Julia Sotnykova
Traveler, Arts Advocate, and Graphic Designer in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Julia Sotnykova was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. She is a full-time graphic designer and world traveler. Exploration is an integral part of her creative process, as she seeks inspiration in new challenges and discoveries.
She has had the pleasure of traveling to Paris, London, Barcelona, Sydney, Zurich, Montreal, Vienna, and more.
Julia Sotnykova has also traveled extensively across Canada and the United States. Recently she traveled across Colorado, visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, Boulder, and Denver.
One of the things that Julia loves about Vancouver is how easy it is to be in nature. Every week she tries to find time to journey out amidst trees, take in the view from the top of a mountain, or go for a walk along the English Bay or Indian Arm.
One of her favorite trips in the US was to Washington DC. The combination of historical architecture spread out in horizontal distances and a contemporary urban vitality stood out Julia as being particularly noteworthy. On top of that, there also is a large amount of religious structures--cathedrals, mosques, synagogues--that make for an impressive site.
Julia Sotnykova is also a passionate skier and loves visiting various ski resorts around the world. Julia hopes to one day ski the Andes in South America.
Although graphic design is Julia's mainstay, she's been an avid sketch artist ever since she was younger, and developed a finesse and appreciation for painting during her time at art school in Vancouver.
As mentioned above, travel is integral to Julia's creative process. In particular, Julia Sotnykova is interested in place and memory. As the descendant of immigrants from Russia to Vancouver, Canada, Julia is fascinated by the ways that environment can shape memories, stories, and in turn identity. Conversely, when one travels, one ostensibly casts off the identity of place by immersing oneself in someplace completely new. Where is identity in one location is stable line of life, identity while traveling is a constant push and pull of life and death. To travel is to live and to die over and over again.
“Our imagination flies -- we are its shadow on the earth.” -Vladimir Nabokov
You can view Julia Sotnykova's artwork on both her Behance and JuliaSotnykova.org.