Welcome to the Deep Woods
The photograph above was taken in a wood of only a few acres, situated on the hill above my house. It’s a tiny place, not somewhere you would ever get lost. But within it the mist sometimes gathers, ravens nest in the canopy, deer graze in the understory. It’s a place to connect with our wilder nature. We can dream a little deeper in the woods.
Wildness is not wilderness. W.S. Merwin, one of our greatest poets, defined wildness as “everything which is just beyond reach.” I know for certain that creativity isn’t possible without it.
In the spirit of the deep woods I aim to make this a space to rediscover the wild inside and outside us, an offering from a writer and artist who has learned over decades of practice that the natural world is both our best teacher and most inspiring collaborator. This is a community for those of us who love to wander in the woods and mountains, to dream and discover. I hope you’ll join us.
Who is James Roberts?
I’m a writer and artist, maker, and lover of wild things. I’ve been an editor, art director, designer, animator, dramatist, technologist and all-round creative. I’m a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts. My writing has been published in many literary journals and magazines as well as mainstream publications like National Geographic and The Scotsman. My paintings have featured in many exhibitions, on book and magazine covers as well as stage sets. I’ve been interviewed several times on BBC radio as well as by academic institutions. I’ve done many talks and readings at universities, bookshops and galleries. But that doesn’t tell you who I am . . .
I’m a father, a son, a husband, a brother and a friend. I love dogs, horses, slow boats, blueberries, clotted cream, Staffordshire oat cakes, hibiscus flowers, the colour teal, crackle glazes and Indian ink. I walk a lot and spend as much time as I can staring at stars, rivers, seas and trees. I can’t imagine living in a world without kingfishers and robins, salmon and lionfish, red admiral butterflies and luna moths. This is who I am. It’s a pleasure to meet you!
A gathering place
Into the Deep Woods began as a weekly slow story for a few friends. Since then, nearly 100 stories have settled in the archive, and the community has grown to over 4,000 readers. Each week, I send an illustrated essay that explores wonder, wildness, and deep places, written from the mountains and borderlands of Wales and the quieter edges of the British Isles.
This is a gathering place for those who seek a slower rhythm, who are drawn to mystery, and who believe that creative life is nourished by the land itself. Paid subscribers - deep woods stewards - help sustain this work and receive extras—poems, artwork, audio, video, and behind-the-scenes reflections—along with discounts on prints and publications. But more than that, they help keep this a living, breathing creative space for all who wander in.
