Stonehenge Opening with Joel Sidney Kelly and Madison Faile

WORDS Caroline Rosen   PHOTOS Jonathan Kohn

As the Cloverdale neighborhood continues to grow with new restaurants, bars, shops and condos, the Stonehenge Gallery on 1048 East Fairview is growing with it. “Activity breeds activity,” says Joel Sidney Kelly, one of two featured artists at this month’s Stonehenge show. Kelly has been painting portraits since “Pope John Paul II passed away,” and has thoughts on activity could not be truer. “We use to see a huge decline in the summertime in our gallery,” said Madison Faile, Kelly’s protégé and the other artist featured at the show, “but we’re seeing more and more people here throughout the Summer. We wanted this show to be one that was exciting.”

Kelly and Faile’s work will be displayed as one of Stonehenge’s ongoing second Thursday gallery openings. The monthly events feature food from Michael’s table, open bar, and art ranging in price from $175 - $2,800.  Stories and anecdotes from the artists are, as always, free.

"Damballah IV" Madison Faile

This particular show is special because of Kelly and Faile’s mentor/protégée relationship.  After being introduced through a mutual friend, Kelly and Faile bonded over having attended the same high school, on art, and on footwear. Both attended ACA, both dress dapper, and both produce amazing work.

Now that they have worked together over the years, it’s interesting to see these gentlemen and the emergence of their styles. “I’m playing with images,” says Faile, describing his inspiration for the show as lots of materials, substance, layering, clowns, cats, palm trees, skulls and the use of purple.  Think alchemy and art. Kelly is more classic, as his business is comprised of 90% commissioned portraiture work, and his work for this show has a theme of timeless settings. Think a rural feel with trains, times gone by, and pastoral scenes from Mayberry with lots of light.

Just from the descriptions, you can tell their styles are extremely different, but they share a common love of creating their own unique art.  Kelly and Faile will be at Stonehenge tonight for their Gallery opening. From 5:30- until. Hope to see everyone there tonight. If you can’t make it this evening, the show continues for the rest of the month. 

To stay in touch with all the happenings at Stonehenge, like their facebook page or visit their website www.stonehengeinc.com . To follow the artists you can find them on all these different social media options. 

Madison Faile

Facebook: Madison Faile Fine Art

Website: http://www.madisonfaile.com/

Instagram: antiquetravler

Joel Sidney Kelly

Facebook: Joel Sidney Kelly, portraiteur

Website: http://joelsidneykelly.com/

MADE Paper Issue 14 Online

Check out our June digital edition online here!

Vandaveer, Live in Montgomery

A Conversation with Mark Charles Heidinger of Vandaveer

WORDS Allison de la Torre

Simultaneously dark and transcendent, Vandaveer’s alt-folk harmonies are a fitting soundtrack for the perfumed tumult of May. The Washington, D.C.-based touring band will be making their Montgomery debut this month. 

While Vandaveer’s Mark Charles Heidinger and Rose Guerin make their home in DC, Heidinger’s Kentucky roots shine through in the duo’s music and in his recent conversation with MADE. 

Most Southerners have a keen sense of storytelling, and Vandaveer’s front man is no exception. A complete range of human experience and emotion is revealed in a shuffle of songs from the group’s four full-length LPs and one EP. Highlights include the whimsical, swelling modern-folk tracks “Concerning Past & Future Conquests,” “Dig Down Deep,” and “Everything is Spinning,” from previous albums and the traditional murder ballads that make up their current release, “Oh, Willie, Please.”

The feelings evoked by Vandaveer’s music call to mind an essential passage from William Blake:

Joy & Woe are woven fine

A Clothing for the soul divine

Under every grief & pine

Runs a joy with silken twine 

Montgomery’s own Hank Williams masterfully embodied Blake’s bittersweet sentiments, and the country crooner’s influence on Vandaveer is clear. “We were listening to Hank today,” Heidinger quickly enthuses as we discuss Montgomery history on our recent phone call.

Vandaveer will come through Montgomery on May 14 during the Southern swing of their acoustic Living Room Tour. I ask Heidinger why the band is focused on intimate shows at this moment in their career.  “It’s about carving out a niche [in the music industry], creating your own mom and pop business,” he says. “The connection with the audience is far more immediate. You get a better sense of a town’s identity. It feels more community-oriented.” 

Here at MADE, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

THE DETAILS:

Helicity and MADE Paper Present Vandaveer

The Sanctuary, 432 S. Goldthwaite Street in Montgomery’s Cottage Hill 

Wednesday, May 14, 8pm

Tickets must be purchased in advance at www.vandaveer.net/shows. Save $10 when you buy 2 or more tickets using the code 10BUCKSOFF at check out.