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.

FEATURED ARTIST: JARED POPESCU

Jared was born and raised in Saskatchewan but spent his adult life in various pockets of British Columbia before ...

AN UPDATE ON STORIES FROM VOLUME 1

The Comox Valley has undergone some big changes since we published our first issue back in December 2014; many of ...

Plus ça change

Words by

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Illustrations by

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BEAUTY BEFORE AMBITION

When I catch up with concert pianist Sarah Hagen, she is sitting on the floor of an airport concourse, halfway ...

Pianist Sarah Hagen has earned her place among the best without sacrificing her soul.

Words by

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Photo by

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THE ILLUMINATION OF FIRE

In October 2023, I had the chance to speak with Wedlidi Speck. Wedlidi is Kwakwaka’wakw, Nuu-cha-nulth, and ...

A conversation with Wedlidi Speck.

Interview by

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Photos courtesy of

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HARD-SKINNED FOR THE WIN

I’m here to talk about winter squash: the wondrous genetic diversity they display, the dedicated farmers who grow ...

Living in a winter squash lovers' paradise.

Words by

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Photos by

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INGRAHAM

I was asked to share my story with you, and to keep it short at that. Bit of a hard ask for an old clock, but I’ll ...

The secret life of a vintage clock.

Words by

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Photo by

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GUYS TALKING

Men’s broadly defined health issues—heart troubles, diabetes, liver disease—are deadly. So is depression. Many of ...

The power of conversation in Comox Valley men’s groups.

Words by

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Illustration by

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40 YEARS OF VOLLY PATROL

Paul Vroom grew up on Vancouver’s North Shore, ripping the slopes of Mt. Seymour. As a kid, he loved hanging out ...

Some dedicated folks who help keep the rest of us safe on the slopes.

Words by

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Photos by

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COMOX VALLEY TRANSITION SOCIETY

Comox Valley Transition Society (CVTS) was founded in 1987 by a group of caring community members concerned that ...

Safe, affordable housing makes all the difference.

Photos by

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FOUR WHEELS OF FORTUNE

Imagine two scenarios. The first is a quiet suburb of single-family homes—the Canadian dream—but with vans, ...

Could RVs make Comox Valley housing more affordable?

Words by

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Illustration by

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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.

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

Experience Tahsis

Ample adventure, history, and nature on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

Words & Photos by

Kira Marshall

Inspired by Nature

West Coast images travel the world on clay.

Words by

Anita Lawrence

Photos by

Neil Lawrence

It’s In The Details

A local homebuilder shares his love for West Coast architecture.

Words by

Tony Lebid

Photos by

Nycky-Jay Vanjecek

Explore Collective Magazine Articles By Topic

Plus ça change

Pianist Sarah Hagen has earned her place among the best without sacrificing her soul.

A conversation with Wedlidi Speck.

Living in a winter squash lovers' paradise.

The secret life of a vintage clock.

The power of conversation in Comox Valley men’s groups.

Some dedicated folks who help keep the rest of us safe on the slopes.

Safe, affordable housing makes all the difference.

Could RVs make Comox Valley housing more affordable?

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.

Ample adventure, history, and nature on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.

West Coast images travel the world on clay.

A local homebuilder shares his love for West Coast architecture.

Words by
Dave Flawse
Photo by
Jenn Dykstra