Karin,
Thank you, thank you for that. I'm nearer the equator right now, but my home base is in the area of the U.S-Canadian border. We have nice Northern Lights, but not tons of useful north light. There's a lot where I'm at now, but I can't ask the landlord to rebuild the house -- and yet I'm also not going to quit painting.
We've scared the heck out of many on this site who can't get a "This Old Artist's House" crew into the project immediately -- sooner if possible -- and build high north windows with blinds that rise.
I've admittedly never had the privilege of painting solely by natural northern light. I intend to try it when I can, and perhaps I'll love it, as does Michael G. But I do too much early-morning and late-night studio work to rely on midday light alone, much less its constancy from day to day.
Lots of advice about alternatives in this topic.