Article by Jessica Renstrom | Photos by Mary Kate Teske

Some people tell stories with words. Mary Kate Teske tells them with art. A true storyteller at heart, she weaves together photography, film, illustration, and music to tell the history of rural Montana, the people, the land, and the quiet moments that often go unnoticed. Her work doesn’t just document; it builds a world, layered with deep respect for the past.

Mary Kate’s story started quietly on a wheat farm outside Terry, Montana. She moved there at the age of two, her early days shaped by the kind of rural isolation that turns boredom into boundless imagination. “It was so amazing,” she says, smiling. “My imagination was left to run free. There was so much nature at my disposal.”

It was during her childhood that Mary Kate began finding inspiration from the past, including the work of Evelyn Cameron, a pioneer photographer who chronicled eastern Montana life over a century ago. “She had so much patience and tenacity,” Mary Kate says. “I love that about her. I admire those qualities: working really hard and investing your whole life to produce quality and tell stories.”

That same spirit, resilient, observant, devoted to her craft, runs through Mary Kate’s own creative journey as a multimedia artist. Her work as a photographer, musician, filmmaker, illustrator, and writer has grown alongside her, shaped by the land and the people of Montana, as\ well as by a passionate curiosity to learn and explore every corner of the landscape.

“I hope I can share a piece of history, a piece of art, an expression, something people haven’t seen or learned. Something that can help give a moment of growth or hope”

-Mary Kate Teske

GETTING STARTED

Mary Kate took her first photo at the age of five, with her brother mid-air, launching from a dresser. It won first place at the Terry Fair, and from there, she was hooked. Years later, she’d find herself on a road trip across Montana, sleeping in the backseat of her Dodge Lancer, a Canon 5D Mark III her prized possession after dropping out of college. “I wasn’t happy in college,” she says. Despite trying a variety of majors, including psychology, literature, and even engineering, it didn’t feel like the right fit. “I wanted to invest in myself and my art.” So, she did.

Having never taken a photography class, Mary Kate’s photography education evolved through trial and error, including printing photos at Walmart, self-critiquing, and immersing herself in the works of Stephen Shore and William Eggleston, as she learned what drew her in. “I started asking myself: What do I actually like?”

Eventually, she found herself drawn back to film. A friend lent her an Olympus OM-1, and everything changed. She dove headfirst into developing her own film, which, despite its difficulty, brought out Mary Kate’s resiliency: “It didn’t turn out great the first couple times,” she laughs. “To remove all pressure, I cross-processed for an entire two years. I intentionally ruined my film to avoid perfect.” That experiment turned into a coffee table book of 150 images. Now, she’s developing her own film, showing work at the Electric Storm Gallery in Billings, and pushing into large-format photography.

photo by Arianna Skoog

SINGING THE STORIES

Just as her lens captures Montana, Mary Kate Teske’s songs give voice to its stories. Her music is steeped in traditional country, echoing the influence of legends like Townes Van Zandt, whose music she calls one of her biggest inspirations. “He lived just down the block,” she says. “It’s so inspiring to keep the past alive.”

Mary Kate’s songwriting is honest and unvarnished, pulling from the same well as her visual work: the land, the past, and the landscapes of rural life. “I never try to work on something I’m not excited about,” she says. “I follow my heart and let genuine curiosity lead me.”

Creating music is never a solo endeavor for her; it’s about collaboration, connection, and joy. Her recent album was a communal effort, featuring nearly a dozen friends and musicians who helped shape the sound. “I could never have made my album on my own,” she says. “The best time is making things with friends. We lighten each other’s loads, and take that extra step to bring joy into whatever we’re working on.”

BUILDING A WORLD, ONE STORY AT A TIME

Mary Kate is a storyteller before anything else. “The story is everything,” she says. “The media I choose, photography, film, music, it’s just the best way to help tell that story.”

Her work is set apart by a deep and abiding sense of place. Montana isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a character, a collaborator. From cowboy portraits at sunrise to long-lost landmarks, her work captures not just what Montana looks like, but how it feels.

“I was very curious about the history of Billings, the people who lived here, the buildings, the events. There’s a never-ending well of stories,” she says. This curiosity led her to produce a series of videos exploring Montana’s rich and often-overlooked history, uncovering and sharing the stories that have shaped the state. Mary Kate continues to highlight Montana landmarks and share historical tidbits through this ongoing project, which you can follow on her Facebook and Instagram accounts.

HER DIGITAL FRONT PORCH

If you follow Mary Kate online, you’ll find a rich mix of storytelling that blends the personal with the historical. There are videos on Montana’s heritage, mental health reflections, and musings on life in rural America. She views her platform not just as a gallery, but as a forum for conversation.

One recurring topic is her beloved Dodge Lancer, a faithful companion and rolling time capsule she’s planning to make a film about. To Mary Kate, the car is more than a vehicle; it’s a huge part of who she is. She’s dedicated to preserving this piece of history, currently undertaking a second full restoration to keep it on the road (and in the story) for years to come.

THE LONG GAME OF MAKING ART

Mary Kate doesn’t pretend the creative life is easy. There’s no sugarcoating the sacrifice. “I don’t make a lot of money doing this,” she says. “But I need to tell stories. Without it, I would feel unfulfilled.”

Right now, she’s working away at multiple projects: more music, more portraiture, large-format experiments, and the film about her car. “I’m chipping away every single day,” says Mary Kate. “Every day, you keep your nose down and keep working hard. Slowly, over time, you see the whole thing piece itself together. Before you know it, the whole thing is done.”

She’s quick to credit her wife as a driving force behind the scenes. “She’s behind the camera in my videos, with constant good morale,” Mary Kate says. “That’s been so powerful to have a partner who is not only supportive, but also integral to this working. Without her, I couldn’t continue.”

CHASING STORIES

Mary Kate Teske is building a life and a body of work that’s as raw and real as the wind-swept plains she grew up on. She’s not chasing trends or perfecting algorithms. She’s chasing stories. Ones that make you pause. Ones that remind you of the past. Ones that quietly say, “Look closer, there’s beauty here.”

And really, isn’t that what all the best stories do?

Originally printed in the July 2025 issue of Simply Local Magazine

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