Search Results for: Culture and Art
Volume
22
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THE ART OF THE ARCHTOP
Words by Jen Groundwater
Photo by Sara Kempner
At the pinnacle of guitar making, you might just find Comox Valley luthier Wyatt Wilkie.
Musical wizardry is something I’ve always...
Volume
22
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FEATURED WORDS: BELTANE
Poem by Meaghan Cursons
Photo by Jennifer Brazil
Curled against you under the night sky your touch reminds methat my flesh is made from the spark and dust of inaccessible starsDawn takes a deep breathand...
Volume
22
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KUDOS FOR THE CURVE OF TIME
Words by Nora Bingham
The classic story of a BC family’s sailing adventures
still thrills modern readers.
I grew up in a house where bookshelves reached the...
Volume
22
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DOWN IN THE PIT
Words by Jan Adams
Article photo by Rosalind Humphreys
Gallery photo by Terry Penney
Inside the unseen world of musical-theatre musicians.
Air. When it’s good, we often don’t notice it. Think of a spring hike through...
Volume
22
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BLANKETED IN HOPE
Words by Lindsay Keegitah Borrows
A meeting of art, reconciliation, and the law in the K’ómoks Bighouse.
History was made recently at Kumugwe, the K’ómoks Bighouse. On...
Volume
21
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FEATURED ARTIST: ANOUK HARTWELL
A former dog sled and kayak guide, Anouk’s paintings amplify her love for the outdoors. If she could, she would live a life under the ocean surface amongst...
Volume
21
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: BRETT KROEKER
Brett Kroeker is a photographer based in the Comox Valley. His deep love for outdoor adventure is perfectly paired with the vast wilderness of Vancouver...
Volume
20
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: VIKTOR DAVARE
Viktor came to Canada from Switzerland in 1978, eventually immigrating here. He spent 13 years in Calgary before settling on Vancouver Island, moving to the...
Volume
20
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FEATURED ARTIST: SARAH BERGERON
Sarah is a Comox Valley-based artist primarily working in oil painting. At the core of her practice is an exploration into the natural environment and those...
Volume
20
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WITCHES OF THE WOODS
Words by Meaghan Cursons
Photo by Karley Bracey
Folklore tells of female forms that dwell in the forest, personifying the power of this dark, natural world to frighten and...
Volume
20
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HELLO, GHOST
Words by Kim Bannerman
Illustration by Clive Powsey
In anticipation of the Halloween season, we offer a formal introduction to the spirits of the Comox Valley.
Would you be less...
Volume
19
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FEATURED ARTIST: AVA LUNA
Ava is a professional henna and visual artist born and raised on Vancouver Island and new to the Comox Valley. Since childhood, she has had a natural talent as...
Volume
19
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: DAVE INGRAM
Dave Ingram is a photographer and naturalist based on Vancouver Island. He currently works as a high school teacher in the Comox Valley. Dave has a passion for...
Volume
19
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MARKINGS OF THE MIND
Words by Ryan Stuart
Photos by Ian McKenzie
A designer and artist utilizes his craft to break down the barriers of schizophrenia.
Ian McKenzie sees things.
These...
Volume
19
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ADAPT OR DIE
Words by Jenn Dykstra
Photos by Boomer Jerritt
Boomer Jerritt’s long history with photography represents the unique combination of skills needed to succeed in a...
Volume
19
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REMARKABLE SOFTNESS
Words by Leanne Prain
Yarn bombing, the spontaneous act of applying textiles in public spaces, liberates both artist and observer from expectation.
What is...
Volume
19
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AN ISLAND OF SOUND
Words by Dierdre Atkinson
Photo by Jennifer Armstrong
Now 38 years in, the team behind the Hornby Festival continues to do world-class their own way.
Standing in the golden hayfields...
Volume
18
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FEATURED ARTIST: ALEX MAERTZ
Alex Maertz is an illustrator based on the west coast. Born a stone’s throw from the woods, she instinctively draws on nature for inspiration. She loves to...
Volume
18
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: PAIGE OWEN
Paige Owen is a photographer and graphic designer based in the Comox Valley. She takes inspiration from her travels abroad and adventures on Vancouver Island....
Volume
17
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FEATURED ARTIST: JENNIFER EATON
I am a mother bear, yoga instructor and acrylic artist living in the village of Cumberland. I spend as much time as possible in nature. When I’m not at home,...
Volume
17
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: SHERYL HANULA
Living in the rugged, rain-soaked wilds of rural British Columbia, Sheryl finds ample inspiration in her own backyard. With a background in cultural...
Volume
16
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THE CLARITY OF GLASS
Words by Suzanna Weimer
Photos by Vince Kehn
A New Zealand artist reclaims herself through the sensory joys of a Campbell River studio.
I was sitting in a ceramics class...
Volume
15
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FILM FOR THE FUTURE
Words by Krista Tupper
Photo by Dan Peruzzo
The CVAG Youth Media Project is empowering Comox Valley youth through artistic skill building while providing an avenue for community...
Volume
15
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GIRL ON FIRE
Words by Mike B
The quiet dirt road in Merville where Arcade Fire violinist Sarah Neufeld was raised led her loudly around the globe.
“You know...
Volume
15
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OPPRESSION AND RESILIENCE
Words by Keisha Everson
Article photo by Boomer Jerritt
Lower gallery photo by Andy Everson
134 years ago, the Canadian Government introduced legislation to ban the P'a_sa, or Potlach, in an attempt to disassemble the culture of Indigenous peoples in...
Volume
15
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THE PLACES WE MAKE
Words by Meaghan Cursons
Article photo by Janelle Lee
Gallery photos by Bobby Herron
and Laurel Rankin
The Cumberland Community Forest Society reflects deep-rooted passions to map out a flourishing future.
In Cumberland, the community...
Volume
14
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TRACES OF LIFE
Words by Jonathan Cooper
and Zoë Cooper
Photos by Meredith Rose
The inherent pursuit of drawing can benefit anyone willing to see things anew.
Every second week, a group of adults varying in age and...
Volume
14
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HOME VIDEO
Words & photos by Ross Bodenmann
Balancing the give-and-take required to responsibly host the filmmaking process in our own backyard.
We’re familiar with boom and...
Volume
14
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THE NATIVE SONS HALL
Words by Kerry Hale
Photos by Sara Kempner
The history of a storied and culturally significant building in the heart of our community
Long known as “the cultural heart of...
Volume
13
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Going Public
Words & Photos by Ross Bodenmann
Collaborating towards a beautiful future through art initiatives in the Comox Valley.
Armed with a limited budget, dedicated...
Volume
13
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Tough Love
Words by Dave Nowak
Article & Gallery photos by Kain McCollum
Other gallery photos by Michael Drummond
& Sara Kerr
Four artists collectively known as the Wood Vibe Tribe are refreshing woodworking traditions and using the power of camaraderie to share their own...
Volume
12
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Our Church Buildings
Words by Dawn Copeman
Photos by Jenn Dykstra
Opening the doors to change.
When I was a little girl in the 1960s, we’d play hand games to amuse ourselves: cat’s cradle, shadow...
Volume
12
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Pre-loved: An ode to used books
Words by Nora Bingham
Photos by Meredith Rose
I have always loved reading, but fell hard for books when I was eight. We were living in an amateur’s converted barn with questionable heat and electricity,...
Volume
12
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Forging Perfect Imperfections: Fire & Hammer Forgeworks
Words by Kerry Hale
Photos by Lorenz Jimenez
By his own admission, James Emslie has a knack for making modern things from other people’s discarded items. His Facebook page says he is a “maker of...
Volume
11
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Tribal Journeys
Words by Jodi Simkin
Connecting coastal communities with dugout canoes.
The air will be fragrant with the smell of smoking salmon and the shores lined with...
Volume
11
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Cody ‘Beaver’ LaFrance
Words by Dan LaFrance
Article photo by Sara Kempner
Gallery photos by Dan LaFrance
The evolution of a visionary carver
At the tender young age of eight, while attending Quadra Elementary School, Cody LaFrance (Beaver)...
Volume
10
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Naturally Aware: April Bencze
Interview & article photo by Ross Bodenmann
Gallery photos by April Bencze
With stunning visuals and captivating words, April Bencze is reconnecting humans with the natural world. Her portfolio, Instagram following, and contributions...
Volume
10
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Igniting a Spark: Learning at the Fine Arts eCademy
Words by Tom Keenoy
Photos by Laura Mann
When I moved to the Comox Valley as a new-ish parent, thinking about things like good schools felt far off. Since then, I’ve spoken with lots of parents who...
Volume
9
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Choral Valley
Words by Wendy Nixon Stothert
Photos by Jenn Dykstra
The joy of lifting your voice with others.
Mind. Body. Heart. Spirit. The experience of communal singing nourishes them all. The Comox...
Volume
8
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Activating Arts And Culture
Words By Meaghan Cursons
A look at the work of the Comox Valley Community Arts Council.
If art is the reflection of community, the Comox Valley Community...
Volume
8
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Float Your Boat: Hilmark Boats
Words By Dave Nowak
Photos By Jenn Dykstra
Quality, handcrafted & traditional wooden boats.
In the past I have waxed poetic about the beauty of wood; how it can be shaped,...
Volume
8
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A Tuneful Of Memories
Words By Dr. James Montgomery
Spirit of the Strathcona Symphony Orchestra.
Monday night in the Comox Valley means it must be orchestra night! Over 60 community...
Volume
7
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Vancouver Island Museum Of Nature
Words By Max Oudendag
Photo by Marek Zaleski
Trucking around the forest with filmmaker Marek Zaleski.
“I don't film what I see, I film what I feel” explains Marek Zaleski, as...
Volume
7
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Comox Valley Soap Artists
Words By Lisa Levesque
Photos By Jenn Dykstra
They have distinct products and personal journeys, but their motivation is shared: your skin is your body's largest and fastest-growing organ, and it deserves...
Volume
7
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BLENDING MARTIAL ARTS & YOGA
Words By Corny Martens
Jared Sato
& Mac Newton
Photo By Sven Karsholt
How the practice of two disciplines nurtures three local martial artists and yogis
Branches of the same tree, nurtured by roots from...
Volume
6
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Art Alchemy
Words By Bobby Herron
Photos By Karen McKinnon
Artists in the Comox Valley create and cultivate a vibrant studio/gallery.
Not so long ago, before real estate prices in Vancouver...
Volume
5
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Dancing In The Dark
Words By Terry McKall
Vancouver Island’s greatest discoveries may lie beneath the rainforest and mountains it is most known for.
When I arrive at Horne...
Volume
5
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Gallery: Dana Statham
Dana Statham is a self-taught artist from the Comox Valley, currently living in Victoria, BC. Through thoughtful observations of her natural surroundings, Dana...
Volume
5
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Inspired By Sound
Words By Bobby Herron
Gallery Photos By Ron Pogue
Two of Cumberland’s citizens build a legacy of music from behind the stage.
It was a moment that I knew I would cherish long after...
Volume
5
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Sewing Wild: Sew What I Sew
Words By Dave Nowak
Photos By Jenn Dykstra
A man, his sewing machine, and a passion for new experiences come together in a Cumberland business.
Adventure is dirty business. With...
Volume
4
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Joy District
Words By Andrew Wood
Halfway through Joy District's set, the power to their bass, both guitars, and all four microphones cut out. On its feet, the crowd shifted from energetic...
Volume
4
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Memories of Chinatown
Words By Dawn Copeman
Intro Photo By Ed Brooks
Gallery Photos By Sara Kempner
Walking along the old Wellington Railway trail where alder, hard hack and osier dogwood create a bower of beautiful for wildlife, I smell the coal dust still...
Volume
4
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Live/Work In Tin Town
Words by Sophie Simard
And Jared Sato
Imagine no commute to work, more time for sleep and leisurely mornings, flexible hours, no boss, more family time, time for hobbies, no packed lunches, the...
Volume
3
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Cumberlandia
Words By Andrew Findlay
Photos By Dave Prothero
It’s go time. I have to drop off my Delica at the shop to get a skylight leak fixed. I was planning to sell it, but Cumberland council is about to vote...
Volume
2
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Audilbe Inspiration
Silent Season is a music label born in the Comox Valley. The sound of the label grew out of the connection between deep ethereal music and the rain forests of...
Volume
1
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Gallery: Melissa March
Melissa March is an established, award winning artist from Campbell River, BC. Self taught, Melissa has been painting professionally for over 10 years. Her...
Volume
1
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A Big Tent With Big Intent
Words By Meaghan Cursons
Photos by Ron Pogue
An authentic Italian Circus Tent was shipped half way around the planet to Vancouver Island this past summer. It arrived accompanied by a certified British...