Within Reach, Beyond Compare
Bowen Island is a Canadian municipality in BC with a population of 4256.
It measures 6 km by 12 km wide. The town relies on a ferry system that can carry a small amount of people from Bowen Island to West Vancouver over 20 minutes. Many residents commute to and from Vancouver on a regular basis. The schedules of the residents and businesses of the town revolve around the ferry arrivals and departures.
Signage at the Bowen Island Ferry Terminal
The ferry queue leaving the island. Residents say that if your car is behind the school crosswalk at the top of the hill, you will not get on.
Men’s clothing designer Dana Lee has lived in Bowen Island with her husband Adrian Buitenhuis and their two children, Peter and Hannah, since 2018.
Adrian, a director and producer, planning the production of a shoot the next week in LA. The dock is where he takes his morning calls.
Combined, they spend 10 hours a week commuting between the island and the mainland.
Despite this inconvenience, the family chooses to live on the island.
Sightings at the Bowen Island library.
“I think less is more, and here, there's less stuff. There's more space, but I find there's less distraction. You really appreciate the things that are around you. “ - Dana Lee
Up the hill from Crayola Beach.
The Meadow in Crippin Park, a local favorite.
Down the hill to Crayola Beach.
“I find that there's this energy here. The slower pace of life makes you become a bit more self aware.” - Dana
Crayola Beach is one of the family’s favorite places to get some sun.
Roadside tomatoes for sale.
“People move here very deliberately, whereas I think in a lot of other places, people kind of end up there.” - Dana
“We have a common value system based on the fact that we could live in other places, but we're committed to living here. Some people actually get to the point where they don't like going to the store. Because they know they're going to run into so and so. That's another part of the community, is that there's a responsibility to be a good person, because you're going to run into this person again.”
-Adrian
A walk in the the Meadow at Crippin Park.
Hannah and Louie
“My kids are sheltered. We have to remind them to look both ways when they go to the city. But if I can give my kids the opportunity to live somewhere where they don’t have to lock the door, then Iwill.”- Adrian
Crayola Beach.
Peter looking for snails in Crippin Park.
Dana Lee’s home studio.
Dana Lee Brown Base T-shirt.
“Being here very much inspired thinking about clothing in a different, slower way. I'm doing a farm to hanger model now. Compared to the cycle of doing these crazy collections every season and trying to get them done for a Spring deadline, I'm now doing something which is not Dana Lee Brown Base T-shirt. on any schedule. It takes the time it needs to get made.” - Dana
Dana and Adrian’s home.
Hannah and Peter heading to school. They live on the far side of the island and hate being late. Every morning is a countdown to 8:10am, departure time.
“Logistics just becomes a big part of your life. And I think that's when people leave Bowen, there's just one too many things.” - Adrian
Dana in the sunset.
“I feel like the goal of living here is trying to create separation between work and how you're living. My work is very cerebral. Here, I can recharge my battery.” - Adrian
Dana and Adrian were able to buy a home here, something they could not do in Vancouver.
Dinner with a view.
“The nature is so powerful. If you let it, there's a lot of opportunity for inspiration” - Dana
The Queen of Victoria, on schedule.