My Helford Sketchbook #1

This is a beautiful, limited edition, artist produced book of 140 pages containing reproductions of 70 paintings. Measuring 30 x 30cm, it is printed on high quality silk 200 gsm paper with a matte laminated cover. Orders will be sent out from late September, please order now to secure your copy as this first edition will be a limited run of 100 copies. 

Each copy is signed by the artist and price includes p&p within the UK.

For international orders please contact sophie.velzian@hotmail.com.

Introduction

My sketchbooks are my sanctuary. 

Over the last year, they have become a place I can escape to. 

Dealing with my Mum’s deteriorating health due to dementia, I have found both solace and joy in my plein air paintings. Immersed in the landscape, focusing intently on colour, light, atmosphere and shapes, my thoughts are stilled. Being in a flow state, seeking the right colour mixes to capture the subtle hues observed, I feel at peace. 

This book is a collection of my most recent paintings. They develop through the book, initially starting with photo inspirations but then, as Mum’s condition worsens, I realise that I only feel better if I am out there in the landscape. Every painting completed plein air carries with it the deepest memory of that moment, of the feeling of being there. If I run my fingers over the paintings I can feel flecks of grit where the breeze has whipped up the sand into my palette. On finishing the painting, my ritual is to photograph it in situ and then return to my studio. Here I sit and absorb the painting again and write freely what comes to mind. What story does it conjure, how do I feel, what words does it evoke. There are recurring themes, of calm and peace, of being away from the crowds, of trees taking on human characteristics.  This handwritten text, along with the painting and the photograph, becomes the complete artwork. 

I want these paintings to uplift and inspire. For me they celebrate the joy of painting, the miracle of art for your mental health, and the beauty of the Helford River. 

They are my life blood and make my soul feel alive.

This is for you Mum.

Sophie Velzian

Helford River, Cornwall

September 2025