Nycky-Jay is a prairie girl living on Vancouver Island. She is a lifestyle and wedding photographer in love with all the beautiful connections and big adventures.
Building custom homes in Campbell River and the surrounding area is a gift not every craftsman gets to experience. The landscape around here has much to offer, and the fact that we have access to raw materials and resources derived straight from our island is a privilege. We have some of the world’s most impressive […]
Beginning in 2019, the Art+Earth Festival has been a series of interactive, public events that provides an appreciation for the wonders of our natural world through artistic and environmental experiences. In 2020, the pandemic saw the Festival move to a mainly virtual platform, and 2021 has seen it grow into a wider time frame—beginning with […]
Words by Ken BlackburnPhotos by Nycky-Jay Vanjecek
On the territory of The We Wai Kai nation, the original peoples of this land have harvested medicines on Vancouver Island for thousands of years. Willow, Devil’s Club, Bald-Hip, and Nootka Rose have been used for washes, arthritis, and driving off negative energy. The lush land of British Columbia is full of supernatural beauty that […]
There are more than 100 people living without shelter on the streets in Campbell River, its regional parks, and in the small enclaves from Elk Falls to Oyster River. In 2018, the community counted 81 people experiencing absolute homelessness. We know that the number of our neighbours without homes is growing and the pandemic has only exacerbated the reality of living without shelter. At the Campbell […]
“Everything changes once you have kids.” It’s such a cliche, but one that holds true. After I had my kids I found my focus shifting and my purpose redefined. My perspective changed. Big time. My husband, Sonny, and I suddenly became a bi-racial family. What did that mean? How would we honour both our cultures, […]
I like to refer to Vancouver Island as my beautiful corner of the world. Having grown up here in Campbell River, I am very familiar with the farms dotted along the Old Island Highway between our community and Courtenay. I have been driving that stretch of road since I can remember, admiring the landscape and […]
Big cities often have large central areas where citizens can congregate. New York has Times Square, London has Trafalgar Square, even Victoria has the Inner Harbour Causeway with the Empress Hotel as its backdrop. And the City of Campbell River has Spirit Square! How did this happen? Back near the turn of this century, someone […]
Words By Vicki SimmonsPhotos By Nycky-Jay Vanjecek