A Northern View

what it's about and why I'm writing on Substack.

This is my first post, to tell you a bit about who I am (if we’ve not met before), and what my Substack is all about.

My name is Julia, and I work as an artist and illustrator from my studio, which sits next to a river at the bottom of my garden. I live in a small row of Victorian terraced houses on the edge of a village close to the Pennine moors in the north of England.

The landscape here is beautiful, wild and remote, and I love it in all its seasons. The countryside around my home, our Yorkshire coastline and the nature that resides around me all play a part in inspiring my work.

Let me tell you a bit about ‘A Northern View’.

Dictionary Definition:

Northern

Situated in the north, or directed towards or facing the north. Living in or originating from the north.

View

A work of art depicting a sight of natural scenery. A particular way of considering or regarding something; an attitude or opinion.

This northern landscape where I live inspires both me and my art. It’s where I’m originally from, and it’s shaped who I am and how I create. I’ll be talking about my life in this corner of Yorkshire, as well as my art process - sharing peeks into my sketchbooks and creative tips along with other thoughts and chat from my studio.

Why I’ve started writing on Substack:

I noticed a blissful feeling of peace and quiet on Substack (the kind you might find in a library), and one that I felt instantly at home with. It’s a bit like the olden days of Instagram, and Blog land. I like it.

You can read quietly here, without jarring music suddenly blasting out of your device, and devour interesting and thoughtful content that you have chosen to subscribe to (without a bunch of suggested or sponsored stuff interrupting the flow).

I have a love hate relationship with Instagram and social media these days, and have longed to find a space where I could share regular updates with you that don’t get lost in the frenzy of scrolling and chaotic reels (and which you will actually see). I’m hopeful that this is it.

How often will you receive my posts?

My intention is to post at least once a month for now, although it may be more as time goes on. I’m excited to see how it evolves and welcome your thoughts and feedback about things you’d like me to write about. I really like the idea of you being able to comment under each post, and for us to create a conversation together.

At the moment my Substack is free to subscribe to.

I hope you’ll enjoy A Northern View, and if you’d like to share with a friend, please feel free to do so.

Julia x

---