife team of architect Maisie Sulser and contractor Mike Handley. This two-person, one-stop shop for historic renovations is bringing back the magic of Butte with one of their first (of hopefully many) major developments - restoring the historic Fairmont Creamery Warehouse. From the outside, it looks like any other empty, century-old warehouse in uptown Butte. When you see the recently finished loft condos, you’ll see the life they’re creating… both together and for their community. They sat down with us to share some of the challenges they have faced, how meaningful it is to work with your partner, and which of their seven vintage campers are their favorite. We also did our best to convince them to start their own TV show, despite Mike’s resistance.The connection running through their journey is evident: to breathe life back into buildings and in turn, the community they call home. Of all the places, Shake 'n Bake, er… Mike and Maisie call Butte, Montana home.

Dr. Les Cook is the recently retired 12th chancellor of Montana Technological University. During his six years of leadership, Montana Tech has cemented a reputation as one of the nation’s top STEM institutions. His student-first, community building approach has been transformative for campus life and student success.We sat down with Les, almost literally, on his way out of Butte to reflect on his time as Chancellor. He shares his journey from ranch-life without electricity, to chance meetings that changed the trajectory of his career. He explains how the mining culture of Butte feels serendipitous, the value of family, and how every leader should frisbee pizzas into crowds when the opportunity exists.Our first bonus episode of the summer is a heartfelt, fun, and inspiring conversation with a proven leader whose impacts will continue to be felt in the Montana Tech and Butte community well into the future.Of all the places, Les Cook calls Salt Lake City home… or Houghton, Michigan… but we all know it’s really Butte, Montana.

As a “silly little biscuit,” Patrick Quinn approaches life with a beautiful depth, enthusiasm, and generosity. He has been coaching outdoor recreation since he was a teenager in upstate New York. He soon realized a need for people with disabilities who want to experience the outdoors, which led to his career in adaptive recreation. Patrick discusses how healthy risk makes us feel alive, the role Montana’s tourism industry plays in his life, and his work with people of all abilities to enjoy the outdoors in the way they choose to.He also talks about the ‘electricity’ he sees in people’s eyes when an activity begins to ‘click’ for them. We hope he noticed the electricity in our eyes during this fun conversation.Of all the places, Patrick calls Bozeman, Montana home (until we get him to Butte).

When the financial crisis hit in 2008, Shera Konen jumped at the chance to leave the real estate industry for an opportunity in television and film. After a healthy dose of ‘almost’ reality TV, and several adventures wrangling mountain men, Shera eventually found her niche in location scouting. Shera talks about her experiences in Butte, Montana’s film boom, casually getting a call from actress Helen Mirin inviting her for a drink in an uptown dive bar, and creating Jon’s murder-house. She also shares the successes and challenges of being a first time festival organizer with the Northwest 360 Film Festival.Shera is a driving force behind the blossoming arts culture in Butte. If her hopes come true, the narrative of this place will, no doubt, be one of mining, architecture, authenticity, along with festivals, and film, and comedy, and music, and food. We’re fortunate to share Butte’s “beautiful grit” with Shera and the world. Of all the places, Shera Konen calls Butte, Montana home. 

Author Maggie Dallen is proof that unicorns walk among us disguised as talented, charismatic neighbors wearing sweatpants. She has published a library’s worth of Young Adult titles and a growing collection of screenplays in those sweatpants. Most recently, her work ‘Believe In Christmas’ was developed into a 2024 Hallmark Christmas movie. Yes, that Hallmark.Maggie shares her journey from Brooklyn to Butte, becoming a certified princess along the way. She talks about the grind of writing and the surreal feeling she experienced waking onto a movie set that previously only existed in her mind. Maggie also opens up about her struggle with anxiety and the value of creating moments of joy for readers looking for a lighthearted, feel-good escape.Just don’t ask her about anything related to the San Francisco sports world. Or do. We hear the Gryffindors had a good season. Of all the places, Maggie Dallen calls Butte, Montana home. For more on Maggie’s books, visit: maggiedallenbooks.com or visit her on the socials at authormaggiedallen

It feels like the many chapters of Cassie Loretta’s journey have culminated into her recent opening of a Dandelion Salad brick-and-mortar storefront in uptown Butte. Anchored by her own art, her boutique carries a creatively curated selection of locally-sourced art, vintage clothing, home goods, and one-of-a-kind gifts. Cassie tells the story of making dandelion salads on the playground as a child, shares the origin and process of her signature art style, and how a dream of home ownership led her to “accidentally” buying a house in Butte. Our host Jon and his wife Cassie are thrilled to have their Main Street business located right next to our guest Cassie and her husband, Jon’s.Of all the places, Cassie calls Butte, Montana home.To see or purchase Cassie’s art visit  www.cassieloretta.com For more information on Dandelion Salad, visit their Instagram  www.instagram.com/dandelion.salad.shop/  or website: https://www.dandelion-salad.com/

Whether it was to decompress after a day practicing law or to “study snowboarding” in college, the pull to be outside never left the attorney-turned-snow farmer, Mark Thieszen. When the opportunity to purchase the Homestake Lodge Nordic Ski Area presented itself after a summer spent clearing trees on the property, he jumped at the chance. Now, he and his family run the facility year-round, as a Nordic skiing destination and full-service wedding venue. For a kid who always wanted to simply be outside, he is lucky enough to have found a job sparking that same passion in others.Of all the places, Mark and his family call Butte, Montana home.For more information on Homestake Lodge, visit their website www.homestakelodge.com

The artist and closet scientist, Justin DeShazo has convinced himself that when more people get to know him, more people dislike him. What he doesn’t realize is how wrong he truly is. With his trademark snark, Justin shares his experience growing up in the rough part of town and the story of how his high school girlfriend saved his life with a small amount of money and a belief in him. They ended up marrying each other and started a family. He talks about the ‘approachable darkness’ of his art and how it is rooted in his personal healing journey. He also shares a deep appreciation of the blossoming art community that helps this Butte Original feel more at home. Of all the places, Justin calls Butte, Montana home. For Justin’s art, visit his Instagram page @jstndzo_artist

Our guest Shanna Adams is working tirelessly to lay the groundwork to move her community forward. Using decades of engineering experience, her family’s investment in the iconic Hotel Finlen in the heart of uptown Butte, and an unwavering determination to create a desirable community that benefits everyone, Shanna is the driving force behind the Uptown Butte Master Plan and the Uptown Business Improvement District. These two city programs aim to coordinate, amplify, and sustain efforts moving forward, promoting health, safety, beauty, and the opportunities here... or the potential... or is it opportunity? Yeah, potential.  In the time between recording and publishing this episode, Shanna's efforts have directly led to Butte, Montana receiving a $20 million grant to build a community center, dubbed the Butte-Silver Bow Community Resiliency Hub. If there is one person we could clone simply for the betterment of the world, it's Shanna. Of all the places, Shanna calls Butte, Montana home. You can find more of Shanna’s engineering work at  adamsconsultingservices.com and her Butte passion projects at uptownbuttemasterplan.com and  www.uptownbuttemt.com This episode is brough to you by Metal’s Sports Bar and Grill.

We’re pulling Ben Morris away from his computer and onto the couch to kick off our season 2 with a banger. He is an expert audio engineer with Morris Mountain Productions and the beefcake member of our favorite power-disco musical duo Desperate Electric. Ben tells us about growing up in a musical bubble, his (lack of a) hair care routine, and the process behind coming up with a ‘horny summer camp’ jam for their latest album. In all he does, Ben knows the importance of creating vibrancy in his world, whether that’s playing, mixing, or dropping fat beats that make us shake our booties. Of all the places, Ben (and Kayti) call Walkerville, Montana home.You can find Ben’s audio work at www.morrismtnproductions.com and his music at www.desperateelectric.comThis episode is brought to you by Collective Elevation.

Hello hello! Welcome back for season two of 'Of All The Places'! We can't wait to continue our journey and learn more about the magical people working hard to make their communities brighter and better. We hope you'll join us for the shenanigans and get inspired along the way.

When you spend any time around Mark Garff, the idea that we can simply do better is contagious. This mantra is woven through his time in the Morman religion, his passion for several niche hobbies, and what led him to become a landscape architect in a town designated as a Federal Superfund Site. But not necessarily in that order, as we found out, because this also applies to his ability to mix a perfect cocktail… or four. Join us as we drink, laugh at ourselves, erupt into spontaneous podcast commercials, and learn to be better in everything we do.   Of all the places, Mark calls Butte, Montana home.

If we’re lucky enough, we’re able to apply our passions and skills to the places most special to us. For Julia Crain, that place is her hometown. After receiving degrees in Seattle and Portland, Julia returned home and found herself working in local government. She’s inspired and sees each day as an opportunity to use her expertise in urban planning and policy to honor her deep Butte roots and contribute to a more functional, vibrant, and exciting community. And maybe even do a few cartwheels down uptown alleys with her daughter.   Of all the places, Julia calls Butte, Montana home.

A tireless doer of all things, Matt Boyle’s business card officially lists him as the owner of Montana Booking Agency and the manager of Collective Elevation. To the broader world, he’s been promoting music and producing a mind numbingly wide array of community events for well over a decade. And if he’s not working behind to scenes, he’ll definitely be enjoying it, in the crowd right next to you.  Of all the places, Matt calls Butte, Montana home.  

Christy Hays has been a professional touring songwriter forever with multiple studio albums and a unique fusion sound described as Americana rock and roll (with an occasional psychedelic flourish!). After time spent in Alaska, Nashville, and Austin, she has settled in Montana and started a writer's residence program called Dear Butte. She has recently been named the general manager of KBMF 102.5fm radio station in Butte.  Of all the places, Christy calls Walkerville, Montana home.  

Our host is the owner and creative engine behind 5518 Designs, an award-winning apparel brand and gift store that also includes the Dig City Supply retail brand and this brand spanking new podcast under the 5518 umbrella. Don’t ask him where he gets the time, it’s a mystery to him, as well. Jon comes to us via a meandering journey starting in the Midwest. He’s an avid traveler and cancer survivor, and credits both in shaping his perspective of the world.   Of all the places, Jon and his wife Cassie call Butte, Montana home.

We’re catching up with our host Kayti Korte. A lifelong musician, Kayti brings electro-soul funk and some trademark space-nuggets to our little corner of the world. She also captains the social media and marketing at 5518 Designs. With her beefcake husband Ben, our magical sound engineer, the duo forms the band Desperate Electric, bringing their juicy vibes nationwide and to your ear holes by way of our podcast’s theme music.   Of all the places, Kayti (and Ben) call Butte, Montana home.

A show exploring passions, creativity, and careers of people creating magic in their communities. From 5518 Designs in Butte, MT