I’m Yulia — an illustrator, writer, and homesteader living a storybook life in the hills of rural New Zealand. What makes life a storybook one? The company of my family of, not humans only, but five alpacas, three sheep, many chickens, four ducks, three pugs, Andreas the cat and Kevin the fish. All others have names too. 

Raised on fairytales and wildflowers, I now create from a cottage of my own, where ducks meet under apricot trees for morning gossip, and while I start the day with watercolor and my favorite coffee. My work is guided by the rhythms of the seasons, classical beauty, and a desire to preserve the fleeting charm of a simpler old world as it looked in vintage books.

With over a decade of experience and 39 illustrated books, I create art that invites you to slow down, dream, and remember who you were "when the trees were big". I try to make every page feel like a storybook you loved when you were a child.

Right now, I’m preparing the work for publishing, licensing, and personal projects - all appearing with a belief that beauty can still change the world.

Thank you for visiting my corner of the hills.

Warmly,
Yulia

​