A Montana Artist’s Calling: A Therapeutic Phone Booth Revival

Hello? When was the last time you used a pay phone, if ever?

Yes, they are a rarity indeed. Those of us old enough can remember sticking our fingers in the coin return to see if a dime or quarter got left behind. Or landing at a major airport and seeing the mad dash of passengers trying to get to the banks of pay phones to make personal or business calls before they had to catch a connecting flight.

But this is not about communication nostalgia. It's about a brilliant, talented Montana artist who has experienced personal tragedy within his own family as a result of isolation or loneliness.

Courtney Kibblewhite with the Norhern Ag Network shared a moving account of the "Montana Phone Booth Project." It is the brainchild of artist Jim Dolan, whose stunning pieces of art and metal sculpture beautifully capture life in the wide open spaces.

Courtney tells us about the premise: In Montana’s vast and open space, where communities are often small and far apart, isolation can take a heavy toll on a person’s mind. Jim Dolan is launching a unique initiative aimed at bridging that gap.

The idea behind the Montana Phone Booth Project is "simple yet profound: Handcrafted phone booths, painted bright red, placed across eastern Montana." Each booth carries a message like “Call Home” or “Keep in Touch.”

SAVE YOUR DIMES AND QUARTERS

These phone booths are not functional as actual telephones. Rather, they serve as physical reminders for people to reach out. Call a friend, check in with family, or seek help if needed.

To Mr. Dolan, who has experienced suicide within his own family circle, a relic such as the phone booth, a seemingly outdated relic, stands as a symbol of direct human connection, something modern communication technologies fail to replicate. As he puts it, “There’s a difference between sending a message online and actually hearing someone’s voice. That moment of real connection can be life-changing.”

Courtney Kibblewhite tells us that the first phone booth is set to be placed in Ringling, Montana, another in Hilger and the hope is to expand further into other farm and ranch communities of eastern Montana and the Hi-Line. They are looking for landowners near main county roads and highways who are willing to have the installations placed on their private land.

Thanks to a generous donor, the first 10 phone booths have been paid for and interested parties need only to reach out and share their location in order to be in the running to receive a phone booth on their land. If all 10 get claimed, Jim says he and his team of artists will happily make more. They’re looking for donations around $10,000 for each sculpture in order to continue to raise funds to support Montana’s rural mental health.

If you are a landowner who cares deeply about rural mental health and lives near a highway or county road, please reach out to Jim Dolan, 406-570-4731, or jim@jimdolanart.com, or Courtney Kibblewhite, 406-698-6932, ckibblewhite@northernbroadcasting.com.