Explore Collective Magazine Articles By Topic

Browse our growing collection of articles from current and previous issues of both the Comox Valley Collective and Strathcona Collective magazines by topic.

Vintage cameras draw memories from the shadows

I have always loved the look of old cameras, their shape and design. Over my decades as a photographer, I ...

A return to film

Words and Photos by

Freediving in Comox Lake

Imagine a place where your mind goes quiet—completely quiet. No buzzing thoughts, no inner to-do lists. Just the ...

Beyond breathing

Words by

Photos by

One bean at a time

Did you see what she did to him, did you hear what they said? —Lou Reed, “New York Telephone Conversation,” ...

An Introduction to Vol. 43

Words by

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Photo by

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Q&A with Denise Mitchell

Denise is the owner of Denise Mitchell Interiors, a luxury interior design studio based in Campbell River. She has ...

Denise Mitchell Interiors: Discussion with Campbell River designer

Photos by

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A trip to Okinawa, the birthplace of karate-do

For many of its practitioners in the West—Europe and the Americas, say—karate is a sport. However, when practiced ...

Members of a Courtenay dōjō experience the culture of their traditional martial art

Words by

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Photos by

The watery history of Lewis Park

Tracing the watery past of Lewis Park and the efforts to hold back the riverIf forced to pinpoint the ...

The struggle for a beloved gathering place

The Dirt on Biochar

Biochar is a word that many of you may not have heard before, but it describes something as old as the hills, as ...

Black Gold

Words by

Photos by

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A single lady at Maple Lake ponders life and the one that got away

I grew up in the Comox Valley and spent my whole life here. When I was younger, I never thought it would be so ...

Lonely Sam

Words by

Illustration by

Featured Poet: Naveena Gill

I still remember that very first evening at Goose Spit Park. All the way from Toronto, the Valley welcomed me with ...

Mysterious orange sky: a poem about a sunset over Goose Spit

Words by

Photo by

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Just keep moving

ELDER VALLEY: REFLECTIONS FROM AN OLDER RESIDENT As an undergraduate student of literature, I read “The ...

Meet me in the park. We’ve got some walking to do

Words by

Photos by

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A PASSION FOR CLAY

After thirty years, The Potters Place Gallery continues to flourish.

Words by

Maeva Collins

Photos courtesy of

The Potters Place

DENMAN ISLAND READERS AND WRITERS FESTIVAL IS BACK

Authors and book lovers rejoice at the return of the big literary festival on a small island.

Words by

Howard Macdonald Stewart

Photos Courtesy of

Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival

SHARING THE LAND

We can’t fix the past for our forests and watersheds, but we have to get the future right.

Words by

Andrew Findlay

Photos by

Luke Phillips

FROM CLEARCUTS TO COMMUNITIES

The Valley’s community halls have stories to tell.

Words by

Jen Groundwater

THE POWER OF GROWING THINGS

Ode to a Comox yarden (yes, that’s yard + garden).

Words by

Tyler Johns

Photos by

Meredith Rose

THE NOSE KNOWS

Raising a Search and Rescue dog.

Words by

Janna Rist

Photos by

Bill McLane

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

Words by

Jen Groundwater

Photo by

Jennifer Brazil

CHANGING TIDES

Goose Spit has an intriguing, complicated history.

Words by

Kerry Hale

Photo by

Luke Phillips

THE SNOWLINE

A tale of seeking adventure—and finding satisfaction—amid the unpredictable charm of the mountains.

Words & Photos by

Damien Jannet

A LOVE LETTER TO WATER

Explore water as a living entity through a convergent program at the Comox Valley Art Gallery.

Words by

Glen Sanford

Photo by

Clea Minaker

FEATURED ARTIST: CHRISTIAN GEISSLER

NOSY NEIGHBOURS WELCOME

During the Cumberland Home, Garden, and Culture Crawl, it’s totally okay to peek into your neighbours’ lives. They might even offer you a drink while you admire their tomato plants.

Words by

Meaghan Cursons

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

FEATURED WORDS: I’M LEARNING

Words by

Keisha Everson

Photos by

Alexandre Crouzet

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER: MORGAN NORTH

COMMUNITY, CARE, AND QUILTING

Local quilters have created a thriving guild, block by block and decade by decade.

Words by

Joline Martin

Photo by

Meredith Rose

LITTLE VALLEY: MYLA BEHZAD

Our young residents reflect on the home they’re growing up in.

Words by

Myla Behzad

TUNED TO THE COMMUNITY’S FREQUENCY

100.7 The Raven’s diverse team revitalizes a language and works to heal a nation.

Words by
Dave Flawse
Photo by
Jenn Dykstra

THE THRILL OF THRIFTING

Only got $20 in your pocket? Pop some tags in the Comox Valley.

Words by

Photos by

Matt Meredith

MIND YOUR SKIN, NATURALLY

Your skin protects you from the world. Take care of it with plant-infused products from local makers.

Words by

Zaaven Forest

Photo courtesy of

Native Naked Naturals

THE SEA IS RISING

It's hard to get excited about something measured in millimetres. But ignoring climate resilience is no longer an option.

Words by

Andrew Findlay

Photo by

Luke Phillips

STYLE AND SUNSTAINABILITY

The Comox Valley’s artisanal clothing designers create slow fashion that will look and feel great for a very long time.

A GARDEN FOR EVERYONE

For 25 years, the Gardens on Anderton have offered peace and beauty to all who enter.

Words by

Loraine Hartley

Photo by

Cherry Ong

BURNING QUESTIONS

Landfill tours help youth rethink the hows and whys of waste—and what to do about it.

Words & photos by

Tina Willard-Stepan

GREENING YOUR MONEY

Is it possible to invest for retirement—without supporting companies you don’t approve of?

Words by

Jen Groundwater

Photo by

Jenn Dykstra

WHY WE RISK

It’s not just for the high—it’s in my DNA.

Words by

Ryan Stuart

Photo by

Sean Kerrigan

NEITHER SEEN NOR HEARD

The Island's apex predator might just be the perfect neighbour.

Words by

Neil Borecky

Photo by

Jarrett Lindal

FELLOWSHIP OF THE FOREST

Along the Cumberland Trail Network, you’re sure to be in good company.

Words by

Dawn Copeman

Photos by

Sara Kempner

SEAWEED, SVP

Words & Photo by

Angela Willard

THE TEACHING THAT NATURE PROVIDES

Farm and forest experiences help kids thrive by connecting them to the land.

Words by

Mac Newton

Photo courtesy of

Fianna Wilderness School

ALWAYS ASKING QUESTIONS

Words by

Jen Groundwater

Photo by

Sam Rae Harriss

Five can fit fine inside a tiny home.

Words by

Amy Woods

Photos by

Jenn Dykstra

VIDEOGRAPHERS AND FILMMAKERS

The Comox Valley is home to a diverse group of visual artists who use video to tell compelling stories about nature, humanity, and community.

Words by

Featured Artist: Terri-lynn Papagiannis

Featured Words: Neall Calvert

Poems by

Neall Calvert

Photos by

Jennifer Jellett

Featured Photographer: True Dennison

Art, Medicine, and Soap

There’s tradition and luxury in every batch of RavenSong.

Words by

Nicole Berns

Photos by

Alison Dawn

Q̓ʷalayu House

Words by

Paige Jarvis

Photos by

Dasha Armstrong

Leña Residency

An artist’s retreat on Galiano Island.

Words by

Jody Hagel

Photos by

Dayna Szyndrowski

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Explore Collective Magazine Articles By Topic

A return to film

Beyond breathing

An Introduction to Vol. 43

Denise Mitchell Interiors: Discussion with Campbell River designer

Members of a Courtenay dōjō experience the culture of their traditional martial art

​​The struggle for a beloved gathering place

Black Gold

Lonely Sam

Mysterious orange sky: a poem about a sunset over Goose Spit

Meet me in the park. We’ve got some walking to do

After thirty years, The Potters Place Gallery continues to flourish.

Authors and book lovers rejoice at the return of the big literary festival on a small island.

We can’t fix the past for our forests and watersheds, but we have to get the future right.

The Valley’s community halls have stories to tell.

Ode to a Comox yarden (yes, that’s yard + garden).

Raising a Search and Rescue dog.

Goose Spit has an intriguing, complicated history.

A tale of seeking adventure—and finding satisfaction—amid the unpredictable charm of the mountains.

Explore water as a living entity through a convergent program at the Comox Valley Art Gallery.

During the Cumberland Home, Garden, and Culture Crawl, it’s totally okay to peek into your neighbours’ lives. They might even offer you a drink while you admire their tomato plants.

Local quilters have created a thriving guild, block by block and decade by decade.

Our young residents reflect on the home they’re growing up in.

100.7 The Raven’s diverse team revitalizes a language and works to heal a nation.

Words byDave FlawsePhoto byJenn Dykstra

Only got $20 in your pocket? Pop some tags in the Comox Valley.

Your skin protects you from the world. Take care of it with plant-infused products from local makers.

It's hard to get excited about something measured in millimetres. But ignoring climate resilience is no longer an option.

The Comox Valley’s artisanal clothing designers create slow fashion that will look and feel great for a very long time.

For 25 years, the Gardens on Anderton have offered peace and beauty to all who enter.

Landfill tours help youth rethink the hows and whys of waste—and what to do about it.

Is it possible to invest for retirement—without supporting companies you don’t approve of?

It’s not just for the high—it’s in my DNA.

The Island's apex predator might just be the perfect neighbour.

Along the Cumberland Trail Network, you’re sure to be in good company.

Farm and forest experiences help kids thrive by connecting them to the land.

Five can fit fine inside a tiny home.

The Comox Valley is home to a diverse group of visual artists who use video to tell compelling stories about nature, humanity, and community.

There’s tradition and luxury in every batch of RavenSong.

An artist’s retreat on Galiano Island.

The struggle for a beloved gathering place

Words by
Dave Flawse
Photo by
Jenn Dykstra