ALL CV Collective
FROM VENTURE CAPITALIST TO VINTNER

FROM VENTURE CAPITALIST TO VINTNER

Alex Guertin is the newest proprietor of Beaufort Vineyard and Estate Winery. On a warm evening in July, he tours ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: CHUCK BURDICK

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: CHUCK BURDICK

Chuck Burdick is a self-taught photographer working in multiple genres including macro, landscape, and abstract ...
FEATURED ARTIST: SARAH CLARK

FEATURED ARTIST: SARAH CLARK

As a creative generalist working in an array of art practices, Sarah Clark is less interested in becoming an ...
WHY WITCHCRAFT?

WHY WITCHCRAFT?

Many witches, including myself, when asked how and why we became witches, will answer that they didn’t become a ...

Words & Photo by

Catriona Richardson

ANODIZED DOWNHILL DAYS

ANODIZED DOWNHILL DAYS

The year was 1990. On the steep, raw edge of a Mount Washington ski slope, summer wildflowers stood in stark ...

Words by

Mike B

Photo by

Liam Wallace

A WORK OF COMPASSION

A WORK OF COMPASSION

Since 1983, Comox Valley Hospice Society (CVHS) has been working to support the physical, psychological, ...
REMARKABLY UNSINKABLE

REMARKABLY UNSINKABLE

It was April 1912 when Hilda Mary Slayter packed her travel trunk with an elegant trousseau in preparation for her ...

Words by

Claire King

Opening photo by

Alan Hustak

THE FUTURE  IS BRIGHT

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT

Paige Whitehead was 13 years old when she saw bioluminescence for the first time, during a midnight dip in the ...

Photos courtesy of

NYOKA Design Labs

FEATURED ARTIST: JULIAN BARKER

FEATURED ARTIST: JULIAN BARKER

This quiet, unsung artist was born in July 1939 in North Vancouver. After a troubled time in boarding school, he ...
MOUNTAINS AND MOTHERHOOD

MOUNTAINS AND MOTHERHOOD

All of us who love the alpine have our own reasons for getting out there. A hiker I once passed in the Kweishun ...

Words & featured photo by

Eryn Tombu Haigh

WILD GARDENING

WILD GARDENING

I remember the sweet satisfaction of pushing peas into the slowly warming spring soil of my first garden “plot,” a ...

Words & Art by

Sally Podmore

EYES ON THE TREES

EYES ON THE TREES

Introduced in 2018 by Comox Valley Nature (CVN), this event encourages Comox Valley residents to pay attention to ...

Words by

Carol White

Photo by

Jim Whyte

IN SEARCH OF OUR INDIGENEITY

IN SEARCH OF OUR INDIGENEITY

We live by stories. By stories we understand the world, and ourselves. Each culture has its cosmology: an ...

Words by

Kester Reid

Photo by

Amy Shaw

ADVENTURES IN PADDLING

ADVENTURES IN PADDLING

As we rounded the northern tip of Nootka Island, we were struck with sizable swell, wind, and refracting waves ...

Words & Photos by

Erica Keen

THE ELEVENTH HOUR FOR OLD GROWTH

THE ELEVENTH HOUR FOR OLD GROWTH

The Beaufort Range sits temptingly in our backyard. If you’re a backcountry skier, then you’ve probably gazed at ...

Words & Featured Photo by

Andrew Findlay

Gallery photo by

Chris Istace

BUSINESS IS BLOOMING

BUSINESS IS BLOOMING

Have you ever noticed that the flowers you see in local gardens—maybe even in your own yard—are rarely available ...

Words & photos by

Lydia Jackson

BY DESIGN

BY DESIGN

While some of us were out celebrating Valentine’s Day this past February, Eugen Sushko was feverishly drawing at ...

Words by

Vivian Dean

Photos courtesy of

Supermod

FEATURED ARTIST: LAURIE MARTZ

FEATURED ARTIST: LAURIE MARTZ

Laurie is a “late in life” painter who moved to the Comox Valley after retiring in 2015 from a busy career as a ...
FOLLOW THE MOUNTAIN HOME

FOLLOW THE MOUNTAIN HOME

It is usually late May when I embark on the first mountain trip of the season. In this particular year I was ...

Words & photos by

Claire Gordon

THE COAL BENEATH OUR FEET

THE COAL BENEATH OUR FEET

Starting in 1888, a vast labyrinth of extraction tunnels was carved beneath the village of Cumberland, the old ...

Words by

Dawn Copeman

WERE IT NOT FOR THE BIKE

WERE IT NOT FOR THE BIKE

This past January, I received an email from the organizer of the BC Epic thanking me for my registration. Which ...

Words & Featured Photo by

Dave Nowak

Gallery Photo by

Gary Egli

THE DAY THE PRINCE CAME TO TOWN

THE DAY THE PRINCE CAME TO TOWN

Over a century ago, on a Monday in late September, crowds of young and old thronged Vancouver’s sidewalks. Mothers ...

Words by

Dave Flawse

FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN

FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN

What an ugly night. It’s dark, pouring rain, and there are still remnants of slushy snow melting in the driveway, ...

Words & photos by

Kyle Hansen

WHALE BREATH AND ANGEL WINGS

WHALE BREATH AND ANGEL WINGS

You don’t need to be an oyster farmer or sport fisherman for the daily ebb and flow of the ocean to impact your ...

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Photos by

Luke Phillips

JUMP SCARES AHEAD

JUMP SCARES AHEAD

Decades ago, I was sitting in a cinema seat in Toronto, gripping the armrests as the tension heightened, and ...

Words by

Mac Newton

Illustration by

Ian Adams

A DOORWAY TO HOPE

A DOORWAY TO HOPE

When David and Angela Mackenzie open the door to their new home, they will bring with them an unwavering ...

Words & Photos by

Karen McKinnon

SUNSET AT SMITH LAKE FARM

SUNSET AT SMITH LAKE FARM

As I pull through the gates of Smith Lake Farm, I’m greeted by the sounds of chickens clucking and disc golfers ...

Words by

Sara Kempner

Featured photo by

Meredith Rose

CHEERS TO THE LAZO BARREL COLLECTIVE

CHEERS TO THE LAZO BARREL COLLECTIVE

It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon as I make my way through Alex Blais’ yard, following the sound of laughter toward an ...

Words & Photos by

Sara Kempner

RIDING DRAGONS ON THE SALISH SEA

RIDING DRAGONS ON THE SALISH SEA

The very first time I dipped my paddle into the Salish Sea, wedged awkwardly in the belly of a dragon boat, I was ...

Words by

Anne Arseneau

Photos by

Sara Kempner

CHEERS TO THE LAZO BARREL COLLECTIVE

CHEERS TO THE LAZO BARREL COLLECTIVE

It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon as I make my way through Alex Blais’ yard, following the sound of laughter toward an ...

Words & Photos by

Sara Kempner

GET THEE TO A GALLERY

GET THEE TO A GALLERY

I-HOS GALLERY K'ÓMOKS FIRST NATION Owned and operated by the K’ómoks First Nation, I-Hos Gallery showcases a ...
WILD SPACES BELONG TO EVERYONE

WILD SPACES BELONG TO EVERYONE

Some of my dearest early memories involve water. My dad would tie a rope on my sister’s and my life jackets as we ...

Words & featured photo by

Erica Keen

FEATURED ARTIST: MARIANNE ENHÖRNING

FEATURED ARTIST: MARIANNE ENHÖRNING

Marianne Enhörning is a West Coast Canadian artist. Born in Sweden, she split her work life for many years between ...
T’AAM LAAN, STEERSMAN OF THE CANOE

T’AAM LAAN, STEERSMAN OF THE CANOE

In 2008, novice paddleboarder Norm Hann hatched a plan to travel by stand-up paddleboard (SUP), with boat support, ...

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Photos by

Bruce Kirkby

A COMMUNITY’S HEART IS IN ITS FORESTS

A COMMUNITY’S HEART IS IN ITS FORESTS

The ferns have their fresh, feathery leaves and everything in sight is electric green. This is Vancouver Island in ...

Words & Photo by

Jennifer Jellett

FROM CLEARCUTS TO COMMUNITIES

FROM CLEARCUTS TO COMMUNITIES

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably driven past the community halls north of Courtenay along Highway 19A ...
THE SNOWLINE

THE SNOWLINE

In 2021, I decided to travel across British Columbia with my bike and my skis—or, more accurately—with my skis on ...

Words & Photos by

Damien Jannet

FEATURED ARTIST: CHRISTIAN GEISSLER

FEATURED ARTIST: CHRISTIAN GEISSLER

Born and raised on British Columbia’s West Coast, Christian grew up with a deep appreciation for nature, thanks to ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: MORGAN NORTH

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: MORGAN NORTH

Eighteen-year-old Morgan, a Comox Valley resident, started taking photos with a smart phone when he was 12 and ...
TUNED TO THE COMMUNITY’S FREQUENCY

TUNED TO THE COMMUNITY’S FREQUENCY

A lone modular office building with blue vinyl siding rests at the end of a gravel driveway on the edge of Homalco ...

Words by

Dave Flawse

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

THE THRILL OF THRIFTING

THE THRILL OF THRIFTING

Last year a friend messaged to let me know there was a promotional Walking Dead backpack at one of the thrift ...
BURNING QUESTIONS

BURNING QUESTIONS

When we invite young people to visit the engineered landfill at the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre, we ask ...

Words & photos by

Tina Willard-Stepan

SEAWEED, SVP

SEAWEED, SVP

Seaweed is a food resource long celebrated by traditional coastal peoples across the globe, including throughout ...

Words & Photo by

Angela Willard

FEATURED ARTIST: SHELLEY VANDERBYL

FEATURED ARTIST: SHELLEY VANDERBYL

Born in Hay River, NWT, Shelley has lived in Edmonton, Switzerland, and five Canadian provinces. Her work, both ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: CURTIS BLACKBURN

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: CURTIS BLACKBURN

Curtis was born and raised in the Comox Valley, where he pursues a number of hobbies and seasonal interests, ...
FEATURED ARTIST: SHARON LALONDE

FEATURED ARTIST: SHARON LALONDE

Sharon Lalonde has been creating all her life, using all forms of artistic expression. The medium she chooses ...
PUBLISHED IN A PANDEMIC

PUBLISHED IN A PANDEMIC

MY DELIGHTFULLY DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY AUTHOR: LORAINE HARTLE GENRE: MEMOIR A fascinating and engaging story ...
SHELTER IN A NEW LAND

SHELTER IN A NEW LAND

On a sunny summer evening, Janeth Recinos served up delicious pupusas filled with shredded pork and fresh salsa ...

Words by

Andrew Findlay

Photo collage courtesy of

Sue Rambow

THE VILLAGE TINKER

THE VILLAGE TINKER

After the year that was 2020, we’re starting to see light at the end of the tunnel—a return to the way life was ...

Words by

Dave Nowak

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

FROM SECRET KNOWLEDGE TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT

FROM SECRET KNOWLEDGE TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT

If you take a moment to reflect upon the immense amount of organization, dedication, and perseverance required to ...

Words by

Kevin Flesher

Featured photo by

Jim Whyte

SHOW US YOUR WORDS

SHOW US YOUR WORDS

BECAUSE I AM QUEEN   I wear a crown of many eyes that sees right through your bullshit lies. My ...

Photo by

Sara Kempner

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: FRANCOISE GERVAIS

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: FRANCOISE GERVAIS

Born and raised in Quebec, Françoise is a self-taught wildlife/landscape photographer. Her first career was as a ...
FEATURED ARTIST: BRIAN JESSOP

FEATURED ARTIST: BRIAN JESSOP

A member of the Taku River First Nation by birth, Brian was adopted as an infant by Linda and Perry Jessop and ...
COMOX VALLEY STARGAZING

COMOX VALLEY STARGAZING

Fighting the urge to crawl back into my warm bed, I force myself to grab my camera bag and head into the chilly ...

Words & photo by

Sara Kempner

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GREEN BURIAL

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GREEN BURIAL

It’s better to burn out than to fade away? Not always. New alternatives to cremation allow bodies to return to the ...

Words by

Madeline Christie

Featured photo by

Sita Then

ROCK BEATS WATER

ROCK BEATS WATER

Watching John Waters scramble up a rock face is like watching a monkey climb a tree. A moment ago, he stepped off ...

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Featured photo by

Sara Kempner

THE MCLOUGHLIN GARDENS

THE MCLOUGHLIN GARDENS

When Sarah McLoughlin passed away on February 10, 2021, at Mount Saint Joseph Hospital in Vancouver—her husband ...

Words by

Kerry Hale

Featured photo by

Susan Healy

TOWARD A MORE LIVABLE VALLEY

TOWARD A MORE LIVABLE VALLEY

You pretty much can’t have a conversation anywhere in the world today without one of our global crises popping up ...

Words by

RJ Herron

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

GETTING HIGH ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

GETTING HIGH ON VANCOUVER ISLAND

The secret’s out regarding Vancouver Island and its amazing mountains. While all alpine environments are ...

Words & Photo by

Shane Johnson

ART AND MENTORSHIP IN THE 21ST CENTURY

ART AND MENTORSHIP IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Haida art is internationally recognized as part of the Indigenous artistic tradition of the peoples of the Pacific ...

Words by

Keisha Everson

Featured photo by

Zac Whyte

FEATURED ARTIST: MIKE SAVAGE

FEATURED ARTIST: MIKE SAVAGE

Michael was born in Campbell River and currently resides in Fanny Bay with his partner Anna and cat Sophie Bean. ...
THE POOP ON CUMBERLAND’S AMBITIOUS NEW WETLANDS PROJECT

THE POOP ON CUMBERLAND’S AMBITIOUS NEW WETLANDS PROJECT

Your recent travel plans may have gone down the toilet, but was there ever a better time to start planning another ...
FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT

Often in an instant, an acquired head injury can change everything. How do you make sense of so much loss? Where ...

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

PERCEPTIONS, PREJUDICE, AND PRIDE

PERCEPTIONS, PREJUDICE, AND PRIDE

“Hi, I’m Sam. I’m trans.” I start quite a number of conversations this way, and although it’s an unfortunate ...

Words by

Sam Peterson

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

DEMYSTIFYING MUSHROOMS

DEMYSTIFYING MUSHROOMS

My mom used to make stuffed mushroom caps at the drop of a hat. “We’ve been invited to so-and-so’s for dinner. ...

Words & Photo by

Darren Howlett

FEATURED ARTIST: ZOEY MAYENBURG

FEATURED ARTIST: ZOEY MAYENBURG

Originally from Comox, Zoey currently lives in Victoria. Her work is inspired by nature, the seasons, the cycles ...
COASTAL COLLABORATION

COASTAL COLLABORATION

It was late August in the Great Bear Rainforest and the salmon were starting to return to their nascent streams ...

Words & Photos by

Oriana Smy

TAKING THE TEMPERATURE ON GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS

TAKING THE TEMPERATURE ON GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS

I’ve been intimately involved in the ground-source heat pump (GSHP) industry for 20 years. I began with mud up to ...

Words by

Daniel Booy

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

UNHINDERED GOOD TIMES ON FORBIDDEN PLATEAU

UNHINDERED GOOD TIMES ON FORBIDDEN PLATEAU

Katherine Kirk suspected the roof of Forbidden Plateau’s day lodge was going to collapse. “One day, a woman in the ...

Words by

Mike B.

Featured photo by

Lindsey Pattinson

THE MYSTERIOUS FAROE ISLANDS

THE MYSTERIOUS FAROE ISLANDS

The rising sun cast a pink glow on the cliffs as we prepared for landing on a crisp November morning. Just five ...

Words by

Kat Craats

Photos by

Kat Craats

GOING DEEP

GOING DEEP

When I'm under the water, I feel at home. As soon as my head goes below the surface, an almost instant calm comes ...

Words & Photos by

Ryan Miller

FROM FENCE BOARDS TO SURFBOARDS

FROM FENCE BOARDS TO SURFBOARDS

When you first look at a Waterman surfboard, you wouldn’t expect it had been crafted by a guy who grew up on the ...

Words by

Dave Nowak

Photos by

Sara Kempner

THROUGH THE VENEER

THROUGH THE VENEER

“Now gently let your breath out and slip beneath the surface. I’ll go under first and be ready for you to join ...

Words & photo by

Lisa Graham

THE BEAUTY OF THE BURN

THE BEAUTY OF THE BURN

Oh my god, this hurts so bad... Why does this hurt so bad?? Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. Uggggggghhhhhh, this burns so ...

Words & Photo by

Sarah Seads

ALL FIRED UP

ALL FIRED UP

“I take a lot of my inspiration from the natural world around me,” says Gordon Hutchens, Denman Island’s ...

Words & Photo by

Trish Weatherall

FEATURED ARTIST: RICHARD MRAVIK

FEATURED ARTIST: RICHARD MRAVIK

Richard Mravik was born in 1973 in the city of Nove Zamky, Slovakia. Of Hungarian descent, he was noted from a ...
EASY, BREEZY E-BIKES

EASY, BREEZY E-BIKES

How many times have you thought about how nice it would be to drive less? Maybe you want to reduce your carbon ...

Words & photo by

Dave Prothero

THIS PLACE IS FOR THE BIRDS

THIS PLACE IS FOR THE BIRDS

Soft whitecaps glisten atop cresting waves, tall green grasses dance in the wind, an eagle swoops low across ...

Words & photo by

Sophie Vigneau

CHASING SUNSETS

CHASING SUNSETS

Bula! Pronounced “boo-la,” this is Fiji’s version of “aloha,” an all-purpose word that makes you feel instantly ...

Words and Photos by

Paige Owen

THE MOUNTAIN CENTRE IS HERE. BUT DO YOU KNOW WHY?

THE MOUNTAIN CENTRE IS HERE. BUT DO YOU KNOW WHY?

Have you ever parked at Mount Washington’s Raven Lodge and wondered about the impressive, yet solitary, building ...

Words by

Alycia Traas

Photo by

Kyle Hansen

FEATURED ARTIST: ANOUK HARTWELL

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 ...
A BACKCOUNTRY, MODULAR ROOM  OF ONE’S OWN

A BACKCOUNTRY, MODULAR ROOM OF ONE’S OWN

Gaining popularity in the mid-1950s, the modest A-frame, with its inherently simple aesthetic, defined a way of ...

Words by

Dave Nowak

PROFILE OF COMMUNITY IN ACTION SPONSORED BY NORTH ISLAND UROLOGY

PROFILE OF COMMUNITY IN ACTION SPONSORED BY NORTH ISLAND UROLOGY

The first thing you need to know about Glen Alwin Farm is that nobody involved is named Glen. Or Alwin. The people ...
THE SONSHINE LUNCH CLUB: A LOCAL LIFELINE

THE SONSHINE LUNCH CLUB: A LOCAL LIFELINE

It’s a Tuesday, and when the doors of St. George’s United Church hall open at 11:30am, Gail, who is 70, comes in ...

Words by

Mac Newton

Photo by

Sara Kempner

NOW OR NEVER

NOW OR NEVER

Last summer my family and I embarked on an epic journey. 10 months, 10 provinces, 25 US states, 17 Mexican states, ...

Words & Photos by

Alice Grasby

COVERING NEW GROUND

COVERING NEW GROUND

Despite the perpetual spotlight that the world of technology enjoys for “changing the world”, few technical ...

Words by

Mike B.

Photo by

Scott Bell

A NATURAL TEACHER

A NATURAL TEACHER

Local hunter, fisher, conservationist, and author Ralph Shaw once said, "The role of the successful fisherman and ...

Words by

Kerry Hale

FEATURED ARTIST: SARAH BERGERON

FEATURED ARTIST: SARAH BERGERON

Sarah is a Comox Valley-based artist primarily working in oil painting. At the core of her practice is an ...
FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: VIKTOR DAVARE

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: VIKTOR DAVARE

Viktor came to Canada from Switzerland in 1978, eventually immigrating here. He spent 13 years in Calgary before ...
RADICAL VULNERABILITY

RADICAL VULNERABILITY

“Every child, every person, needs to know that they are a source of joy; every child, every person, needs to be ...

Words & photos by

Alex Nataros

DARK SCIENCE

DARK SCIENCE

[On Judgement Day] …men will cast away their idols of silver and gold—the idols they made to worship—to the moles ...

Words by

Tim Ennis

Photos by

Neil Borecky

ABOVE AND BEYOND

ABOVE AND BEYOND

If you know what to look for, the signs of the Comox District Mountaineering Club (CDMC) are everywhere. A new log ...

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Featured photo by

Ryan Stuart

FEATURED ARTIST: AVA LUNA

FEATURED ARTIST: AVA LUNA

Ava Luna is a professional henna and visual artist born and raised on Vancouver Island and new to the Comox ...
BENEATH THE HIGH

BENEATH THE HIGH

When it comes to doing drugs, Adam isn’t interested in getting high. “I’m a busy man,” the 49 year-old creative ...

Words by

Mike B.

Photos by

Sareh Puetz

IN THE FIELD

IN THE FIELD

MO MOSHIRI: EXPLORER “I’ve been a traveller since I was three,” says Comox-based MC, songwriter, and producer ...
HIDDEN RICHES

HIDDEN RICHES

We descended into a magical underworld. Giant, spider-like cave crickets filled the vast corridors of karst ...

Words & Painting

Nick Hutton-Jay

IN SEARCH OF THE SIMPLE LIFE

IN SEARCH OF THE SIMPLE LIFE

No matter where I’ve ended up on this journey, the coast has always called me back and the surf has kept me sane. ...

Words & Photos by

Andrew Talbot

FEATURED ARTIST: ALEX MAERTZ

FEATURED ARTIST: ALEX MAERTZ

Alex Maertz is an illustrator based on the west coast. Born a stone’s throw from the woods, she instinctively ...
CRUMBLING CANNERIES

CRUMBLING CANNERIES

It was the 1880s and “The Great Salmon Industry” was in its golden years on the British Columbia coast. Entire ...

Words & Photos by

Oriana Smy

CONTINENTAL DRIFT

CONTINENTAL DRIFT

I’d heard of Ecuador for years: stories of great rivers, easy transportation, and friendly people. Now was the ...

Words & Photos by

Dave Prothero

THE WATERS WITHIN

THE WATERS WITHIN

Every person is made up of water. The Comox Valley Art Gallery Youth Media Project is nine folks coming together ...

Words & Photos by

Paige Brown

UNLIKELY SHIPMATES

UNLIKELY SHIPMATES

I’m tied to the dock as a gale grows outside the protection of the bay. Snow is piling up on the sailboat, but ...

Words & Photo by

April Bencze

WHAT TIME LEAVES BEHIND

WHAT TIME LEAVES BEHIND

Have you ever wondered about parked cars at the side of Highway 19, near the bridge about three kilometres south ...

Words & Photo by

Pat Trask

IN THE FIELD

IN THE FIELD

NAZANEEN DIZAI: CONNECTOR Nazaneen Dizai brings ideas and people together. Whether in the corporate heart of ...

Words & Photos

Ross Bodenmann