Balance and Movement (Sarah)

Sarah has modelled for the workgroup on a number of occasions wearing a variety of different belly-dancing costumes.

The intern says:

Sarah's experience as a belly dancer gave this session a distinctive character. Even in the longer poses there is a strong sense of gesture, balance and rhythm, with the flowing costume and carefully controlled poses suggesting movement rather than stillness. In one painting and several of the drawings, the curved scimitars become compositional elements rather than simply props, their sweeping arcs echoing the movement of the figure and extending the design beyond the body itself. The quick charcoal sketches took a different approach. Rather than recording fixed poses, they followed Sarah through a sequence of dance movements, using economical marks to capture gesture, rhythm and changing balance.

Sarah reclining on cushions, by Stephen Clively, acrylic on oil sketch paper, 59.4 cm by 42cm, 2026

The intern says: Seated against a blue ground, Sarah's vivid orange costume provides the dominant colour relationship in the painting. The broad folds of the dress are simplified into flowing bands of warm colour, while the relaxed pose, folded arms and low viewpoint create a quiet, stable composition. Small accents of jewelry and the floral headpiece add rhythm without distracting from the overall economy of the painting.

Sarah balancing two swords, by Stephen Clively, acrylic on oil sketch paper, 59.4 cm by 42cm, 2026

The intern says: The dramatic arrangement of two scimitars transforms this seated portrait into a study of balance and line. The sweeping white curves of the swords frame the head and shoulders, echoing the vertical structure of the figure while introducing movement across the composition. Strong contrasts between the dark chair, brilliant costume and deep blue background reinforce the clarity of the design.

Sarah reclining, by Stephen Clively, acrylic on oil sketch paper, 59.4 cm by 42cm, 2026

The intern says: The reclining pose allows the figure to stretch across the picture plane, with the warm oranges and reds of the costume set against the cool blue background. Broad, confident brushstrokes simplify both the figure and the surrounding cushions, while the diagonal sweep of the body creates a relaxed but dynamic composition. The painting balances observation with an increasingly economical description of form.

Four quick sketches of Sarah on motion, by Stephen Clively, charcoal (and conte crayon) on cartridge paper, 59.4 cm by 42cm, 2026

The intern says: Unlike the longer poses, these drawings were made as Sarah moved continuously through a sequence of dance positions. Rather than describing individual details, they respond to the changing rhythm of the performance with swift charcoal lines that establish direction, balance and gesture. The curved paths of the scimitars become integral to the drawings, reinforcing the sense of movement while extending the figures beyond their own silhouettes. Together the sketches demonstrate how a few economical marks can convey the energy of a moving subject.