Yukon Talent entry form

Gather columnist Michele Genest is a Whitehorse-based chef and writer. She is also somewhat of a gardener. Michele has also written two books The Boreal Feast - A Culinary Journey Through The North and The Boreal Gourmet - Adventures In Northern Cooking.

My Art is a reflection of how I fee lI Denesini gushazi esguzua lete. It is a spiritual connection to my ancestors. I gushazi yeh gucho tsi gute doga.People can see it and feel the energy that I put into each piece. Dene megagunehtani eneta gushazi esdege metsi la nehtset. Dennis Shorty was born under a tree at Pelly Lakes on the headwaters of the Pelly River near Ross River, Yukon.

Richard Shorty was born in 1959 into the Northern Tutchone First Nation. Richard is a self-taught First Nations artist. He originally started painting wildlife at an early age, along with painting his favorite rock star and sports idols in the early 1970?s. He was raised in Whitehorse, Yukon and moved to Vancouver in 1978 where he began his career as a graphic artist.Richard?s unique style combines elements of traditional and contemporary design. He is an extremely versatile artist, having worked on drums, paddles, masks, boxes and rattles as well as his paintings. His pieces are collected nationwide.In the summers Richard can often be found back in the Yukon.

claireClaire Ness grew up singing Broadway show tunes, Motown melodies and outlaw country oldies while exploring the Yukon wilderness by horseback and canoe. Never far from her guitar, Claire writes prolifically in both English and French, with jazz and blues influences often wrapped into rootsy folk songs. Her catchy tunes feature poetry, storytelling, imagery and metaphor, and an abundance of humour and imagination.

Jenifer Davidson is a multi-media artist who seeks to combine nature's simple beauty with a human created components. Born and raised under the spell of the Yukon, Jenifer expresses her enchantment with her home soil through visual art, sculpture, jewellery, woodwork, and any other medium that speaks from her soul.

Marty O’Brien is an Australian filmmaker based in Whitehorse, Yukon. Marty has worked in the film industry for the past 8 years creating emotive, education and engaging documentary, scripted and commercial content. Marty’s first long form documentary the award winning film, Camera Trap was released in 2017 and has since screened at Hot Docs International Film Festival as well as over 15 international festivals.Focusing primarily on producing, cinematography and directing, Marty has worked with a wide range of clients that include Mountain Equipment Co-op, Yukon Travel, CBC, Patagonia, CPAWS and Green Peace.

Atsushi Sugimoto is a local Videographer & Photographer, based in Whitehorse since 2011, Originally from Tokyo Japan.

He began traveling to northern wild places including Yukon. Themes of his works are focusing on not only wildlife but also landscapes and lifestyle since at the age of 20. Atsushi used to work for the commercial photography industry as fashion, events, merchandise, etc during his 20's in Japan.

Winner of First Light Image Festival Photo Contest in 2019.

Nicole Bauberger is a painter, writer and performer living in Whitehorse. She is one of our Original 12 writers and has contributed to What's Up Yukon since our first issue February 9, 2005. Along with her many freelance articles she has had a number of columns. Nicole has been the subject of many of our stories as well. You can find those here: https://www.whatsupyukon.com/tag/nicole-bauberger/

Yukon Musician Barb Chamberlin came to Yukon with her band the Cover Girls. When the Cover Girls broke up, Chamberlin moved to Whitehorse and teamed up with Pam and Bernie Phillips and Manfred Janssen to form a new band, Agents of Chaos.Her folk-blues CD, Sanctuary, released in 2000, was nominated for a West Coast Music award. Her 2005 release, Walking With Ghosts, was a mix of pop, folk, rock and country. She became the Whitehorse Community Choir director in 2005.  She also directs the Persephones, and the Neptunes. In 2009, she released a third CD, Of Ice and Men. A fourth, called Boomerang Girl, September 2014. Then, there are her students. And the four instruments she plays – piano, guitar, flute, and saxophone.And live performances with a variety of other local musicians.

This eclectic collective of musicians from the Yukon known as Lucie D & the Immortals transport their listener on a journey to lands far away, This band is often described by audiences as the dream team: thunderous lead vocals soaring over soulful melodies, backed by a solid rhythm section and intricately dressed by melodious harmonies woven together with tasty piano and guitar styling. Not only are they talented, but multifunctional. They offer their audiences multiple performance options: Jazz-pop originals in French, Latin Jazz standards and or a night of soulful R & B for your listening and dancing pleasure.

Anthony DeLorenzo is a landscape and outdoor adventure photographer who works with film and traditional darkroom printing. He lives in Whitehorse, Yukon and he is passionate about exploring the remote landscapes of Canada’s North—his own backyard. He uses a completely non-digital process from capturing images on film to making silver gelatin prints in the darkroom. His handmade prints explore the possibilities of the monochrome image through toning and alternative printing techniques. Since 2017, his work has been exhibited in Whitehorse, Carcross, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

David is an off-grid dwelling commercial fisher, carpenter and artist who has had the honour and privilege of living in Dawson City, within the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in traditional territory, Yukon since 1998.David’s work focuses on the associative possibilities between form, subject and meaning, and is predicated on the idea that poetry, passion and humility are not only important to being human, but essential to our survival. Sovereign Soil is David’s first feature documentary and is part of a planned triptych of works exploring the intimacies, paradoxes and cultures of his community’s evolving relationship to its lands, flora and fauna.

Chantel is a self-taught acrylic artist who has been based in Whitehorse, Yukon since 2016. She grew up in Pinawa, Manitoba and Deep River, Ontario. After attending university in Ottawa and then Vancouver, she moved North after falling in love with a Yukoner. In 2019, her piece ?Walking out of the Library at Night? won a spot on the cover of the Northwestel phone directory. Her artwork has been part of group exhibitions at the Yukon Arts Centre, Arts Underground and at public libraries and she has had solo shows at local spots like Baked Cafe

Harreson began his study of sculpture at the Ottawa School of Art 33 years ago. In 2000, this vocation became his full-time career. In 2002, Harreson and his wife made Whitehorse their home. In subsequent years he has helped create a cooperative art gallery, a private art gallery and has worked as business manager, curator and participating artist. Harreson works in clay and bronze, primarily producing portraits of historical figures, in the form of masks, and busts.

More stories about Harreson Tanner

Eva is a multi-faceted freelance writer based in Whitehorse – travel writing, sports writing, movie reviews, grant writing, copy writing, blogging. You can find her stories in Outside, WIRED, Pacific Standard, Bloomberg Businessweek, AFAR, Grantland, The Walrus, Canadian Geographic, Hakai, Hazlitt, and many more outlets in print and online.These days, she focuses more on narrative nonfiction in its various forms: personal essays, reported features, and all the shades in between. Her latest book Nerve: Adventure in the Science of Fair was released in Aprill 2020.You can read about it in Rolling Stone, among many others!

The Midnight Sons Band is a Canadian rock band consisting of Alex Johnston (Guitar/Vocals), Patrick Docherty (Drums/Vocals), Ian MacIntyre (Bass/Guitar) and Daniel Stark (Guitar).  The group was formed in December of 2012 in Whitehorse, Yukon.  Since their inception, they have been spreading their music playing music festivals and venues across Canada. Their original sound is a mix of melodic guitar rifts, dynamic percussion, ambient background sounds with soulful lyrics and vocals. Their influences range from contemporary rock, to blues, to folk and their lyrics shed light on both the good and the bad of young manhood, and life north of 60.  The Midnight Sons band was formed December 2012.

Yukon Unguided is a grassroots educational platform that aims to inspire an ethical and passionate community of DIY hunters and anglers.

Client Care and Advertising Sales

Wild Pursuits columnist C.J Bryce Bekar is member of the Outdoor Writers of Canada, the Outdoor Writers of America, Wild Sheep Foundation and the Yukon Fish and Game Association. He believes that outdoor men and women are the key to keeping our environment safe and enjoyable for generations to come.

Sonja Seeber and her husband Paul are Yukon trappers who live in the Pelly Mountains and have developed a lifelong passion for the trapping lifestyle in the North.

There is a sunny cabin, nestled in the woods near the shore of Shallow Bay.  This is the ideal home and studio for Yukon artist Lara Melnik. Primarily self taught, Lara has been making unique jewellery for many years.  Her obsession with beads has driven her to create her own, using polymer clay and the ancient Italian technique of millefiori canework.  Lara is happy making art that puts a smile on someone?s face. 

With a voice equal parts grit, smoke and confection, Nicole Edwards has garnered a reputation as the Yukon’s premiere jazz-blues-folk-rock diva. Nicole Edwards is originally from South River, Ontario, but has been based in Mt. Lorne, Yukon since 1997.

Producer, editor and writer Teresa Earle is working on her third film, a co-production with the National Film Board. She produced and edited Journeys to Adäka and Aurora Love, and she’s working on three digital media projects, with two more films in development. She’s a seasoned creative professional with 20 years of experience producing projects as diverse as films, books, websites and exhibits. Prior to starting a production company, Teresa worked as a writer and communications consultant. She’s authored hundreds of articles and was a science columnist. Teresa is co-president of Screen Production Yukon Assn. Fritz and Teresa live in Whitehorse with their two daughters in a house they built together.

Danny Macdonald  is a lifelong Yukoner who is active in sports, community organizations and Yukon's events scene. 

Apart from an incidental course taken in his lithographic training, Fredrick is largely self-taught. His paintings carry a sense of quiet satisfaction as he strives to depict the beauty and tranquility of the northern country, some of it still unspoiled and hardly touched by man. 

After three decades in classrooms in Beaver Creek, Faro and Dawson, Dan Davidson retired to continue writing, as he had been all those years.

Ann Mackenzie was born and lived in the highlands of Scotland on a sheep farm. Ironically, it was not until she arrived in the Yukon in 1974 and joined the Northern Fibers Guild that she was introduced to spinning, weaving and later on, felting. Felting has been her passion ever since.She is attracted to felting by its simplicity, as an excellent medium for color and freedom of expression. Being as simple or as complicated as you want it to be has allowed her to teach in the schools from kindergarten to grade 12, and to use it as therapy for the mentally and physically challenged.

I'm a wedding and family photographer serving Whitehorse, Yukon and surrounding areas. I'm a dog mom, step-mom, chocolate addict and a traveler at heart. I also love boudoir photography. Are you ready to say yes to yourself and join me in the studio for the experience of a lifetime?An experience that will transform the way you see yourself. 

“Feeling Peckish with Robin” is our new food column. Robin is a communications professional, from Outside, who moved north and found herself on the Byline.

For thirty years I’ve captured the North from every angle—the land, the people, the lifestyles. My passion for photography and for this place makes each new assignment feel as fresh and full of adventure as my first. I bring decades of experience to every shoot, and create images that reveal the extraordinary in the everyday.

Aislinn Cornett is a Yukon born and raised freelance writer, artist and art therapist currently writing and living on the beach in Mexico.

Monika Steputh loves to create ceramic reflecting the impressions of her journeys. The places that inspired her have been majestic landscapes, like the Yukon; intense experiences like hiking through the wilderness of Siberia or being immersed into the ocean in a sea kayak.An aesthetic of simplicity and tranquility influences her forms and colors, they preserve the spirit that her hands give to the ceramic. Her studio is in Haines Junction.

Church of Zombie (CoZ) is a hard rock / punk group from Whitehorse, Yukon. Drawing upon a diverse range of influences from ska to 1980's hair metal, their music is flavoured with danceable grooves and deliciously-bated hooks crafted to keep an audience engaged and moving. CoZ's growing repertoire is composed exclusively of original works penned by guitarist/vocalist Clancy McInnis, and polished to sonic perfection by bassist Lane Currie, drummer Daniel Dunphy, and lead guitarist Jordan Schmidt. These veterans of the Whitehorse music scene (Mr. Vein, The Midnight Sons, Off the Menu) have come together to collaborate on this fresh new project. CoZ’s live performances are engaging and dynamic. They often incorporate visual and theatrical elements, creating a memorable experience for show-goers. CoZ’s diverse setlists will have the audience dancing to one song, and headbanging to the next. Each performance is full of surprises, with natural frontman Clancy McInnis’ antics grounded by the band’s tight, well-polished material.

The Lucky Ones are a Yukon band with members contributing from Lake Laberge to Old Crow, Whitehorse to Dawson City, and Faro. They grew up listening to the music of their parents, and their parents' parents before them.​The Lucky Ones' unique brand of authentic country-roots music imparts traditional arrangements with a contemporary disposition, reminiscent of old-time dances in hotel taverns and barrooms, barns, kitchens and saloons.​Recipients of the 2018 Professional Recording Grant from the Yukon Film & Sound Commission, The Lucky Ones make their debut walking in the footsteps of such Northern Canadiana icons as Hank Karr, Al Oster, Buddy Tabor, and the Pointer Brothers.​

Yukon grown musician Declan O'Donovan he has played in Germany, Japan and across Canada, He has made appearances at Canadian
Music Week, Sofar Hamburg, Atlin Music Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, and Breakout West, with dozens of theatre and club shows throughout.

Based in Whitehorse, nestled in the sprawling landscape of the Yukon, Rob Dickson is a songwriter and singer. His songs emerge from a place of discovery, of seeking solidity and forming identity. At the center of Dickson's world is his family, and his writing is profoundly linked to the emotional expanse of these relationships. Through an autobiographical lens, Dickson reveals himself with a sound that is both raw and modest, inviting reflection, inviting us to consider the people we become as we grow up.

I am emerging artist working primarily in encaustics, living and working in Whitehorse. I am fascinated by the moments when nature fuses light and air to create works of art. I try to evoke the feelings of wonder inspired by those moments, when the quality of light amplifies the beauty of nature.Encaustic is an unpredictable medium, and so, even when I try to plan, my paintings evolve. As I work with the wax, often an image or a feeling will begin to form, sometimes surprising me. I am drawn to the beauty and richness of the surface and the way the wax reveals and conceals. The movement possible with hot wax and pigment is seductive and satisfying. I often incorporate found objects to create my mixed media pieces. I have an emotional connection to objects that have seen the passage of time. My art reflects places I love, and objects that intrigue me, the search for stillness and balance. I love rich colors, and sculptural textures.

Julie Cruikshank is a Canadian anthropologist known for her research collaboration with Indigenous peoples of the Yukon.[1] She is a Professor Emerita in the Department of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. She has lived and worked for over a decade in the Yukon Territory, creating an oral history of the region, through her work with people including Angela Sidney, Kitty Smith, and Annie Ned. Her work helps Yukon First Nations recognize and honour the strengths of their cultural traditions and achieve a full understanding of their identity and place in the world.

I am a professional photographer in the Yukon specializing in portraits, headshots, fashion and commercial photography.I was born and raised in France, but I am a real Yukoner now!Right after graduating from the NY Institute of Photography in 2002 I got a business license and started creating Portraits of the colorful people who live here in the far North. I have been shooting full time ever since. I shoot on location and in the studio, and also have a small portable studio for quick and painless headshots on location.

Rick Massie's musical projects are based in progressive hard rock/metal, and include a wide variety of musical styles and ideas from many genres, including pop, avant-garde, cinematic music, electronic, and more. His debut album, "Eclipse" was released on May 1, 2020. Rick is a Newfoundlander, and has been influenced by the music of Newfoundland (and his father's affinity for prog rock and Alice Cooper) from birth.He is currently living in Whitehorse where the land, wildlife and people keep inspiring him to create new music. "There is hope, that amidst the dark, you can find your own glimpses of light - sometimes suddenly - in the most unexpected of places.

Daniel Janke is a Canadian composer, pianist, filmmaker and media artist who lives in Whitehorse Yukon.Daniel's work as a composer has gradually drawn him into different roles as a musical director and filmmaker. His multi-media stage production The Grubstake Remix toured Canada, and recently presented at the Babylon Theatre in Berlin, Germany.  His short film How People Got Fire (NFB, 2009) has received numerous awards, and has screened internationally.

Step Outside columnist Larry Leigh is an avid angler, hunter and all-round outdoors person who prefers to cook what he harvests himself. He is a past president of the Canadian Wildlife Federation and retired hunter-education coordinator for the Government of The Yukon

Since the late 1950s, Jim's true passion has been gathering, recording and promoting Yukon history. Put it on paper with words, but above all with pen, ink, colour, adding his very own touch. A real colourful 5 percenter himself now, he was awarded "The Order of Canada" in 2003 for his magnificent contribution to gathering and preserving the Yukon's heritage.

Born in La Tuque, Quebec, Sophie Villeneuve is a folk singer-songwriter based in Whitehorse since 2013. Mixing story telling and music, she transports her audience into her Yukon world inspired from Nature and northern adventures. In 2016, Sophie wins the music competitions Pacifique en Chanson and Chant’Ouest in which she also obtains the Public's Choice Award. In 2017, Sophie is the first Yukon francophone artist to represent the Yukon at the prestigious Festival International de la Chanson de Granby. In 2018, Sophie is nominated for Francophone Artist of the Year at the Western Canadien Music Awards. Her first full-length album, Le Chant du Hibou, was released in January 2018 and produced by Jim Holland from Green Needle Records.

I regularly contribute a variety of seasonal recipes to the Boston Globe Food Section. I've written a few weekly columns for SeriousEats in the past - mostly brunch, supper and British recipes. Lately you can find my recipes popping up in What's Up Yukon. And there's usually a freelance client or two coming and going.

A passion for photography has been instilled in Marty from an early age. His photographic education is largely self-taught, the result of experimentation and experience. A move to the Yukon in 2009 to work as a hiking guide in Kluane National Park allowed for countless opportunities to explore his enthusiasm for photography and the outdoors. The village of Haines Junction situated on the edge of the St. Elias Mountains and Kluane National Park continues to be his home.

"I use photography as a means for creative expression and as a medium to share an appreciation for the natural world. I enjoy capturing the subtleties in Nature that sometimes get overlooked."

Manu is an award-winning photographer whose images have been published in a multitude of publications (including Photo Life, DigitalPhoto, New York Times, Globe & Mail, Canadian Geographic, Yukon–North of Ordinary, British Columbia Magazine, UpHere, and many more). In 2016 she landed in the Top 10 “Photographer of the Year” selection, curated by the german edition of “Digital Photo Magazine”.She feels at home in many photography genres—from landscape to portraits, from animals to events to conceptual art. Her passion is capturing the beauty of the canadian North: its land, the people, the wild. Manu’s work can also be found in the Yukon Permanent Art Collection. She lives in Atlin, BC with her husband, a pack of white shepherd dogs and two horses.Stories about Manu Keggenhoff

Lara Lewis is a keyboard player and singer who writes and performs pop music with a smattering of R&B. She studied classical piano for many years before coming to the conclusion that she actually sucked at it. After a long hiatus from music, Lara began hitting open mics in Whitehorse in 2006. In 2007, she joined the Yukon Women in Music collective. Her song was one of the songs chosen to be on their 2009 compilation album, and was also chosen to be the title for the album (Tether, Hooks and Velcro). She has played in various bands since 2007 and even went to the Olympics in 2010 as part of the cultural contingent with the Sophisticated Cavemen band. Lara currently performs original and cover songs with the band Lara and the Danz, and is releasing her debut full length album in October 2017 - Lov Lavatic. This album of pop songs is melodic, upbeat and artfully arranged by producer Jordy Walker. Recorded at Green Needle Records and Stackwall Productions in Whitehorse, it features Graeme Peters (drums), Daniel Bouck and Micah Smith (both on bass), Jordy Walker (guitar and vox), Scott Maynard (vox) and Lara Lewis (keys and vox).

Tirelessly driven, Paris Pick has been busy building her musical empire in Whitehorse, Yukon since her arrival back in 2013. Since then, Pick has managed to carve a niche for herself within Canada’s music scene with her distinctive voice, bold sense of fashion, and individual brand of northern soul-pop music.

In her remote studio at the far end of Tagish Lake, Alice creates visual poetry from a multitude of memories and visions of the north. Her paintings are expressions of the seen and unseen in a dreamlike atmosphere. She incorporates an exagerated mood and colour to create rugged and tender scenes of the wilderness.

Helene Dobrowolsky is a historian and an author based in Whitehorse, where she has operated a heritage consulting business with her partner, Rob Ingram, since 1988. Their many projects have included research, planning, writing, exhibit development, and interpretation. 

The ARKA Brotherhood is a transformative community of conscious men positively changing the world through self-leadership and self-mastery attained in weekly in-person and online men’s circles. Michael Vernon leads one of two circles in Whitehorse and knows what fills his cup. If you identify as male and could use better tools to face your challenges, email [email protected] or visit

The Animal Warfare Act is Whitehorse’s new heavy metal attack. Formed in 2018 by Warrmauth vocalist and guitarist Manus “CuddleBunny” Hopkins, The Animal Warfare Act aims to tackle serious real-world issues like pollution, gender violence and addiction, while creating invigorating, straight-up metal music. Visual aspects are also prominent in the band’s performances, with each member wearing a unique mask and portraying a themed character. The story goes that The Animal Warfare Act was created as a military initiative, with animals being genetically modified for combat. Their brains were fused with AI technology, which eventually led them to turn on humanity and eliminate the overgrown and destructive species. Soon, the world will recover from the catastrophic damage humans inflicted on it, as prophesized by The Animal Warfare Act through the group’s vicious music.

Photographer for the Whitehorse Star since even he can't remember, when he's not busy covering absolutely everything under the Yukon skies, he trains his lens on its perennial denizens: ravens.

Max Fraser is an independent Yukon filmmaker whose most recent production is Bond of Strangers – The OpHusky Digital Experience.  This 2017 digital media creation is an interactive website based on his 54-minute documentary film Bond of Strangers – The Operation Husky Story which was released in the fall of 2015.

Suzanne Crocker, Yukon filmmaker, switched careers from rural family physician to filmmaker in 2009.  All The Time In The World (2014), Suzanne’s first feature length documentary, won 22 Festival Awards from around the world including 9 Audience Choice Awards. The film won Most Popular Canadian Documentary at the Vancouver International Film Festival and Top 20 Audience Picksat Hot Docs. It has screened on every continent, in over 25 countries and been translated into 12 languages. Theatrically released in Canada, USA and internationally. Broadcast in Canada (Super Channel) and internationally including NHK Japan. It continues to screen around the world. 

Born and raised in the Yukon, Neil began making movies as a young boy. He is an alumnus of the UBC Film Program and the National Screen Institute. Neil spent over a decade working in the Vancouver Film Industry as a DOP and Lighting Technician on projects such as The Killing, The Twilight Saga, and Tron Legacy. In 2010 Neil returned home and focused on Producing and Directing. He has Directed commercials, music videos, and episodes of Hors Des Sentier Battus for TV5 and Gold Rush for Discovery Channel. Neil has also worked as an Assistant Producer and Location Producer on Gold Rush and was a Producer on A.R.C.H.I.E. 2 staring Michael J. Fox.

Chris Colbourne is the editor at What’s Up Yukon and back in the territory after a 15-year hiatus. He has worked as both a photojournalist and print journalist for the past 20 years, had video work commissioned in Southeast Asia, worked for two National Geographic photographers, is an Eddie Adams Barnstorm alumni and was a staff photographer at the St. Albert Gazette for 10 years.

Andrew Serack is a photographer, videographer, and designer based in Whitehorse and Carcross, Yukon. With a background in design and architecture and a long-time footprint in the outdoors and action sports world, Andrew is equally comfortable hanging from a harness off a cliff as in the portrait studio. With a passion for a sustainable future, Andrew works closely with non-profits and difference makers to produce visual messaging to support happy and healthy people, wildlife, and planet.

Maegan?s art is inspired by the beauty, magic, and transcendence of our ability to perceive light and shadow.

It wasn?t until her late 30?s that a series of transformative events led her back to her genuine self. Job loss, and a diagnosis of incurable, degenerative blindness, helped Maegan rediscover herself as an artist.  Today Maegan lives and paints in the Yukon; a place she has called home for the last 25 years.  Maegan has studied fine art with the Emily Carr School of Art and Design, and with Indonesian artist, Tulus Warsito. Maegan is currently studying art therapy, with the hopes of helping others discover and explore their authentic selves.

As her ability to process images and colour changes, Maegan rejoices in the details of her visual world.Maegan?s art can be seen in various private collections throughout North America.

Matthew Lien was awarded “Best Yukon Artist” and has received two nominations at the Western Canadian Music Awards. He was also awarded the Parliamentary Certificate of Honour by the Canadian government, and the Yukon Government’s Department of Economic Development appointed him “Special Envoy to Taiwan” in recognition of his contribution to Taiwan-Canada relations.

Yukon musician Gordie Tentrees has produced 6 CD's and travels the world extensively on tour.  He often finds time to visit us at home!His latest record "Less is More" was the 2016 Top 20 International Canadian Album (#12), and for the second year in a row the TOP 20 (#18) International Canadian Artist for radio play on the International Folk/Roots charts.

The Naysayers are an indie rock band from the sub-arctic city of Whitehorse, Yukon. They blend elements of punk, pop, and alt-rock. Their music feels like a punch in the gut and a warm embrace at the same time. The project of veteran singer-songwriter Drea Nasager, The Naysayers visceral lyrics, relentless vocals, and emotional intensity, combine with rich melodies and uncompromising energy. In a sea of similarity, The Naysayers cut through.

The Naysayers self-titled album was released on Coax Records June 25, 2021.

Jessica Surber is a writer who loves being in the mountains and working with plants. She divides her time between Peru and the Yukon.

Soir de Semaine rouse the soul with their original lively music while fusing Franco-rock with ska, reggae, folk and funk. On stage Soir de Semaine create a visually rambunctious show, dressing up in costume and painting their faces. The band has play shows in schools, bar venues and especially festivals.Soir de Semaine believes interaction is key to any performance, and they engage their audiences to participate in the show, bringing the joys of music and performance and creating an atmosphere of fun around them.Marie-Maude Allard – Vocals/Accordion/FlutePascal St-Laurent – Vocals/Guitar/UkuleleAlain DesRochers – Vocals/BassMarc Paradis – DrumsCory Chouinard – Percussion

Nathalie?s style is easily recognizable and is collected by people from all over the world. She works both in acrylics and oils and is known for her sensitive representation of the subject in its environment. Her work is sold extensively across Canada and the United States.

Daphne lives in the southern Yukon near Carcross. Her inspiration comes from the many diverse and beautiful landscapes that make up the Yukon and Alaska. She has conveyed this love of nature and the wilderness in a number of painting mediums as well as metal, silk, and stone, in some big way. 

Andrew has directed and written short and medium length film and television productions that have been screened on CBC Newsworld, Bravo! and at film festivals around the world.He is the Artistic Director of the Yukon Film Society and the Festival Director of the Available Light Film Festival.

Scott Dudiak is a Whitehorse-based biologist and sustainability advocate. Scott hopes to shift narratives away from environmental doom and towards community agency for change. Until we have time machines, it’s the environmental actions we take today that will benefit our community tomorrow. He is inordinately fond of beetles and other overlooked creatures that sustain our human communities.

Kay has lived in the North for eight years. She is interested in spiritual practice, healing, creativity and land connection. Between painting and writing, Kay makes sure to spend quality time in the wilderness that surrounds her. She is currently working on her first book, inspired by a kayaking pilgrimage she did in 2018 from Atlin to Dawson City.

Niki?s artwork mostly represents natural scenes in an almost abstract sense, utilizing silhouettes to create an intense contrast and enhance the bright, vibrant nature of the fluid colours.  She also produces colourful jewelry from the recycled acrylic paint used in her fluid painting process.

Specializing in nomadic arts, Aimée Dawn Robinson is a dancer, writer, visual artist, Tarot reader and astrologer. Readings with Aimée offer you fresh perspective and realistic tools for change and re-balancing.

Tara Borin’s chapbook manuscript Thick was a finalist for Quattro Books’ inaugural Best New Poets in Canada contest and is now available in Quattro’s Best New Poet’s anthology. Tara also has work forthcoming in the Resistance anthology, edited by Sue Goyette, from Coteau Books in 2020. Tara’s poems have been published in Prairie Fire, The Northern Review, The Maynard, Mom Egg Review, and elsewhere online.A recent graduate of Simon Fraser University’s The Writer’s Studio Online, Tara is working on a book-length manuscript about addiction, connection and working in a sub-arctic dive bar.Born in 1983 in London, Ontario, Tara Borin now makes a home in Dawson City, in traditional Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in territory.Stories about Tara Borin

Aaron Bailey lives and works in Whitehorse and, as a person who has ADHD (combination type), a learning disability (LD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and mental health struggles, he not only understands the difficulty and frustration that is often part of the ADHD journey, but he wants to help others understand too. He holds an advanced Child and Youth Worker diploma from St. Lawrence College, a Bachelor of Human Services from Griffith University, and he recently completed the ADD Coach Academy Basic ADHD & Life Coach Certification program. After 12 years of working in this field, in various positions, and running his own part-time business, Aaron launched his ADHD Life Coaching business full-time.

Heather has been writing for What's Up Yukon since the early days of the pandemic. She enjoys sharing stories about Yukoners with a passion for what they do, whether it's making artwork, producing a play or running a business. In her free time, there's nothing she loves more than hitting the trails with her bike and her human and canine buddies.

Roxx Hunter is a well-versed, exciting musician who has played in Canada, the US, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, achieving critical acclaim for his skills on the guitar, as a bassist, and as a singer/songwriter. Stories in What's Up Yukon with Roxx Hunter

?In my practice I employ a variety of expressive forms often using unorthodox materials, forcing me to adopt non-traditional techniques. I find this results in a more open-ended process, sending me on a journey of inquiry and exploration; to learn, to change, to be surprised, to be moved, and to feel something. This is a way for me to overcome the numbing effects of the depressive state of our world, and the apathy it produces.?

Vivian Belik is a recent graduate of Ryerson University's Masters in Documentary Media program. She got her start as a journalist, first for newspapers and magazines and then as a freelancer for CBC North. Her short thesis documentary, Tracing Lillian, was given an award of distinction and premiered at the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema. She is currently a participant in the DOC Institute's Breakthrough Program for emerging documentarians and is developing a feature documentary about guaranteed income in Canada. She splits her time between Whitehorse and Toronto.

Sophie is in her 30s and is French. She studied and worked in the UK and in Senegal, before moving to Canada. The time she spent in the Yukon changed her life for the best. She developed a true interest for quiet, wild spaces and for a more-rural life. She is now back in France, starting a goat farm in the countryside and sharing stories from Europe!

John was raised in Dawson City, Yukon, where the Klondike Gold Rush was his backyard. He worked as a journalist, sewer rat, heavy equipment operator, prospector, public relations director, theatre owner and financial planner before retiring to become a full-time writer.John Firth is our own contemporary Yukon storyteller.  Firth’s books profile a wide variety of subject matter from Racing the Ghosts of the Klondike Rush, to the one and only Jamaican dog sled entry in the 2009 Yukon Quest, and supported Ramesh Ferris in his “Better than a Cure” journey, when Ferris hand-cycled 7,000 kilometres across Canada.

Small town girl with a big, big heart! GIRL NAMED JAKE 's soulful rock voice & fiery sparkle have ignited hearts around the globe. Infused with her creative style, JAKE 's music, playful storytelling & repertoire shatters barriers of genres, generations & expectations. Add a sprinkle of crazy and a ton of fun and voila! Performer, writer, helicopter pilot... dreamer. JAKE is an enthusiastic down-to-earth diva, the product of an inspirational journey from medical school to the streets to the stage and finally, the sky. Let this passionate powerhouse's performance ignite you into limitless possibility. She's uncontainable, an unforgettable experience!

Morris Prokop is a Whitehorse-based writer and sports editor. He covers a variety of sports in the Yukon, including the Yukon Quest, Yukon River Quest and Yukon Ultra.
He enjoys the outdoors, playing soccer and softball, and hanging out with his dog Bandit.

Art is a conduit for ideas, encompassing emotions, thoughts, and symbolism, affecting each observer in unique ways. I am aware of the integrated connotations and patterns in shapes and symbols and by using space as subject and element, the ultimate concept of an art piece may be obscure allowing a playfulness of meaning with the observer. I am confident to create artwork that is not only personal to my own experiences but to create visual codes which act as a nod of understanding between art and viewer as there are infinite patterns of connection.

Angela Szymczuk is a Whitehorse-based writer and espresso-infused, news-consuming “machine” who loves the gym, boxing and spin classes, while still finding time to enjoy a Macanudo cigar, a glass of Glenfiddich 18-year-old scotch, and to ponder how she might teach her cat to scuba dive.

Artist Sandra Grace Storey creates animals and people with clay.  She loves to tell a story through her pieces.   

"Sandra hopes to blur the boundaries of ego and culture in order to celebrate simple feelings, memories and human nature."   Art Adventures On Yukon Time

?Yukon?s gorgeous nature is my inspiration. Colors and fabrics are my passion.?My love for fabrics and textiles began when I was in kindergarten. By the age of twenty-four, I made my first traditional quilt. More than anything else in my life, I found that I was attracted to visual arts. Over the years I developed my quilting skills whenever I could find a little bit of time.

Singer-Songwriter, Indie-Rock, Pop, Alt-Rock

Keith Halliday is a Whitehorse-based management consultant and author. 

He is the author of the MacBride Museum Yukon Kids Series of historical youth adventure novels, which were inspired by tales he heard around woodstove from his pioneering grandparents. 

His latest book, The Tar Sands Diplomat, is inspired by his time as a Canadian diplomat in Brussels. 

Selina Heyligers-Hare is a powerhouse vocalist, guitarist, & pianist, born and raised in Whitehorse. Playing a wide variety of genres including rock, funk, soul, blues and R&B, she has been described as a very soulful and versatile artist who plays moving originals and a wide range of covers. Her repertoire consists of a variety of musical styles from Stevie Wonder to Janis Joplin to Aretha Franklin. She has performed countless times in and around the Yukon, at many festivals and different events. She is also a member of the funk band Major Funk and the Employment.

Home grown in the land of the Midnight Sun, long-time electronic music enthusiast DJKJ hails out of Whitehorse, Yukon. Aided by over a decade of DJing and a deep appreciation of the relationships born in raves, DJKJ’s passion resonates through intricate melodies, dirty beats and stompy layers lying deep beneath the surface. Having spent many years playing at all of the local watering holes (alongside local hard-hitters and international acts alike), DJKJ has pioneered the Yukon’s electronic music scene since 2001. Having opened the stages for acts like Deekline, Krafty Kuts, Jon Horvath, Ali B, Matt the Alien, and many more. Throughout holding multiple residencies in the Yukon, KJ has also played abroad in Vancouver B.C., Haines Alaska, and Sayulita Mexico, and DJing special events (including loud, elaborate parties in the woods) and promoting his own shows, DJKJ has had a lot of time to evolve, expand and establish his personal sound. DJKJ is the founder, creator, and president of the Paradise Electronic Music Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.

Beverly Brazier is the ordained minister at Whitehorse United Church. She writes sermons regularly but also enjoys the writers’ group, at WUC, that encourages her to expand her repertoire.

The Dark Fruits is a northern rock project from collaborators Jordy Walker, Micah Smith, Patrick Docherty, and debut singer-songwriter, Jeff Wolosewich.

Lulu Keating has a diverse and prolific practice in film and video crossing genres of fiction, animation, experimental and documentary. With pan-Canadian connections, from Halifax to Vancouver to Dawson City in the Yukon, Lulu remains a vital force in the creative community of artists working with the moving image.

Marie-H?l?ne?s work have been presented in various art shows in the Yukon, North West-Territories, and in Quebec. She is also involved with the International Art Project ?Caravane des dix mots? who brought her to Senegal, Madagascar, and Armenia. Marie-H?l?ne completed a Ph.D. in Art revealing the Yukon French identity by an art project.Marie-H?l?ne?s work varies from installation, printing, and community art work. How ever, she has a preference for painting. It gives her the opportunity to stop and explore her northern identity using shapes and colors. She always carries her sketch book takings notes and drawing her northern surrounding which she uses later in her colorful paintings.

Mark Prins is a fine art photographer based in Whitehorse, Yukon.One of his specialties is the Yukon landscape, his people, stitched into very wide panoramas.

?The creative process continually drives me to make images that range from the expressive spontaneity of painting, be it a tiny detailed rendition of a flower or berry, or a large vibrant landscape, to the technical renderings of graphic mediums,?

Art has always been a significant part of my life. For me art is a breath, a way of communication and the heart of life. Nature and especially the beautiful landscapes of Canada are a huge source of inspiration for me, and I try to bring through art the peaceful, relaxing and recharging qualities it has. Art is an international language, and no matter which country I was living at, it has always been a great way to express myself, communicate, engage with our communities, inspire and empower.

Eugene Alfred is an artist/carver of Northern Tutchone and Tlingit ancestry, who belongs to the Crow Clan of Selkirk First Nation, located in Pelly Crossing, Yukon. Working in the Tlingit style and using Northern Tutchone stories carved in realistic imagery, Eugene carves birch, alder, and cedars, which he carefully harvests and cures. Using an array of over two-hundred hand tools, he carves masks, bowls, rattles, and sculpture panels. He believes that his art defines him and the respect he has for the land.

I’m a visual storyteller that loves to document people, their expressions and experiences. It’s for this reason that I focus on documentary, editorial, event, sports and portrait photography.MY GOAL is to capture a glimpse into the soul of a moment, person or event. I’m currently based in Whitehorse, Yukon. It was here that I discovered my deep love of photography and where I am provided the opportunity to photograph some of the most unique people, communities and events. If you like what you see, I’m available for assignments.

Kerry Barber is part Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Nation from Dawson City, Yukon Territory. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film, Video + Integrated Media from Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Her film My Indian Bum and Dear Hatetts is what she is well known for. Recently, she did a short installation piece for the Dawson City Arts Society Members Show, Spruce Gum.Dear Hatetts has won 3 awards, the President’s Media Award for Best Live Action, the Saralee James Memorial Award at Emily Carr University and the Jury Prize at the Breakthroughs Film Festival in Toronto. Barber makes documentaries that are serious in nature that end up humourous to lighten the load and to let you, the audience to breathe. She is currently writing a script for her next documentary.

Deborah McNevin is a relatively long-time Yukoner and a relatively new senior, part of the writers’ collective for this column.

Ben Keddy is an East coast transplant swinging a hammer around Yukon. He spends his spare time dressed as a tree trying to surprise animals, and is rarely without a can of sardines.

Amy Kenny is a Whitehorse-based writer. Her articles have been published by National Geographic Book Publishing, Hazlitt, Vice, Walrus, Up Here, Canadian Geographic, Explore, The Hamilton Spectator and Yukon News. In 2016, she was named journalist of the year at the Ontario Newspaper Awards.Her fiction, reviews and poetry have appeared in Room Magazine, The Antigonish Review, The Maynard, Prism, The Humber Literary Review, Monday and Time and Place. She graduated from Ryerson University’s journalism program in 2004. She completed the Humber School for Writers program in creative writing by correspondence, where she was mentored by David Adams Richards, and she has an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia.

Munro is originally from Vancouver, but has lived in the Yukon since 1991. She is membership secretary for Haiku Canada, a member of the League of Canadian Poets and is active in Yukon Writers’ Collective Ink. In 2014, she founded solstice haiku, a haiku discussion group in Whitehorse that she continues to facilitate. Munro has read her poetry, delivered workshops and made presentations at literary events in both Canada and the United States.Click HERE for stories in Whats Up Yukon about Kathy Munro

Patrick makes functional and sculptural stoneware and raku at his Raven Pottery studio amongst the woods near Whitehorse, Yukon. His handmade lines of pottery are safe for use in a dishwasher, an oven and a microwave. His ?Fireweed? line of stoneware can be found in collection here at Yukon Artists at Work. His work is also found in the Nation Art Bank.

The wild life of North, or anything wild for that matter, are of particular interest to Linda Leon. She usually works in two dimensions using oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel and charcoal drawings. Currently she has been exploring relief printmaking and mixed media collage with her eyes on the cosmos. When provoked, Linda Leon indulges in satire. Linda brings an unusual sensibility and humor to her work. Whether this is a result of her misadventures in live theater or whether she is just naturally attracted to the dramatic, is still under debate. She often comments that she is still looking to find her light.

Chris employs a healthy dose of humor when composing her paintings inspired by stories and photos from her clients. The results are watercolor masterpieces with punch-lines guaranteed to tickle the funny bone of outdoors enthusiasts of all descriptions. Her insights into backcountry adventuring come from nearly a lifetime in the heart of Canada's Yukon Territory. Adoring of all critters great & small, Chris's pet portraits illustrate the character and soul of her subjects.

Rosemary Scanlon is an artist living and working in Whitehorse, Yukon.  Working primarily in watercolour, she attempts to locate the tension between fantasy and reality of northern life.Scanlon has exhibited nationally and internationally, including exhibitions in Montreal, San Francisco, Berlin and London. She received her Master?s Degree in Fine Arts from the Glasgow School of Art.

Veteran Yukon singer-songwriter Drea Nasager (Naysayer) is known for her visceral lyrics, powerful vocals, and her high energy "leave it all on the stage" live performances. Blending elements of folk guitar, rock intensity and punk attitude, audiences are captivated by both her energy and vulnerability conveyed through her music.
Drea cut her teeth in Peterborough and the EU before moving back to the Yukon in 2011. Well known for her solo performances, she is also the lead singer songwriter in 'The Naysayers'. Their latest self-titled LP was released June 2021 on Coax Records.

Stephen Gallant is a classically trained, multi-instrumentalist director and performer who has held the role of Musical Director at Diamond Tooth Gerties in Dawson City, Yukon, for 7 consecutive seasons. In the winter months he teaches piano, guitar, drums, and vocal lessons at the Klondike Institute of Art & Culture (KIAC). Stephen is originally from Cape Breton, NS and has divided his time between Dawson City and the east coast for several years.

Lillian Nakamura Maguire is a second-generation Japanese Canadian, new playwright living and retired in the countryside near Whitehorse, Yukon.  Her first play, Hidden Memories was accepted by Ruby Slippers Theatre “Advance Theatre: New Works by Diverse Women” for reading at the 2017 Vancouver Fringe Festival, in partnership with the Fringe Festival and Equity in Theatre. She received a National Association of Japanese Canadians Endowment Fund grant in 2016 to assist in the development of the play.Throughout her career as an adult educator, facilitator and community activist she has used stories in her work in human rights education, elder abuse prevention and intercultural relations. She has written and produced short digital stories on these themes and her family history. She is a founding member of the Hidden Histories Society Yukon, a volunteer group doing research, producing displays and sponsoring educational activities mainly related to Asian and Black history of the Yukon. She also enjoys writing short stories, memoir and haiku.

Wendy landed in the Yukon 18 years ago on a February day, with minus-40 temperatures and a clear blue sky. Since that day, the Yukon has been the love of her life. Her outdoor adventures started with canines: working for the Yukon Quest, skijor racing and making her way through the Whitehorse and Area Hikes & Bikes book with her two dogs. Then came the paddling: whitewater classes with Yukan Canoe, a two-week expedition on the Wind and Peel rivers, 720 kilometres in a tandem canoe (in the Yukon River Quest). The purchase of her first stand-up paddle board launched a growing SUP obsession. Her target is 10,000 more hours on the water, whether it brings mastery or not.

I'm a writer and a cook living in Whitehorse and for years I've been putting those two preoccupations together.  One feeds the other. One saves me from the other. Writer’s block? Pas de problème, I will scurry to the kitchen. Kitchen failure? Oh well, at least I can write. Those two passions have intersected and cross-pollinated and resulted in several cookbooks and a regular column for Yukon, North of Ordinary Magazine, as well as contributions for What's Up Yukon.

I'm Lacey, I am a lifestyle, newborn, birth, family and wedding photographer in Whitehorse, Yukon. I am a mother to two sweet, fabulously determined little ones and married to my best friend.  

I create in many different ways, but my excitement and drive in photography comes from creating sessions with clients that are meaningful to them - capturing those cherished, fun, and wild moments that make up our lives.

Writer, actor and commentator on stage, radio and film, Roy Ness lives near Whitehorse, and keeps busy growing things and riding his horses. He has written for the stage and released a novel, Rutting Season, that raises challenging questions about the balance between hunting for sport and hunting for survival.Click HERE for stories in Whats Up Yukon about Roy Ness

Hi! I am Mehak, a Whitehorse, Yukon based Family and Brand Photographer! I love freezing your moments, your love connections, your special days of life especially if it is your wedding, your unique personalities and even of your newborns, yes you heard it right! even newborns have personalities these days.

Naomi Mark spent the majority of her twenties crafting stories for screen in both drama and documentary. Influenced by her upbringing in Northern Canada Naomi has produced and directed a wide variety of content including music videos, commercials, short films, experimental films and short and long form documentaries.Naomi has produced and directed films for CBC, Knowledge Network and Northwestel Community TV. Her recent work includes co-directing and producing the short fiction film Grey Mountain, the short documentary Underdog and producing the critically acclaimed feature documentary Aim for the Roses. How to Bee, a 2019 feature film for Knowledge Network is Naomi’s feature debut.

Shelley interprets natural elements in metal to obscure the connection between botanical forms and the body. This work is the product of her study of orchids and other flora, which displays tenacity over urban structures. She challenges herself to represent this relationship in metal. The rendered organic elements fit the lines and shape of the body, while maintaining the strength inherent in metal.

Carey Marshall is from Whitehorse and has lived on both sides of the mountain North of 60, for almost 50 years.

real people, real moments, real memories, real photography

Halin de Repentigny is an acclaimed artist with paintings held in national and international collections. Originally from Montreal, Halin first made his name when he moved to Dawson City, Yukon. He became well known for his depictions of life in Canada?s Klondike, interpreting the beauty and majesty of the remote northern wilderness and capturing it on canvas.

Dennis Allen is an award-winning filmmaker, forlorn songwriter and hopeless storyteller. He’s the only guy he knows who’s never seen the Stones.

Tim Green is an engineer who wears out one pair of hiking boots every year.

Retired doctor and mountaineer Peter Steele was born in England. He lived and travelled in Nepal, Bhutan, and the Sahara before settling in Whitehorse, Yukon with his family in 1975. He has written several books on his travels, a medical guide for backcountry adventurers, and two biographies: Eric Shipton: Everest and Beyond and The Man Who Mapped the Arctic: The Intrepid life of George Back, Franklin's Lieutenant. His latest book encapsulates 50 years of stories and was published in 2020.Read about it here

Kim Beggs is a songwriter, filmmaker, mentor, author, and musician.  She has released numerous CDs.  Her music features: Original Folk Roots | Old-time Country | Americana | Bluegrass Bramble | and infuses sweet old-time roots country with dark tales of northern life

Photography provides me with the excuse to adventure and provides me with an opportunity to tell interesting, important and inspiring stories. I hope that my photography inspires us to be empathetic humans, with compassion for people we don't understand, our natural world and the animals that share this small planet with us.I am very proud to be a fellow in the International League of Conservation Photographers, to be represented by National Geographic Image Collection and Minden Pictures stock agencies, and to be an ambassador for Panasonic Cameras.

More stories including Peter Mather

Artist and graphic designer Cass Collins left the town where she was born and raised, Whitehorse, Yukon, to study illustration and design at Capilano University in North Vancouver, BC.  After receiving her diploma, she returned north and settled on the outskirts of Atlin, BC to pursue a self-sufficient life style.Cass?s paintings have a graphic look and strong design sense. Acrylic paints or watercolour and ink are her primary mediums. Most recently, she has been exploring watercolour techniques for a series of farm-animal illustrations she is working on. Inspiration comes from her animals and garden, neighbouring farms, the land and wildlife surrounding her.In addition to her studio work Cass also teaches art classes. 

Elsie Jordan made the Yukon her home in 2014. She has a passion for storytelling, with a focus on family (mis)adventures featuring a unique Yukon feel to them

Long time Dawsonite Michael Gates has worked in the cultural resource field in the Yukon for more than 40 years. He was the curator of collections for Parks Canada in Dawson City for 20 of them. He has written numerous technical papers on museology and cultural resource management, hundreds of articles and three books on Yukon history.

Hailing from Canada’s North in the Yukon, Speed Control is the rock band that can make you move even at -40 degrees. Described as “Super Tight, Riff Heavy, Harmony Rock” by Stuart Derdeyn (The Province, Vancouver Sun), Speed Control has a captivating sound with an energy that will leave you smiling, singing, dancing, and wanting more. Brothers Graeme and Jody Peters have been joined by new members Eric Holland (Drums, Vocals) and Greg McLaughlin (lead guitar, vocals). With the added depth and creativity, new material and new energy is on the way.

Robert is an award-winning landscape and wildlife photographer who has traveled extensively through Iceland, Africa, South America and his home country, Canada. His photography passion has led to develop many skills in the areas of night, aurora, landscape, wildlife and travel photography. He has been published thousands of time in calendars, books, magazines and corporate publications. His willingness to teach, coupled with being a really cool and handsome fellow make him one of the better photo teachers out there who can help take your photos to a new level, no matter where you are at with your images. 

The Yukon is my home and a state of diverse and stunning natural beauty. I have been a nature photographer for over more than 10 years and enjoyed every minute of it! I was born and raised in France, I came to Canada in 2008 to backpack during a year across the country. I arrived to the Yukon to experience a real winter in the Great North and I felt in love with the territory. To me, it is a real chance to play with the light and to witness the animal’s behavior and the harmony that nature offers, which creates a strong emotional state, a special feeling that I want to share.Photography is also a powerful tool for the advocacy of nature, that’s why I am stepping more into conservation photography, trying to awake minds contributing to save this beautiful nature.

A nomadic life has taken me from the jungles of Borneo to the houseboats of Kashmir and from the Great Barrier Reef to the Beaufort Sea. However it is the Yukon Territory, a place with enough wilderness to find great inspiration and peace, which has been home since 1984

A multidisciplinary artist who practices her art in a wide range of mediums, C?cile has turned to Doll making with a northern twist. A look at her dolls will tell you that life up here is a call for resilience, constant adjustments and celebration. All dolls are wearing clothes made of reclaimed or used fabric, mainly felt, wool, tweed, leather and fur.  Everyone is unique, never two are the same. These dolls often represent people C?cile Girard has met over the years and they carry her joy of creating.

Northern mythology around Raven has always interested me. Raven is a creature that can shape shift between bird and human form. My current work catches Raven in mid change. Raven Ladies, Mervens, Fox Ladies, and Bear Ladies have attitude and real life women?s bodies. Any day you get to see a raven is a lucky day.

Peter Jickling grew up in Whitehorse, and received an honours degree in philosophy from the University of Lethbridge in 2005. He became Associate Editor of Up Here Magazine in 2011. That same year, his first play, Syphilis: A Love Story, was produced in Whitehorse by Ramshackle Theatre and subsequently toured western Canada, winning Best Comedy at the Victoria Fringe Festival. Later, he edited What’s Up Yukon, where he wrote a weekly column, “Jickling’s Jabberings.” In winter 2016 he went to Toronto to write. This resulted in Downtown Flirt.

Joseph Tisiga (b.1984) is Kaska Dene First Nation and of mixed European heritage, currently living in Whitehorse, Yukon. Tisiga's multidisciplinary practice includes performance, photography, sculpture, installation, however painting and drawing are situated at the root. His work examines notions of identity, cultural and social inheritance, the mundane, the metaphysical mythological, etc... which filter through an evolving narrative construct and are unified in his practice.

Stories in What's Up Yukon about Joseph Tisiga

Based out of Whitehorse, Jennihouse provides ambient post-mushroom-folk rock, often improvised. Scott Maynard grew up in London, UK, and as a teenager moved to Toronto, where he lived for the next 25 years. Scott moved to the Yukon full time in 2013, and ran the open mic at the Gold Rush Inn for a couple of years, which is where he met Sam. Sam Gallagher hails from rural New Brunswick and arrived in the Yukon with his family and two cats, 18 years ago. He has been playing lap steel for about the last 30 years, mostly self-taught except for a few lessons with the late great Aylie Sparks.

Manus Hopkins is a Toronto- and Whitehorse-based journalist, musician and lover of heavy metal and cats.

Mark Kelly is an award winning photographer based in Whitehorse, Yukon Canada. He received a Kodak Instamatic 110 camera on his 8th birthday and has not stopped clicking since. His passion for photography has led him around the world to photograph inspiring people and places.

Erik Pinkerton earned the German equivalent of his Red Seal in photography in Dresden, Germany in 2015. After working for 2 years in Studios and as a freelancer, Erik and his family moved to Whitehorse, Yukon in 2017. Erik works mainly as a commercial photographer creating high-end photos for all marketing needs. His diverse body of work is based primarily around a product, interior and exterior architecture, and environmental/portrait photography which also includes live events and wedding photography. Erik is a fervent supporter of the arts and can often be found photographing concerts and archival photos for local theatre groups.

Rob García-Huidobro is a Yukoner, music aficionado, sound engineer, former touring musician, music reviewer and current employee at Triple J’s Vinyl Boutique.

Should you catch a performance of Dana Jennejohn and The Bennett Sun, you’ll hear mountain to valley, northern Canadiana singer-songwriter music with a hint of the traditional south. Hailing from Whitehorse, the band has a sound described as tumbleweed pop and city folk with original songs that are inspired by northern living and landscape. The Bennett Sun’s harmony rich music ranges from folk, country and roots to the collaborative bluegrass tradition. Dana Jennejohn and The Bennett Sun released their first EP in 2015 followed by a full-length album in 2018. The band performs at venues from tiny homes to concert halls and events from pond hockey tournaments to festivals including Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival and The Wood Stove Festival (Cumberland, BC).

Having numerous artistic roles in music, Kelvin has developed his career to participate in many fulfilling opportunities that have taken him all across North America. He’s also been fortunate to feature in some spectacular works created in his hometown of Whitehorse, YT, which further exemplifies the beauty of collaborative art in this small, yet thriving, Northern city. As Musical Director of Borealis Soul, he’s worked with a plethora of musicians and vocalists to design dynamic soundscapes for full-length presentations. He also collaborates with Jeremy Parkin, under the guise of Local Boy, a hip-hop duo that has had great local success, and aims to gain more traction by increasing listening audience in Canada and abroad.

Alexis Koome just arrived in the Yukon, bringing only her winter essentials: a stack of vinyl, a Knotty Trunk of vintage jackets and a new split board.

Calla Kinglit is a musician, songwriter and poet who draws inspiration from the awe of wilderness and exploring the human experience. She is currently recording her debut album comprised of songs written while living as a researcher in the Congo Basin in the Central African country of Cameroon, exploring the vast and redemptive beauty of her home base in Canada’s Yukon wilderness, manoeuvring through landslides in the Himalayas, and contemplating the spiritual journey of one small being. Calla's music is characterized by haunting melodies combined with deep wilderness based lyrics. She is a multi instrumentalist, primarily writing on a warm hollow body electric guitar. “God River Waltz” and “Dreamer’s Sea”, Calla's first singles, were released in 2016 and have since been played on CBC Radio 2 and are on rotation on CBC North.

Yukon Unguided is a grassroots educational platform that aims to inspire an ethical and passionate community of DIY hunters and anglers.

Josephine Holmes is a freelance writer and the copy editor at What’s Up Yukon. She is a prairie girl, at heart, but loves the Yukon and has been a sourdough since 1994. The other thing she loves, aside from spending time with family, is being called “Grammy.”

Haines Juction resident Bob Hayes landed in the Yukon wilderness in 1976 and spent a career studying ducks, falcons, moose, caribou, mountain sheep and wolves.After retiring as Yukon wolf biologist, he wrote Wolves of the Yukon that won acclaim for the easy, non-science writing style. The book was translated into German, and sold out its first printing. He is a believer in quality independent-publishing, recognizing that working with a hand-picked team of talented editors, family and friends is the most rewarding element of publishing.  Zhòh: The Clan of the Wolf, is his first novel. The Spirit of the Wolf, is Book 2 in the series.

Al Pope was born in Scotland, and emigrated to Canada at the age of 12. After spending his teenage years in southern Ontario, he moved to the Yukon when he was 21. There Al developed an obsession with dog sledding, winning two provincial championships with a team he raised himself, and built a cabin home for his wife and three children 30 miles south of Whitehorse.He has written for stage, print, and radio. His work has appeared in newspapers and magazines. His reading series Four Seasons North of 60 aired on CBC's Richardson's Roundup. His novel, Bad Latitudes, was published in 2004.  His column, Nordicity, appeared weekly in the Yukon News for 20 years, until 2014. Al's latest work, The Boreal Curmudgeon, is a selection of his columns, ilustrated by Heidi Marion.

Yukon musician Ryan McNally  made his presence known in Whitehorse as a virtuoso blues guitarist and singer.He has collaborated with many Yukon artist.  His rockabilly band, Sasquatch Prom Date, He fused folk and electronica in his collaboration with Kyle Cashen as Old Time Machine.  His CD "Down Home" has Rob Bergman (upright bass) and Lonnie Powell (drums).  Versatility and creativity.And by the way we have an in depth intimate story on his 1965 F150 Mercury pickup

Susan Clark is a retired Family Physician living in Whitehorse with three sons and two granddaughters.

A self proclaimed 'tall, blonde, sing-song man', Jon Ostrander has been writing, performing, and even threatening to record and release music for well over a decade. In a past life, he was the lead singer/songwriter in the the Dawson City folk trio "Three Chords and the Truth", as well the fondly remembered "Dredge Pond Swans", and in the self proclaimed Yukon super group "Community Chest" Jon has been a long time contributor and solo performer at the Dawson City Music Festival over the years, sharing the stage and hosting workshops with many of Canada's greatest artists. His most recent release is a collection of recordings from 2012/13 which have been re-mixed, mastered, and released in 2018 under the title "Magnetic Anything"

From her beginnings in southern Ontario to the Yukon home she chose, Meshell Melvin has been making art. In a professional practice that spans 28 years, her images have been drawn, printed, painted, animated, collaged, and embroidered. Hand in handle with ?The Universal Movement Machine?, a rare industrial chain-stitch embroiderer; Meshell has been embroidering portraits of Yukon citizens. Her images reflect an interest and curiosity in the world around her: the people, the homes they live in, and the surrounding landscape.

Eco-singer Remy Rodden is a bilingual, rich-voiced teacher and biologist committed to helping children learn about nature. He's a clever songwriter, deeply concerned about the environment, and his wholly entertaining show ignites both the young and the young at heart. Remy’s target is to inspire wonder and foster responsible action with his fun and poignant curriculum-connected songs. Remy’s many years as an adventurer, camp leader, educator and entertainer uniquely position him to delight family audiences. He draws on his experience of countless school presentations, travels and performances in all continents (yes, even Antarctica) and a wilderness life in Canada’s Yukon Territory. He has degrees in biology and environmental, outdoor, and experiential education and puts them to full use in his music! Remy’s first family album Think About The Planet (1997) has proved an enduring classic, with songs about biodiversity, invasive species, and more. The song "What's That, Habitat?" is part of United Nations music compilation to celebrate the Earth Charter, and the title track is part of the Playlist for the Planet which includes artists like Raffi, Cockburn and Lightfoot. An adult album In The Hills was released in 2011.

Tracey Jacobs is enjoying coming up with new idea, creating metal art of all types, focusing on Yukon themed pieces such as moose, bears, foxes, fish and fire weed. These works include functional pieces, like key ring holders, back scratches, flower pot holders as well as actual wall art.Her pieces are designed and cut out of different types of metals. After being painted other concepts are added to create uniqueness.

Her style is realism but in her paintings Heidi ?reinterprets? colors and structures and shapes to create a world where there is beauty and harmony. As Rousseau once said it is the artists job to ?perfect? upon nature. Though she was a water colorist for most of her career her preferred technique is to use fluid acrylics in a fusion of water colorist?s and oil painter?s techniques. She also uses many traditional techniques such as glazing and grisaille.

Scott was professionally trained by Safety Services Nova Scotia to be a driving instructor in 2010 and after teaching for 2 years there, moved back to the Yukon in 2012. In January 2020 he launched Yukon Driving Academy. Scott has a love of driving and takes pride in seeing his students succeed on their journey to becoming safe drivers and wants to see the roads used in a safe and defensive way.

Patrick Jacobson is a Whitehorse-based indie-rock songwriter. Originally hailing from Vancouver, he earned his reputation as the front man for The Capitals by writing endearing, dulcet anthems with crackerjack choruses. He also co-wrote songs and with The Top Drawers and The Luna Riot. Now he's is returning to his roots with a guitar in his hands to sing for anybody who still enjoys a good melody.

Elke Reinauer is a writer based in Germany with strong ties to the Yukon.

Kylie Campbell-Clarke is an Australian-Canadian writer and photographer exploring the Yukon.

Joanna is from the UK and now lives in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, where she's currently helping to set up a new Yukon Words society. She is grateful to the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta'an Kwäch'än Council on whose Traditional Territories she resides. She's also the author of a novel, Worry Stones (Ronsdale Press), which was longlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award, and a short story collection, The Birthday Books (Hagios Press). Joanna's poetry collections are If There Were Roads (Turnstone Press), and The Fleece Era (Brick Books) which was nominated for the Fred Cogswell Award for Excellence in Poetry. Joanna Lilley's fifth book and third poetry collection, Endlings, was published by Turnstone Press in March 2020. 

Jeanine Baker has lived at Crag Lake since 1988. She works with glass to create a wide variety of objects or illustrations. Leaded, painted and fused glass is used to create illuminated images. These can be displayed as architectural features, or free hanging panels, shaped into bowls and platters, or even assembled to create window sculpture. Mosaics are made with the beautiful scraps of art glass that are left over.

Leah is a Yukon based photographer specializing in Lifestyle portraits, Personal branding, couples and weddings as well as fashion editorial portraits.

With a passion for storytelling, Leah crafts visual narratives that resonate deeply with each subject, whether it's a tender moment between lovers, the exuberance of a fashion shoot, or adding a professional glow to headshot portraits. Embracing diversity in all its forms, Leah celebrates the beauty of individuality and the richness of expression in every image captured.

Emma Barr has a main theme to all of her work - colour. All facets of the colour world are explored. Recent works include illumination with light. Trained as a mixed media major, Emma works with 2 and 3d works of art in many mediums including canvas, paint, paper, wood and now electronics.

Rebekah is a textile and surface designer who strives to produce quality goods that are well thought out in every aspect, from design to application and construction. Her textiles begin with heavy sketchbook work; a combination of sketches, colour palettes, technical notes, mood boards, inspiration and more. Sketchbook work is a foundation and footing to be developed into traditional surface designs (pattern, drawing, illustration, collage, etc.). Her surface designs can either be stand alone works of art or translated into a collection of functional pieces or even screen printed yardage.

I'm Brooke. I was born in the NWT and have been living in Whitehorse, Yukon for over 20 years.I love visual imagery and getting creative with painting, drawing, or taking photos -- this is where I thrive. There is way more to photography than focus, composition and exposing.. there is an art for selecting the right moment. My favourites are the 'in-between' moments.. so you'll notice in most of my work it's not your typical smiling shot; it might be an intense stare from your very independent toddler, the giggles from your children, or the face of a new mom looking down at her new baby.. ahh I just can't get enough of real, human emotion!

Catherine was born in Kingston Ontario and has called the Yukon home since the late '70s. She has written for What's Up Yukon since 2005, is an avid traveler, a keen gardener and a sometimes Stage Manager.

My inspiration comes from the pace of life; the amazing, friendly, diverse, energizing people that visit and live here; the huge inspiring landscape with the midnight sun, and the dark, restful winters; the delicious wild foods ? there is always somewhere new to explore in the North.

Amanda Fata, Sarah Murphy, and Nathan Schultz are Vanstones: a Yukon-based folk pop trio recognizable for their soaring bluegrass-inspired harmonies, catchy, heartfelt song-writing and spirited live performances.  

Reminiscent of the multi-lead vocalist band Fleetwood Mac, Vanstones signature sound highlights the interplay between three distinct voices. Instrumentally, they each bring something unique: Nathan’s expressive, acoustic fingerpicking, Amanda’s steady, vibrant world percussion, and Sarah’s sky-scraping, soulful guitar playing. The result is a classic-celtic-folk-rock-world rhythm inspired sound that is like no other. Individually they are impressive - together, they are a force.

Though new to Yukon’s music scene, Vanstones have already performed at events such as the Yukon Arts Centre Birthday Bash w/ Serena Ryder and The Strumbellas, the Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival, and Arts In The Park. 

Interested in fusing painting and sculpture, Dee has been developing techniques for sculptural painting with oil-based modelling clay since 2013. She aims to refresh landscape and wildlife painting genres.

Jackie lives on a semi-remote acreage on the Magundy River near Faro, Yukon.Her best work is of sky, trees, mountains and water; the landscape that surrounds her. She works in acrylic, watercolor and mixed media. Recent projects completed by Irvine are: 100 Painting in 100 Days and Faro?s Community Mural Project. The use of color, light and texture inspire her and animate her works.

Jordy Walker is a versatile composer, producer, sound artist, sound designer and multi-instrumentalist.Jordy’s roots are in jazz and classical guitar, his approach combines creative invention with a knowledge of tradition. His works have been featured in dance and theatrical productions, documentaries and short films for the likes of CBC, NFB, Discovery Channel and HIFI. Jordy has performed and/or recorded with Mary Margeret O’Hara, Christine Fellows, Veda Hille, Oliver Schroer, Tanya Tagaq, Michael Feuerstack, Richard Reed Parry, Little Scream and others.

I have been interested in art for most of my life, but taking courses while living in the northern Yukon was not an option, so I taught myself what I could with the use of art books, videos and on line courses.I am best known for my acrylic airbrushed paintings of Northern Lights and Yukon scenes, and have recently added watercolour florals and hand painted winter scene and fireweed ornaments to my portfolio.My hope is that people enjoy looking at my work as much as I love painting it, and that my images will tell my story.

Peggy Hanifan came from Ontario 36 years ago for a visit to the Yukon. She fell in love with vibrant music scene in Whitehorse and never left. Peggy started singing and playing guitar at the tender age of 11 and has honed her craft hosting the Whitewater Wednesday Jams in Whitehorse for the last 23 years. Peggy started the Whitewater Wednesday jams at the Kopper King and is now in her 12th venue at The Local. She has performed on various stages throughout her career including Frostbite Music Fest, Arts in the Park, Atlin Arts and Music Festival, and has hosted numerous benefit shows. In 2018, she won the Conrad Boyce Award for the Arts. Peggy likes to say that music and the Yukon keep her young.

Sputnik is a psychedelic-rock trio based out of Whitehorse, Yukon. Formed by Sudbury-import Zacharie Pelland & local garbage man Aiden Tentrees joined by Lee Campese on drums. Performing a solid original repertoire of songs about alien abductions, perception ascension, mass soul exile, programmed cyborgs and cartoons. Successfully touring from Yukon to Montreal after their self-titled album 'The Sputnik Experiment' was released shortly after the bands formation. Currently Sputnik resides in the Yukon. Continuously writing, and only performing at the most appropriate opportunities that can accompany their brand of estranged astro-stoner rock.

Red Grossinger is a Sasquatch enthusiast, investigator and a published author living in the Yukon.

Allan Benjamin is a poet, a cartoonist, a fiddle player and a snow shoe racer from Old Crow, Yukon. Allan is a Vuntut Gwich'in artist who provides cartoons and poems to What's Up Yukon. He introduces us to two sets of characters who represent Allan's family and traditional Gwich'in life growing up in Old Crow.

Lillian Loponen, born of Canadian Finnish heritage in Northern Ontario, has done art work since a child. Despite completing a number of career options, art has always been a constant factor in her life. She has been living in the Yukon since 1979.

Brandon Isaak is a one man band playing a foot operated drum kit, neck rack harmonica, guitar and vocals. His original blues songs ring with authenticity and wit and his singing, guitar and harmonica playing are the living spirit of the best of the blues today! I consider Brandon to be a national treasure!      - Jack Lavin – “Powder Blues”

Yukon based photographer Amanda Mouchet loves life in all its forms, lights and colours. Her work behind the camera is simply an extension of how she sees beauty and happiness in the world around her.

With his roots buried deep in the permafrost of the Yukon, Groan Boy is a goblin rock sensation that is sweeping the territory with his signature wall of sound. A personal project of Dawson Beaulieu’s that lyrically explores some of the darker sides of music, he is occasionally accompanied by other musicians – drums, bass, and Vox organ – but the heart of Groan Boy is Dawson’s earnest performance taking the lead as a guitarist and vocalist.Groan Boy is the therapy you didn’t think you needed – his thematic and volume swings from the awkward, to the angry, and back again will have you go from swaying on the spot to headbanging on the dance floor - and if that’s not enough, Groan Boy will make you laugh, groan, and (if you’re feeling emotional) shed a tear or two.

Baby Ronka & The Boyfriends Yukon Supergroup consists of David von Johnston III (previously of Animal Warfare), John 'from Dawson'' Dagostin, Keenan `Keen' Davis, Gerold Stange, Michael Betts, & Erin Hilliard. Formed in 2022, we are a Dawson City favourite. They created Fusion Slamming-Death Pop Rock, music everyone enjoys; "jack-offs of all trades, and master of all". With their World Tour 2023, the Boyfriends will become a household name much further than their home in Dawson City.

Kate Weekes stood on the Trans-Canada Highway ten years ago; she stuck out her thumb and left Ontario for an adventure in the Yukon. Now deeply imbedded in the Yukon music community, Kate lives in a little orange cabin outside of Whitehorse and spends the Yukon winters working with 19 sled dogs. On her travels throughout Canada Kate has been moved to capture the stories of characters she meets along her way and ponder a sense of place within the varying lifestyles of our country. Her songs paint pictures of mushing through the mountains and paddling in the remote corners of the Yukon.

Alexander Weber is a writer currently based in Vancouver, B.C. He divides his time between squeezing every available free second into an adventure and recovering with beer and ice cream.

Suzanne lives and works in Whitehorse, Yukon. Her primary media are oil painting and sculpture using a variety of materials such as driftwood, clay, wire and paper mache.?Her work is inspired by the human form and by the challenges of expressing the human condition. 

I'm a folk singer-songwriter and make my home on the Yukon River outside of Dawson City.

Lillian Nakamura Maguire, a retired rural Whitehorse resident, enjoys writing plays, personal essays and haiku, while exploring other creative expressions.

Most recently, I have found myself painting both the landscape I am in (Yukon Territory) as well as the local creatures I am enamored with (Ravens.)

Sydney (Oland) Keddy is a recipe developer who lives in Whitehorse. Her work can be found in The Boston Globe and in Seriouseats.com, as well as in other publications.

Chelsea Ravensdale was born in Whitehorse, Yukon. She has traveled abroad, lived elsewhere, and loves the Yukon as her home. As a very young child, several times she woke her parents early in the morning wailing having cut herself trying to carve the soap! This could now be seen as a premonition of her future as a carver and sculptor.

?The North is my home and the majesty of the Kluane region continues to be the inspiration for most of my work.? Libby has lived in Haines Junction since 1975. The magnificent panoramic view she enjoys from her log home and the ever changing light keep her always inspired. It is her hope that her paintings reflect her passion for the awesome scenery, from mountain and icefield grandeur to lake, forest and wildflower splendour.

Soda Pony members Patrick Hamilton and Aiden Tentrees can often be found scouring the corners of Whitehorse's various dump freestores in search of costumes for their next show. They have been scouring these same dumps for the last decade, and the dumps always abide them with something newly strange and/or stylish. Far from romanticizing life in the north, Soda Pony's songs subvert regional clichés with a humorous mixture of small town coming-of-age tales and science fiction scenarios. And this is the magic of Soda Pony's space-dump-rock style: at the heart of their original sound is their friendship, tried and sailed through years of learning, performing, and exploring together.

Erica Henault’s career was in health care, as a dental hygienist. She has always been a writer and a photographer. Erica moved to the Yukon when she was 19, where she met her husband. They moved to Vancouver Island, 30 years ago, where they continue their love of camping, new adventures and exploring the beautiful outdoors. The breathtaking Yukon Territory is still the place they call home.

Aila Massie is a high school student in Whitehorse, Yukon. She enjoys expressing herself through many different forms; be it paint on canvas, pen on paper, or onstage with her fellow NLSD dancers. She aspires to be a book editor someday

Award winning guitarist Nicholas Mah has been a fixture on the Canadian music scene for several decades. He is an active practitioner of classical, jazz, country, rock and flamenco guitar based out of Whitehorse, Yukon. With many years of studying music, teaching, writing and performing under his belt, Nick can compose in almost all genres of music. His work can be heard in recordings and films both locally and nationally.

?I paint real places. I want my paintings to reflect moments when I have stopped and looked and been filled with pleasure at what I see.?

Faro resident Sally Lee Baker, storyteller, author and illustrator wrote her first tongue twisters for kids using the letter "B" in a Writing for Juveniles class in college. After marrying, raising two girls and then reading to grandchildren, she was inspired to write alliterative stories using each letter of the alphabet.She has been recognized as a Book Excellence Award Finalist in the Children's Fiction Category for her books, "Toni Tanager" and "Vinny The Vegetarian Vulture".

Gabrielle Dupont is an adventurous spirit who loves to travel across the territory to discover hidden treasure.

Patti Flather is an award-winning playwright, dramaturge, director, and writer. A scene from Paradise is featured in Refractions: Scenes with Playwrights Canada Press. Patti is co-founder and former Artistic Director of Gwaandak Theatre, which develops and shares Indigenous and Northern stories for the stage.Her fiction has appeared in various literary journals; her fiction collection Such A Lovely Afternoon is forthcoming in 2021. Patti is a recipient of the Yukon Arts Builder Award and a past winner of Theatre BC’s national playwriting competition. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UBC. Patti grew up in North Vancouver, but now lives in Whitehorse.Click HERE for stories in Whats Up Yukon about Patti Flather

Hi, I'm Kaley, your Whitehorse Wedding, Elopement & Family Photographer. I am a loving wife and a hopeless romantic who is obsessed with capturing all the moments of laughter and intimacy on your wedding day. Being a wedding photographer and a person who just 'loves love' is my recipe for success. In 2016 I started my company Briar Rose Photography and by 2018 I had graduated with my diploma in photography and design. At this point I knew wedding & elopement photography was the only future for me. It is truly a blessing that I get to wake up and do something I am so passionate about every single day. After having shot over a hundred weddings across the globe with the most incredible couples, I really cannot wait to shoot hundreds more.

Brendan is a freelance film professional based in his hometown of Whitehorse. He wears many industry hats, depending on the size and scope of the project. Since graduating from Vancouver Film School in 2010, he has been working in the film industry in Vancouver, Boston and the Yukon. His work can be seen on National Geographic Magazine/Channel, CTV, CBC Documentary Channel, Air Canada, Knowledge Network, ZDF Germany, Much Music, and countless online platforms. He brings to all his projects a creative, visually-orientated approach and works closely with clients and teams to deliver products that target their goals in an engaging and impactful manner.

Jeremy Parkin & Kelvin are a Producer / MC duo from Whitehorse, YT. They began working together in 2014 for Borealis Soul: a collective that integrates dance, music, and visual effects into live performance. With musical flavours that are based in hip hop and electronic, they are keen to experiment and shape their own sound, embracing lyricism, boom-bap, trap, down tempo, and house, within their musical styles. With just three singles released, Local Boy has had great local success, as they fulfill offers to perform at festivals such as Breakout West, Forthwith, and Atlin. On top of collaborating on soundscapes for theatre productions, they are currently making their debut album. They have a unique method to creating songs: often Jeremy pitches an instrumental that Kelvin writes to and records; Jeremy then mixes the song, and Kelvin masters it. The collaborative, in-house process results in a sound incomparable to anyone else.

Ivan Coyote is the award-winning author of twelve books, the creator of four short films, and has released three albums that combine storytelling with music. Ivan is a seasoned stage performer, and over the last twenty-five years has become an audience favourite at storytelling, writer’s, film, poetry, and folk music festivals from Anchorage to Australia.Click HERE for stories in Whats Up Yukon about Ivan Coyote

Born in Teslin, Yukon, of the Inland Tlingit people, Carol’s first major film, Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief, won a Silver Medal for Educational Documentary in San Francisco and set her on an award-winning career in the industry. Since then Geddes, a now internationally acclaimed filmmaker and writer, has produced 25 documentary films and television programs.

Swamp Sex Robots is a swamp-rock duo based out of Whitehorse, Yukon featuring Aiden Tentrees & Paris Pick. They could be described as a ween-esque mix of hip-hop influenced bass lines combined with gritty guitar melodies topped off with intense lead female vocals alongside soft & sometimes silly harmonies.

Dan Sokolowski currently lives in Dawson City and is the producer of the Dawson City International Short Film Festival. He has taught courses in 16mm filmmaking, animation and studio arts. He is currently a member of the Dawson City Arts Society and the Yukon Film Society. Dan's films have been shown at many film festivals and film events locally, nationally and internationally. In addition to his own films, Dan has worked on over 40 independent productions as cinematographer, animator, assistant director, lighting director and editor.

Barry is a transplanted bit city guy, having moved north for the love of a Yukon woman, exploring the land and his options in semi-retirement.