Known by many as "the most at-large Montanan," Steve Held is a rancher, a civic leader and dedicated advocate for the environment – not to mention a former Hollywood star. This month, he took time out to speak with Mary about how the world looks to him.

Steve's ranch covers 7000 acres at the southeastern edge of the state. It’s a sprawling, magnificent landscape, one that’s been shaping him since he was just a boy. Steve lives a deeply connected life – both to his hometown of 450 people, as well as to rural lands and communities across the state.

He spent 25 years in Hollywood as an actor, but always knew one day he'd return to his homeland. His children were raised on the land. One of them, Rikki Held, joined 15 other Montana youth to become the lead plaintiff in Held v. Montana, a landmark 2023 lawsuit in which they successfully argued all the way to the Montana Supreme Court that the state had violated their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment.

Steve whole-heartedly supported Rikki and her peers in their legal case. He then built on their energy, brilliance and focus to encourage citizens around the state to learn and join in the climate advocacy movement. Steve sees himself as an energized Elder, devoting himself to organizing for social and environmental justice. His focus is clear and steadfast, advocating for fair treatment of the land and its people, animals and waterways.

You can learn more about Steve by reading his substack - Last Best Voice - and by doing the old fashioned thing of checking him out on Google.

And here's a link for learning more about Rikki Held and her fifteen associates in Held v. Montana. https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/montana

Check it out. There’s lots to learn. But the most important thing we can all take away is Steve’s request that we, each and all, do everything we can to become good ancestors. Certainly worth some serious consideration and action.

MUSIC

Inspiring Folk Acoustic Guitar. Music by Music_for_Creators from Pixabay

The River Knows My Name. Music by Diana DiDI from Pixabay

Acoustic Guitar, Primavera. Music by Sound Music from Pixabay

Original theme music composed and performed by Gary Ferguson.

This month, Mary got to talk with Marilyn Deutsch, a beloved Portland journalist who spent over three decades as a producer at KPTV/FOX 12. Marilyn is known for her dedicated storytelling and recognized by colleagues as a talented, long-standing voice in Oregon media. An award-winning news professional, Marilyn has been recognized for being highly adept at presenting complex topics clearly. She's a skilled listener and polished public speaker.

These days, Marilyn consults with the Oregon Historical Society on their oral history initiatives. She conducts in-depth in-person interviews with leaders in Oregon politics, business, law and related fields. These oral histories become part of the OHS permanent collection for future research purposes and the historical record. Across the past three years, Marilyn has also served as the Oral History Director and Strategist for Clackamas County Historical Society with an eye toward the people and ecosystems of the Willamette River Valley.

Through it all, Marilyn has loved the natural world and paid attention to the shifts in sentiment among the public with whom she's interacted.

You can learn more about Marilyn on LinkedIn and in the articles and posts.

Fond Farewell to Marilyn Deutsch - FOX 12 Oregon https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1893542457662361

On Marilyn’s Facebook Page

And here.

As Marilyn suggests, Keep paying attention - as if you were going to be asked to report on what’s really happening. Marilyn knows, as you do, that with focus and dedication, we can indeed repair our climate.

MUSIC

Under the Olive Tree. Music by Silviu on the street from Pixabay

Flamenco Song. Music by Silviu on the street from Pixabay

Free Soul Guitar and Flute. Music by Kalpesh Ajugia from Pixabay

Original theme music composed and performed by Gary Ferguson.

This month, Mary got to spend time with Heather Bentz, a nationally rejowned artist and all around cool person. Heather was raised by artists, and by the natural world she adventured into throughout her childhood. She holds a BFA in Printmaking from Pennsylvania State University, and an MFA in Painting from Montana State University.

Following her rapt attention to play and adventure in nature as a child, Heather whimsically engages with a variety of materials in her art practice of collage, drawing and painting. In her career, she also supported the education of artists even as she continued creating. She served as Assistant Dean of the college of Arts and Architecture at Montana State University, and later as Assistant Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.

These days, her pieces hold found and recycled materials and often reference the plants around her and those she observed as a child.

As Heather puts it, "My art is a physical record of how I process the world around me, organizing and layering its frenetic bits to create surfaces that have history and hold the energy that went into their making. The imagery is reminiscent of something familiar. They're places in which I like to let my mind play and poke around."

Enjoy listening to this episode of HILFH, when Heather and Mary poke around to learn more about how nature and humans dance with each other to create art.

You can learn more about Heather Bintz by visiting her website. You can also follow her on Instagram @heather_bentz where she posts her bobcat sightings and shares her art.

Heather’s art is also featured in two current shows in Tucson, AZ - Small Works at the Untitled Gallery and Beneath the Surface, showing at Steinfeld Warehouse.

She has standing exhibitions at ten Space Gallery in Denver and at the Art3 Gallery in Manchester, NH - both of these galleries serving to represent her work.

In our conversation, Heather mentioned the artist, Clyde Aspevig - a creator worth checking out.

And now, as you move into your next days and weeks, take Heather's advice to do what you can to support climate repair - and make sure to pay renewed (and renewing) attention to the light.

MUSIC

Piano Background Music. Music by Dmitrii Kolesnikov from Pixabay

Background Piano. Music by Nikita Kondrashev from Pixabay

Relaxing Piano Ambient. Music by Mircea Iancu from Pixabay

Original theme music composed and performed by Gary Ferguson.