Volume

22

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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...