V23 Creative Magazine: Spring 2014 (Volume 2, Issue 1) by V23 Creative Magazine

SPRING 2014 VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 1

FEATURING

Breanna Rose Mint Wedding Cinematography Matthew Burgett Sean Dougherty Cabinet The Gantry A. Logan Hill Meghan Luck

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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W: Website // B: Blog // FB: Facebook // T: Twitter // P: Pinterest // F: Flickr // I: Instagram // L: LinkedIn // S: Store // SC: SoundCloud // V: Vimeo // Y: YouTube // E: Email

Emily McNally Founder, Editor, Designer W: www.emilymcnally.com P: pinterest.com/emc1108 E: emilymcnallydesign@gmail.com

SPRING 2014 FEATURES ART + DESIGN

PHOTOGRAPHY

Music

Creative Writing

Breanna Rose

Matthew Burgett

Cabinet

A. Logan Hill

FB: facebook.com/imbreannarose

W: www.matthewburgett.com

W: www.cabinetmusic.com

FB: facebook.com/a.logan.hill

T: twitter.com/imbreannarose

E: matthew@matthewburgett.com

FB: facebook.com/cabinetmusic

E: ashbyloganhill@gmail.com

P: pinterest.com/imbreannarose

T: twitter.com/cabinetmusicÂ

I: instagram.com/imbreannarose

E: info@cabinetmusic.com

Mint Wedding Cinematography

Sean Dougherty

The Gantry

Meghan Luck

W: www.mintweddingcinematography.com

W: www.seandshoots.com

W: www.thegantrymusic.com

T: twitter.com/meghan_luck

FB: facebook.com/mintweddingcinematography

I: instagram.com/seandshoots

FB: facebook.com/thegantrymusic

E: luckmeghan@gmail.com

V: vimeo.com/mintcinematography

E: seand@seandshoots.com

E: mintweddingcinematography@gmail.com

T: twitter.com/thegantrymusic Y: youtube.com/thegantrymusic

SPRING 2014 CONTRIBUTORS

Cassidy Kristiansen

Maddy Talias

Julie Kang

Photographer

Printmaker and Illustrator E: kang.jules@gmail.com

W: www.cassidykristiansen.com

W: www.maddytalias.com

FB: facebook.com/cassidykristiansenphotographer

B: maddytalias.tumblr.com

F: flickr.com/photos/thecassidyjean

I: instagram.com/maddytalias

I: instagram.com/cassidykristiansen

E: maddy@maddytalias.com

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SPRING 2014 | LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

pring 2014 marks the first full year of V23 based on our system of quarterly issues. While the official anniversary of our debut issue is at the end of June, we now have an issue for every season from our first year up and running. Our friends at Blue Pretzel Studio, featured in our Fall 2013 issue, recently celebrated the second an-

niversary of their business and shared this message: It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s always been worth it. There really isn’t much more to say than that – thank you to everyone who has made it possible to survive this first year. We genuinely appreciate it and look forward to continuing to grow in our second year. If you are interested in contributing to or being featured in future issues, please see the contact information for V23 at the end of the magazine on page 102. While you’re there, be sure to connect with us on social media to join our creative network and get the latest updates on our features and contributors, past and present. Spring has yet to truly unveil itself in New York, but temperatures are slowly rising... hopefully for good this time. To those of you who are already able to experience the season, enjoy it, and as always, thank you for your readership and support!

Winter 2013 Issue Correction: It has come to the attention of V23 that the photographs in the Winter 2013 Art + Design feature “No Boundaries” were taken by Lauren Sohn, not Rachel Sumner.

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BREANNA ROSE MINT WEDDING CINEMATOGRAPHY

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Design and photography by Breanna Rose

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Enjoying the ride HOW BREANNA ROSE FORGED HER OWN CREATIVE PATH Story by Emily McNally and Breanna Rose Radermacher Design by Breanna Rose Radermacher Photography by Breanna Rose Radermacher and Kate Miss

t was always a dream of mine to start my own design business, so upon graduating, I dove in head first and haven’t looked back since,” says Breanna Rose Radermacher of Breanna Rose Design, a small graphic design studio based in

Minneapolis, Minnesota. “It’s been an exciting, and sometimes scary, adventure so far and I absolutely cannot wait to see what’s next.” Although she acknowledges that she feels like a slight fraud for admitting this, graphic design wasn’t always Breanna’s first career choice. “In fact, two weeks before my freshman year of college, I was enrolled in a private school for nursing,” she confirms. “Then I had a major epiphany that literally changed everything.” Breanna’s life had always been driven by creativity in one form or another. A long time piano student, she could often be found doodling or playing around in Photoshop in her leisure. “When those close to me assumed that I would head in that direction for my future career, they were certainly surprised when my answer was, ‘no, those things are just hobbies,’” she recalls. “But for whatever reason, two weeks before I was supposed to begin my nursing degree, I finally realized how wrong I was. Creativity is everything to me and I felt nuts for not pursuing it.” With the help of her parents and a few phone calls, Breanna was quickly placed in a completely different school – the University of Wisconsin – and joined the Stevens Point design program where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

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Design and photography by Breanna Rose

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Very early on in her design education, it became apparent to Breanna that she wanted to start her own business. “At first, I thought it would be something that happened after many years of experience at studios or agencies,” she reflects. “But as graduation got closer and closer, I started playing around with the idea of starting right away. I knew that I had the mindset and work ethic to do it, but was entirely scared of failing.” She sat her parents down and explained her plan to them. While they were skeptical at first, they agreed to let her live in their basement while she took the following summer to build up a client base and prove herself. “I knew that if I didn’t feel confident at summer’s end about my progress, I would take a break and start applying for work around Minneapolis,” she explains. “Luckily, with the help of my blog, endless networking, and long hours, I was able to stick with it and continue on, even today.” Due to freelancing directly out of school, Breanna didn’t have much money saved up to live or invest in her business. “Although that may sound like a potential road block, I swallowed my pride and asked my (awesome) parents if I could live at home for awhile,” she shares. “And you know what? There’s no shame in that. I cozied up in my childhood bedroom for hours on end, taking advantage of my situation and building up a client base. Seriously though, free home-cooked meals were a definite plus. I also had a year-long workout buddy (my mom) when work got stressful. I’m entirely thankful to them for that first year of freelancing. Without them, I don’t think I could have pulled it off.” In the beginning, one of Breanna’s biggest challenges of running her own business was the uncertainty of it all. “I lived in this constant state of pure joy and terror,” she remembers. “I absolutely loved the freedom of being my own boss and working on such creative projects, but it was definitely scary not knowing when my next inquiry would come in. I remember at the time, I would get maybe one inquiry on a good week – that’s it! And every time it happened, I would run around like I won the lottery or something.” Over time, things began to feel more solid and her confidence slowly grew, but a lot of patience was practiced during those first few months. For a long time, Breanna would also allow herself to worry about her age and what people would think of her as a young designer running her own business. “I was concerned that I wouldn’t be taken seriously or that I would lose potential clients solely because of my age,” she admits. “But guess what? It’s never been a problem. I’ve learned that as long as you always try your best, put out consistently great work, and continually learn new things, age is just a number. Your creative talent and work ethic is what drives a solid business.”

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Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned that as long as you always try your best, put out consistently great work, and continually learn new things, age is just a number. Your creative talent and work ethic is what drives a solid business. Breanna Rose

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Design by Breanna Rose

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Design and photography by Breanna Rose

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In addition to the work that she does for her clients, Breanna considers her blog to be her most prominent side project. It started off as an extension of herself as a designer before she truly set out to start her own business. For awhile, she would simply post what inspired her, allowing the space to grow as a creative outlet, but eventually began to realize that she had a reader base that kept coming back and commenting on what she was sharing. “While I am first and foremost a designer, my blog is one of the biggest outlets that I receive client inquiries from, so I’ve made sure that it’s space I feel comfortable in to inspire not only others, but myself as well,” she states. “I usually share a lot about my process, work, and insight into a designer’s life. My biggest column, entitled Be Free, Lance, is where I get to discuss the ups and downs, as well as tips and tricks, of freelance life. It’s been extremely inspiring to write about so many topics and hear what readers have to say in return. The community feel that it creates is my favorite part, hands down.” In fact, as an extension of her popular column, Breanna will be launching an online workshop of the same name with her designer friend, Jen Serafini. Set to open in the fall of 2014, Be Free, Lance will target creatives who are both aspiring and active freelancers. Breanna has been working under her own name as a freelance designer for almost three years; however, in March of 2014, she took an exciting step and launched Rowan Made, her new design studio that allows for a base to expand upon in the future. “As it was, I felt like I had hit a wall,” she expresses. “Everything is fresh with Rowan Made, from the name to the process in which I work.” On her blog, she shares the personal meaning behind the studio’s name: There’s this old European Folk Tale that talks about the Rowan Tree, which supposedly prevented travelers from getting lost. And while I hail from the Midwest and don’t have a magical Rowan tree in my backyard (yet), I find myself in a similar place. Forging my own creative journey each and everyday, trusting that I’m at the right path. Rowan Made is a journey not only for myself, but for the clients I work with as well. That’s the best part. Creatively, Breanna hopes to work more within the niche that she would like her new studio to attract: passionate and creative lifestyle brands. While she admires many designers and studios, she finds herself particularly drawn to both FoundryCo and Oat, as they continuously produce great work and have the type of client base that she sees herself moving towards with Rowan Made. The most important piece of advice that Breanna conveys to others who want to embark on a creative entrepreneurial journey is really quite simple. “Just do it,” she states. “If it’s a dream of yours and something that you truly believe you can do, then why not give it a try?” Often times, people – including Breanna herself – will look for excuses not to chase their dreams…but will there ever really be that perfect time to start? Probably not. “Staying in place is easy,” Breanna states. “Moving forward is hard; but once you get on a roll, you’ll be so glad that you did – I promise! You never know where your creative path will go; you just need to get on it first and enjoy the ride.” n

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Design by Breanna Rose // Photography by Kate Miss

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Keeping it Fresh The unique perspective of Mint wedding cinematography Story by Emily McNally and Emilia Randler Photography by Mint Wedding Cinematography

int had a very organic and serendipitous creation,” explains Emilia Randler, one of the members of the Brooklyn-based studio Mint Wedding Cinematography. “Chris and I met and began dating at Ohio

State University. We realized that with our coupled interests and talents, we could make for a great creative team.” Chris, born and raised in rural Ohio, studied English and Philosophy in school while always maintaining a strong interest in film. More or less self-taught, he studied film on his own, took a few courses, and learned a lot through experimenting and collaborating. Emilia, a Virginia native from the Chesapeake Bay area, has always had a healthy interest in all things visually creative. “I studied studio art with a concentration in graphic design at James Madison University and then attended Ohio State to study Landscape Architecture,” she states. “Throughout the nature of my education, I became very comfortable with the fundamentals of photography, which are also applicable to cinematography.” After working as a graphic designer for a stationery boutique in Columbus, Ohio, and consequently becoming familiar with what many brides were looking for when it came to design, she merged her knowledge with Chris’ passion for cinematography and Mint was born. Since creating the company as a duo, Emilia and Chris have recruited their friend Zach, who shares their love for film. Zach now shoots with the pair and is Mint’s other key editor, along with Chris.

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So why the name Mint? “The original spark came from the mint plant that Chris and I had on our kitchen table at the time, which we called Minty Melvin as we weren’t allowed to have pets in that apartment,” Emilia recalls. “Sometimes, we are asked why our colors are orange and grey rather than something more ‘minty.’ We chose to go with this scheme because it’s a warm and energetic combination that conveys a little bit of romance without going over the top, which is what we strive to portray in our wedding productions.” Although the concept and initial creation of Mint were very natural steps for Emilia and Chris, building the business has been challenging yet rewarding. “There has been a lot of work behind the scenes in figuring out almost everything, from the branding and aesthetic of the company, to the legal and technical aspects, to the daily organization and maintenance,” Emilia acknowledges. Their overall decision to specialize in weddings made sense for business, as people always seem to be getting married regardless of the state of the economy. “Weddings are also pretty fun and people are almost always in good spirits, which make for a pleasant work environment,” Emilia admits. “Chris enjoys having constant opportunities to practice his editing and shooting techniques as well.” The team also notes that it has been interesting to observe first-hand how different cultures and religions celebrate weddings.

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Mint’s projects primarily revolve around the needs of their clients. Emilia and Chris will talk with them and figure out their likes and dislikes so that they get a sense of how to tailor their shooting styles; however, they always have to be prepared for the unexpected. “Life can be unpredictable, no matter how well planned an event is, so sometimes you just need to rely on your creative ingenuity and make quick decisions while still maintaining a noninvasive shooting style,” says Emilia wisely. When it comes to the editing process, the team does its best to find music that perfectly fits the atmosphere of the day as well as the personality of the clients. While Mint’s overall style is fairly clean, they are sometimes tempted to loosen up and try out new styles. One company in their industry that they particularly admire is Sharkpig. “They really know how to edit,” Emilia comments, referring to them as the best in the business in that regard. “They kind of have this sketch-like approach to videos that really works well.” Mint is also influenced by the atmosphere of the wedding days that they experience, as well as music. “Watching films can also be inspiring, as we can pick up on new types of shots or editing techniques,” Emilia expresses. “Additionally, as sappy as it may sound, the people that we shoot are an inspiration. We ultimately want them to be the happiest with our work since they are trusting us to be part of something that is so personal.”

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e her tal k C l i c w M i ’s v i e av i d g to D in a n d we d d t ! Min video

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When Mint was in its early stages, Emilia and Chris started off shooting weddings for free to build their portfolio. They also invested a lot of time and effort into the branding and the website. “Financially, getting the business off the ground wasn’t too bad, as we had access to some of the necessary resources and equipment,” Emilia reveals. “Having top-of-the-line shooting gear certainly helps now that we can afford it, but when we first started we had to rely on our aesthetic vision to push us into the industry.” The pair recognizes that it the beginning, it was a bit discouraging to invest so much time into performing free labor. “Obviously you don’t want to run yourself into the ground, but for us, developing a portfolio was crucial,” Emilia confirms. “We needed to prove to potential clients that we could be trusted to capture something so sacred that only happens once. We can’t really ask them to do a second take on that first kiss!” It may take a little time and a lot of work to get everything on track – and probably a second job – but sometimes it all pays off. “Treating your craft like a more traditional job is also helpful,” Emilia shares. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in the creative portion, but it’s also important to pay attention to the business side of things like responding to inquiries, maintaining your various web platforms, and updating contracts. Those things can be just as vital as the creativity.” n

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Matthew Burgett SEAN DOUGHERTY PHOTO SERIES

CASSIDY KRISTIANSEN

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PORTRAYING THE EDGE THE PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLING OF MATTHEW BURGETT Story by Emily McNally and Matthew Burgett Photography by Matthew Burgett

ver since he was five years old, Matthew Burgett has been interested in photography. “I found my mother’s old film camera and she showed me how to use it,” he recalls. “As I grew older, she let me start taking my first

photos.” After years of experimenting, Matthew taught himself the basics. “I did some reading here and there and also took some small summer classes,” he remembers. “Eventually, I got a grasp on it and really started loving photography. It’s an amazing ability to be able to capture a moment in time and keep it forever.” In 2011, Matthew graduated from the Hallmark Institute of Photography armed with the tools and knowledge that he needed to continue pursuing his passion. “In college, I discovered my love for fashion and editorial photography,” he explains. “I tend to portray an edge in the majority of my work, regardless of subject matter.” Even in the most basic of portraits, Matthew strives to add a touch of fashion or commercial influence.

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You have to begin somewhere and the best way is to just start shooting. Local workshops are a great option if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just starting out. Gain some basic knowledge, pick up the camera, and make some friends along the way. Matthew Burgett

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Matthew often finds himself brainstorming full photo concepts in his head, regardless of whether or not he has a project on hand; if he doesn’t, he will store his idea away until he has the ideal opportunity to execute it to its fullest extent. He particularly enjoys collaborating with makeup artists to further his visions and turn them into entire shoots. One of Matthew’s main photography influences is David LaChappele. “He encompasses what I think photography is all about: telling a story and making you think about it,” he expresses. “His work brings out a lot of emotion, both positive and negative, which to me means that he has successfully done his job.” On any given day, Matthew strives to find inspiration in what’s around him. “I know that might sound cliché, but it’s true,” he admits. “I’ll be at an auto detailing shop and start thinking about a shoot in a garage for an advertisement. A lot of my ideas come from daily experiences and thoughts.” Music also sparks ideas for Matthew, as he tends to visualize how certain songs would look in a physical setting. A native of Cleveland, Matthew loves to travel, particularly to New York City, and never leaves his camera behind. “I can easily spend half of my time wandering the streets, snapping photos of whatever interests me,” he shares. Matthew also enjoys working with other creatives, specifically drag performers. “Even though I’m around that lifestyle all the time from working at a club and having a lot of friends that are performers, there is always something new to document. I love to capture shots from the behind the scenes.” In the future, Matthew hopes to work for a large publication as either a photographer or editor. “I have many goals, and some have already been accomplished, but I’ve got a long way to go,” he acknowledges. “Getting involved in fashion and editorial photography has been a dream of mine for a long while now and every shoot I do gets me a little closer to making it a reality.” Reflecting upon his own experiences, Matthew can summarize his journey thus far by taking photo after photo, over and over, until he began to produce quality work. “You have to begin somewhere and the best way is to just start shooting,” he advises. Attending school for photography was also extremely helpful to him, as it expanded his knowledge and experiences; however, he realizes that this may not be for everyone “Local workshops are a great option if you’re just starting out,” he affirms. “Gain some basic knowledge, pick up the camera, and make some friends along the way.” n

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Fully Committed SEAN DOUGHERTY’S 24/7 PHOTOGRAPHY HUSTLE Story by Emily McNally and Sean Dougherty Photography by Sean Dougherty

always struggled in school and often found myself drawing,” New York City photographer Sean Dougherty reflects. “I was regularly doing something creative in my spare time. I guess I was always searching for this career, I just didn’t know what it

was yet.” Born in Chicago, Sean started out in the cinematography field by filming skateboarding; however, he found that his camera was set on picture mode about half of the time. “In 2008, my par-

ents got me my first DSLR camera for Christmas,” he remembers. “I began making up for all those books I didn’t read in school with books like Understanding Exposure and Within the Frame.” Upon completing his formal education, Sean found himself shooting a lot of jobs that paid rather than jobs he genuinely enjoyed. As a personal escape, he began taking photos around New York City. “I would find places on my journey that looked interesting and try to shoot them in ways that most people wouldn’t typically see,” he explains. “The whole hobby evolved into a way to release creativity that felt trapped inside of me and now it’s something that I’m excited to do every day.” Lately, Sean has been stepping his game up by exploring anything and everything. He’ll get lost on trains and wind up in places that he’s never been before. Often times, these adventures produce some of his best work. Sean also travels with others, which is convenient as he always has subjects on hand to incorporate into his shots. “I’ve met tons of people from my new work, some who are now good friends of mine,” he shares. “Faces are the best part of the experience; old friends and new friends.” Sean’s work is widely appreciated on his Instagram account (@seandshoots), where has accumulated nearly 3,000 followers.

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There are 8.5 million people living in New York City. We all see the same places every day. I want to make people see this city in a way that they never have before. Sean Dougherty

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Sean makes an effort to approach every project that he does from a unique angle. “I feel the less planning I do and the more I wing it, the more creative I allow myself to be,” he describes. “I’ve found that the best way to work, at least for me, is to have a general plan and then just prepare for the unexpected. Other than that, I like to shoot on the run.” When he encounters a creative slump, one way in which he will work through it is to revisit places that he’s photographed before. “I try to come up with something totally different than what I did earlier – ideally even better. There are 8.5 million people living in New York City. We all see the same places every day. I want to make people see this city in a way that they never have before,” he reveals. “It’s also nice to live in a city full of other photographers who happen to be some of your best friends. All of my New York City photographer friends alway inspire me and push me to get back to work.” In addition to documenting life around New York City, automotive photography is of particular importance to Sean. “I first became interested in cars around the same time that I discovered my passion for photography,” he recalls. “I found myself looking up to advertising images rather than what is typically seen in magazines – that’s what I compared my work to in the beginning.” Some automotive photographers that Sean admires are Steve Demmitt, Easton Chang, and Webb Bland. “Other than that, I admire all of my photographer friends,” he states. “They work so hard for their goals every day.” Outside of photography altogether, Sean can be found writing music, drawing, and spending time with family and friends. Additionally, he enjoys fashion and style, stating that he can appreciate different genres and categories of almost everything. “I think other categories of work are the best places to draw inspiration from,” he acknowledges. One of the most important lessons that Sean has learned throughout his photography career so far is that you have to do what it takes to get the shot. “I find myself going to extreme lengths to stand out and every time, those are the shots that get the most love,” he expresses. “To other aspiring photographers, I would tell them that the only way to have a career is to hustle 24/7. There is absolutely no other way than to fully commit.” n

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Soul A PHOTO series Photography by Cassidy Kristiansen Assisted by Bill Nichols Modeled by Paris Dupree Designed by Chez Hair + Makeup by Jose Perez

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;This series is based on the idea of someone being woken from a dream-like state and coming alive through dance and song in the short time that she has; almost as if the dead were to rise for a day and how they would make the most of it. The colors and poses in the middle of the series convey the height of the experience before the subject settles back into the same slumber that she came from.â&#x20AC;? Cassidy Kristiansen

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CABINET THE GANTRY

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GET OUT AND PLAY THE EVOLUTION AND SUCCESS OF CABINET Story by Emily McNally, Mickey Coviello, and Todd Kopec Photography by Maddy Talias

ailing from Northeastern Pennsylvania, Cabinet doesn’t specialize in one specific genre of music. “We blend folk, Americana, rock and roll, bluegrass, reggae, country, etc. You may call it whatever you want,” says

Mickey Coviello, one of the six members of the group. Cabinet is made up of Mickey (acoustic and electric guitar, backing vocals), J.P. Biondo (mandolin, guitar, vocals), Pappy Biondo (banjo, guitar, mandolin, vocals, universe), Dylan Skursky (upright and electric bass), Todd Kopec (fiddle), and Jami Novak (drums and percussion). “We all have pretty eclectic tastes in music which, I think, helps make our music sound pretty unique,” Mickey continues. The majority of the group has, in some form or another, been involved in music their whole lives. Cabinet began with J.P. and Mickey, who grew up together – J.P. a year ahead of Mickey in school. “I always kind of looked up to him,” Mickey acknowledges. “The summer before I was supposed to move to Philadelphia to attend Drexel University was when we really started hanging out a lot more. We would drive around and listen to music then stop at the local park and just jam for a while.” At one point, J.P. had heard about an open mic in Plains, Pennsylvania, and the pair decided to check it out. “When we got there, we learned that the open mic had been canceled because they were having a show that night,” Mickey shares. “The man at the door – who turned out to be the talent booker for the venue – told us to come in and enjoy ourselves, but to come back next week for the open mic.”

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J.P. and Mickey did go back and began regularly attending the open mic nights. They would get on stage and play together, eventually befriending sound engineer and bassist, Dylan. “He would sit in with anybody that wanted him to and play bass,” Mickey remembers. “Once we saw how talented he was, we asked him to join us.” During this time, J.P.’s cousin, Pappy, had moved to the area from Cleveland and was looking to play music, not realizing that J.P. and Mickey had started a project. “He joined in on the fun and our jams got more structured,” Mickey recalls. “We even started writing music with words (gasp)!” At one of the open mics, Dylan invited his friend, Todd, to sit in on fiddle and the group played as a string band for awhile. There were a few drummers that came and went, but eventually Jami showed up and never left...the rest is history. Since Cabinet’s official formation in April of 2006, all of the members have had to take risks and make sacrifices in order to put their music out there. Long hours on the road, lack of sleep, and little to no money are just a few of the struggles that the band has endured for their dream. “Time away from family is absolutely the biggest sacrifice for me,” Todd reveals. “A few years ago, I would have said the entire career move was risky. I may have been defining success in the typical ‘gotta-get-discovered’ way. Now I know that success happens every time we move people with music. It’s up to us to get the music out there by physically getting out there and playing it.” Mickey, on the other hand, gave up the opportunity to study Information Systems at Drexel University. “Was it worth it? You bet,” he states. “However, I would advise others who may be looking to embark on a similar musical journey to make sure that they are 100% dedicated to it…and do not ever expect to make money.”

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As a group, Cabinet has a varied approach when it comes to writing new music. “Sometimes, one of us will come in with a song that’s pretty much finished and we just refine it so that it works for everyone,” Mickey explains. “Other times, a song will come from a simple jam. Some songs are presented half-finished and we all work it out together.” Interestingly, Todd has found that part of the evolution of Cabinet’s music since the group first started playing together has been in knowing when not to play. “I think we have all wanted to be more agile, increasingly technical, and musically educated… but what has been more advantageous to the group is finding the comfort to not play, to leave space.” This has also worked into the arrangement of material as well. “We can play a straight-up, three-minute radio version...or jam for twenty minutes,” Todd describes. “I enjoy both sides of the coin.” While the group doesn’t have any official rituals that they do either before or after shows, Todd has always felt that they need some. “I’d be into anything,” he comments. “Occasionally, we do the sportsy ‘bring-it-in’ thing, and that’s cool, but I’d love to sit and breathe or light some candles…jumping jacks…something!” Regarding future plans, Mickey hopes to release a bunch of small projects that he’s recorded. “It’s more alternative/ambient/rock kind of stuff,” he expresses. “One of these days, I’ll get to it.” Todd is looking into learning a classical violin piece from top to bottom. He would also really like to do a cross country tour with Cabinet. “I’ve always wanted to have my children along to get a taste of touring,” he confesses “I think growing the band big enough to be able to do that would give me satisfaction and a sense of success on a higher level.” In the coming months, Cabinet will wrap up their tour of the Northeast and get ready to headline their hometown music festival, Susquehanna Breakdown, in May. Their latest album, This Is Cabinet – Set II, is available on both iTunes and Spotify. n

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FEELING GOOD HOW THE GANTRY DOES WHAT THEY LOVE AND LOVES WHAT THEY DO Story by Emily McNally, Kevin Goldhahn, Jeff Kay, Tim Cornish, and Adam Knobloch Photography by Maddy Talias

e’re a bunch of East Coast guys,” says Kevin Goldhahn of New Jersey, one of the members of the rock band The Gantry. Based in Astoria, Queens, the group is made up of Kevin,

Jeff Kay from Long Island, Tim Cornish from Philadelphia, and Adam Knobloch from Upstate New York. The Gantry considers themselves to be an Americana band with heavy folk influences, which were especially present during their early beginnings back in 2011. “I started off with just an acoustic guitar and religiously went to open mics around New York City,” Kevin remembers. “I was a regular at a bar that Jeff worked at and when I learned that he played guitar and could sing, I asked if he wanted to fool around on guitars sometime.” The pair wrote some songs together and decided that they wanted to record an EP, so Kevin reached out to Tim, who he used to play in a band with in Philadelphia. “We were very folksy back then, doing three-part acoustic gigs around the city,” Kevin recalls. “When we began recording our first album, we brought in our good friend Justin Storer to record drums. Upon the album’s release, Adam came on board as our full time drummer.” The Gantry has been touring constantly over the past year and is on the brink of recording their sophomore album.

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As individual musicians, the guys come from various backgrounds. Kevin is mostly self-taught and primarily influenced by his grandfather, father, and uncle. “They are all very talented musicians and really inspired me to learn,” he shares. “I took music very seriously in college but put it on the back burner until I moved to New York and started playing open mics. Once I began writing and getting involved with the scene here, I became hooked. I knew it was what I had to do.” When Jeff started jamming with Kevin, he also started going to see more shows. “The thrill of live music is what does it for me,” he expresses. “It’s the energy exchange that you’re lucky to be part of when the band is killing it and the crowd knows it.” Adam comes from parents who are classically trained musicians, exposing him to many different genres of music at an early age; however, he wasn’t allowed to play the drums initially, even though they were always his first choice. “I started out as a concert and jazz saxophonist, which I continued through college and still play today,” he reveals. “It was during my sophomore year of high school when my parents finally let me get a drum set and I haven’t looked back. I’ve been pursuing the drums for about ten years now.” Tim has been involved in music since his childhood, taking part in choir and playing the trumpet, guitar, and bass. In 2007, he joined a pop-punk band as a bassist, where he met Kevin on lead guitar. It was through this experience that he began to play original compositions and really take music seriously. The Gantry has made a strong combined effort to get to where they are now and continue to expand upon that foundation. Collectively, the members book shows, network with anyone and everyone, and promote their music as effectively as possible. “As most musicians know very well, the industry is brutal and ‘making it’ is not something anyone can bank on,” Adam notes. “Our debut album, tours, equipment, upcoming second album, and so much more are all results of hard work and a lot of monetary investment. We hope that our future efforts not only benefit our goals as musicians, but also continue to be as rewarding as they have been so far.” Maintaining a balance between the band and personal lives also proves to be difficult at times. “That’s been my biggest challenge,” Jeff confesses. “The band, relationships, work…it can be tricky coordinating all four of our schedules and sometimes, when the band takes priority, things can get a little hairy. It’s like, you try so hard to grow the band, day in and day out, that sometimes you don’t realize that you’ve got tunnel vision. They say ‘don’t ever date a musician’ – well, they weren’t wrong about that.”

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Music comes from the heart. When your heart isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t in the music you play, it probably will not reach its full potential and this will most likely show. That goes for any trade: do what you love, hone your skills, and love what you do. THE GANTRY

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When it comes to creating new music together, The Gantry has great chemistry. “Everyone comes up with their own little parts really quickly, almost effortlessly,” Kevin comments. “We all genuinely care about creating quality music so it makes it easy. We’re really lucky in that sense.” In the beginning, Kevin would write the basic structure of a song and perform it at an open mic. If it went well, he would bring it into band practice to see what the others thought. “Recently though, we’ve been collaborating more when it comes to writing songs together,” Kevin explains. “Jeff or Adam will come to our weekly Monday practice with an idea for a song and we’ll throw it around for awhile until we have something we can keep.” In terms of themes that tend to have a recurring presence in the band’s music, Kevin admits that he usually leans towards darker topics such as lost love, hard times, depression, addiction, and religion. “I don’t really know why – I’m very happy with my life,” he laughs. “I just think people as a whole tend to relate to those subjects and I hope that our music can help people in some way.” The Gantry doesn’t seek to be very specific in their music so that the listener can give it his or her own meaning. In terms of inspiration, the group generally pulls from happenings that stand out while going about their daily lives. “A chance encounter that leaves an impact, or learning something about a family’s history that explains why things are the way they are,” Tim describes. “We can put anything that gets thoughts in motion into a song so that our friends and listeners can share that experience.” Collectively, The Gantry would advise other young people who may be looking to seriously pursue music to always enjoy what they’re doing. “Have fun and ignore the haters,” Jeff affirms. “There are plenty of them, and they’re usually the ones you least expect. If you enjoy making music, you should make sure that it makes you feel good. Don’t let negativity get to you.” He also encourages being a good neighbor, as music scenes thrive when there’s camaraderie and fail when everyone is just out for themselves. “A little networking and good faith go along way,” Jeff says knowingly. “Also, don’t fall victim to social norms. You can be a working musician and have a day job – it’s not impossible to have both.” Tim agrees, adding that it’s important to know that recognition and success generally come slowly and are never guaranteed. Kevin recommends playing all the time and surrounding yourself with good musicians that challenge you. Finally, Adam expresses that you have to have a true passion for music. “Music comes from the heart,” he states. “When your heart isn’t in the music you play, it probably will not reach its full potential and this will most likely show. That goes for any trade: do what you love, hone your skills, and love what you do.” n

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A. LOGAN HILL MEGHAN LUCK

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Words by A. Logan Hill

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Words by A. Logan Hill

for the birds we gather what we can. Seeds, fallen branches, piles of dryer lint to make their nests. We take what we have gathered to the nearest street corner and throw it as if we are throwing wedding rice on the bride and groom. They are walking out briskly now from the old, wooden doors that creak and never shut and always stay open, moving with every pass of the gusting wind. They look like prayer bibles with secret messages handwritten in blue ink. The couple is happy. There is a string of tin cans. Gentlemen in their taffeta suits grin slowly. Children run to their parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cars. We all drive off into the distance. n

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Words by A. Logan Hill “Return to Sender is a collection of poemletterjournals I mailed to myself while living in Plymouth. Most were written in the Kerouac style of Spontaneous Prose. Almost all were written on a typewriter.”

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Words by A. Logan Hill

[14] Every time my body hurts, I think of her. The ornaments litter the tree. The stars remind me of nowhere. The fruit is tasteless but the pears and pomegranates remind me of her body. The porcelain animals hang neatly on sagging branches. Every time I think of her my body hurts but not like hers. [15] The coffee brews at 2am, the cat meows, the moon is out and shinning on the receding snowfall and the woodstove warms me sweetly like her memory. I recollect a moment in her apartment where she is brewing coffee at 9am while I lay in bed and listen to her dog whimper at the cold floor. The coffee pot gurgles and wakes me. I do not know where to find her in the daylight of a blooming meadow whose flowers shadow the radiance of the murky lake. But I will try. I will continue to look for her somewhere. [17] At night she thinks of kissing me but i do not let her. I drive her home and we spend hours drawing on each other/s arms. We leave in silence, covered in ink, no longer afraid of the darkness. n

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MacDowell Colony â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Peterborough, NH, July 2012

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Words by Meghan Luck Artwork by Julie Kang What better way to seal the deal than half With me fresh pickings of a juicy calf? If you could spread the meat that lies therein, My helping hand would come dashing with gin. Greasing thy tongue that tastes her ready pith, Inveigling feast of fodder: find herewith. n

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Words by Meghan Luck Artwork by Julie Kang Sable spell, spur us to in legions find Jaunty spry substances of shifting stock; Our figures, with which we shall flock Towards limbsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trysts, they make us blind To one night, so we may Lament less, revel, in our disarray, Satiate ourselves, tis the only way! Sweet respite, bitter blague, we once were told, Still laughing now, we take all we can hold. n

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Words by Meghan Luck

Summer Innocence was the first to go. Tempted by passing winds to fly somewhere much calmer than this latitude. Off it went as we fools begged on our knees for it to remain, waving its slight fragile hand goodbye. For a while we wailed like starving children on a dirty street corner for it to return; for the sullied page of purity to be wiped clean again. It didn’t take long to realize our cries had been forgotten. And so with a forced acceptance silence overcame. Fall At first we didn’t want what we were without it, convinced that we had been better off not knowing. Thinking that it was a curse to feel everything so deeply, so that even the broken bone china vase still shattered on our dorm floor was something greater than the pieces waiting to be swept up. Everything was larger than itself. In every object and with every motion was some meaning past its mere physicality. The touchable parts of life became less substantial as suspicion and lacking reality simultaneously increased. In one particular moment I woke and sat up in bed, sure that the hand I held in front of my face was lying, that it couldn’t have been real, and that if it was it stood for something greater than the five fingers in front of me. What we failed to recognize in this confusion is that it is a distinct pleasure, and a great privilege, to be able to unravel the mystery of what we will never touch. More and more we fed on the absence that innocence left us to bear. More and more we relished the days that felt like an original freedom from what we started to remember only as old binding forces. Winter It was difficult for minds to accept the sensibilities of this new state. We tried so fucking hard to force it. All of the sudden we were set loose into the world, thrown into it with what felt like such terribly lacking jurisdiction. Days were a practice in methodical functionalism; all parts fitting together but somehow the whole puzzle never really manifesting… Doing all the things that are supposed to be right according to the path that is sanctified under the beliefs of so many and the people who we depended upon most in our life. It was the guiding forces of well meaning influence that convinced us for a not so fleeting moment that it all felt right, more right that the schedules ever had before. “They are beginning to take,” we whisper to ourselves as we wake up to an insistent alarm at seven thirty AM. Or are they beginning to take me? This supposed rightness split us in two, separated our will from our self. We were weaker that way, and for too long we thought that was the point of it all: to slowly break us down so that we had no more strength to fight for a belief we were so close to forgetting anyway.

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Spring In the warming nights we wandered, inhabiting what seemed like a different world, the darkness our cloak over the flaws that daytime shone upon too brightly. We were different beings in the black air, the night protected us, forgot us, left us to ourselves. We became the people we both feared and desired with body aching passions proving too strong to deny. Music took us away, the resonating beats holding tight hands with the drugs coursing through our veins. Move, dance, sweat, feel, or don’t, that was the mission, our personal manifesto against the light we knew too well was just around dawns creeping corner. The weight of it all could be seen in our steps the next morning, in the lines that slowly collected themselves adjacent to the bags under our tired still dreaming eyes. Yet somehow we made it, lived all of it, created, felt, loved, cried, hurt, laughed and most of all danced our way through the spring of our time. We fashioned from the truths others tried to construct for us a personal golden age. A time that even while existing within, we already imagined our memories of it. Hardly removed, we could not help but wonder at the past months; that we were still alive. We remain unashamed of this time, the boisterous moments of ephemeral ecstasy followed by fifteen hours of writing a paper that should have been started more than months ago. Hands shaking, bodies rejecting the caffeine and the cigarettes we can’t help but suck down. We were alive; alive in a way that became possible only by walking on the edge of not being so. Summer Tired but far from satiated the word “yes” kept spilling out of our mouths. Facilitated by things that people between the ages of 18 and 22 seem to have a great affinity for sprung a new love for all the moments we drove ourselves to create. Unashamed of our fear it was always a new road, a new body, a new song, a new pill, and a new drink. We took a breath and felt the wet grass on our long bare legs in some foreign park we’d decided to sleep in the night before. If we could we would have stopped the passage of time right then, and moved through the world drawing lines with the tips of our barefoot toes like a map of people and moments and places we knew our future selves would want to remember. I am of this world in the small noses of children sniffing flowers in the wet garden of and English summer. In August we arrived in an unknown city to the sound of French horns. The music was indistinct to the point of familiarity, like it had been playing back in June on some corner outside a bar in which we’d spent the night. We sat and listened for an hour with identification on the tip of our tongue. But it never came and eventually we let our still bare feet take us down the almost chilly streets, to nowhere we knew, and everywhere we wanted to be.

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Fall Slowly we realized that it is not in the night that we may find an answer, or in the silent dusk that we know what hides behind the walls of unseasonably warm autumns. People say we are in the years most filled with grace. A time in which we act only hoping that absolution is patient enough for souls that must wander, and hearts that refuse to beat not next to the warmest of bodies. But these affections of fall found themselves far away. So we sat, becoming artifacts of our selves, wondering what would happen. In so many of our English classes professors had said that a story is quite simply the portrayal of something happening to someone. The problem was that the articulation of that happening was proving more difficult than their simple explanation had made it seem. We knew that some things happened suddenly, and that others at so slow a pace that in order to recognize them we would have to swear off looking in the mirror for ten years, and then glance into it one day and look back at the strangers we will have grown into. When did we become so fucking aware of time? When did we allow the experience of life to be eclipsed by the thoughts that string it together? Winter In November she enjoyed the idea of smoking cigarettes outside hot coffee shops filled with bodies and work. She loved walking back in after sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d finished; it was the tingling feeling in her red cheeks as the freezing surface of her face collided with the warmth of that place on the corner of Church Street. The shock of the hot air made her feel as unmade for this world as anyone. One day sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be rushing along with time, convincing herself of some momentary relevance, some careful balance being struck between things she desired most and roles she felt a responsibility to fill, and had practiced filling all too well. But then the drastic change in temperature would shock her into remembering that all she cared about in the later hours of truth was the shadow cast by the deepening wrinkles on the back of her able hands. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d come from an illogical adoration for all things, and she loved those deep wrinkles with a sentiment fit only for the untold experiences from which their carved shapes came. She stared down at those pulpy memories and desperately wanted to be full of many things, of hope, courage, purpose, and love. She had them sometimes but then all of the sudden her body was a sieve and they slipped through her leaving empty spaces where the December chill rushed in.

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Spring More often than not in the month of April we find ourselves asleep. People are quiet and brave in the spring so we forget that they are suffering, that each one of us has a story we are afraid to even tell ourselves. Because when for the first time in months we can feel the warmth of the sun on our bear arms the last thing we want to do is admit we miss the cold. The cold that made it okay to cocoon ourselves up with lost intention. Promising that tomorrow would be the day we woke up with music. Spring comes and little by little those broken promises become okay. The careful shield we’ve constructed begins to melt. Most people just want to be touched and spoken to in the spring. In some way they want to trade parts of themselves. An old practice we were taught to perfect as 4th graders in the cafeteria. Except it’s not a bag of chips for a string cheese anymore, and risk rises as the objects shift from bad processed food to organic pieces of our self. We test out how much we are willing to give, at what cost a particular pound of flesh goes for. And in the spring we keep becoming the stories we tell ourselves. n

THE WRITERS AND THE ARTIST A. Logan Hill grew up north of Harrison-

Meghan Luck is a Brand Strategist and

Julie Kang is a freelance illustrator currently

burg, Virginia in an old house by a small

wannabe gourmet sandwich critic with

living and playing in Northern Virginia.

town off of the highway. He has a twin

a serious penchant for cheap travel,

When she’s not doodling, she enjoys water-

brother, Andrew, and also considers himself

planning epic dinner parties, French New

ing plants, cooking, and traveling.

to be both a photographer and a visual artist.

Wave Film, and strangers on public trans-

Logan has recently been accepted to gradu-

port. She loves how surprising and weird

ate school for creative writing.

the world can be.

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WE WANT YOU Interested in contributing to or being featured in future issues? Questions or comments? Just want to say hello? We would love to hear from you! Please contact Emily at v23.creative.magazine@gmail.com for more information.

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Grace Coddington

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COMING THIS JUNE:

SUMMER 2014 VOLUME 2 | ISSUE 2

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