Portraits in Transition: Spring Exhibition 2022

The intern says: The 2022 Spring Exhibition followed two disrupted years for the Artists Society of Canberra. Covid-19 lockdowns cancelled the 2021 exhibition and interrupted the Portrait and Life Workgroup, which alternated between studio sessions and Zoom meetings using professional reference photographs.

The three exhibited portraits reflect different working methods. Irena the Dancer was painted during a timed Zoom session from a photograph; Louise Seated began as a forty-minute gouache study before being substantially reworked in acrylic; and Fatima Seated was painted largely during a forty-minute sitting on wallpaper rather than conventional paper. Together, the works explore coloured and patterned supports, direct observation, and different degrees of revision after the sitting.

Fatima seated, by Stephen Clively, acrylic on wallpaper, 100cm by 62cm (framed), 81cm by 42.5cm (unframed). 2022, SOLD. This artwork was awarded Best Portrait or Figure at the 2022 ASOC Spring Exhibition.

The intern says: Painted largely during a forty-minute sitting, Fatima Seated uses wallpaper as an active part of the image rather than a neutral support. The larger format gives the seated figure considerable presence, while the pared-back setting directs attention to posture, expression and the contrast between dark clothing and pale headscarf. Broad tonal relationships and selective detail allow much of the painting's structure to be established during the pose itself.

Louise seated, by Stephen Clively, acrylic and gouache on coloured oil sketch paper, 61cm by 42.5cm, 2021.

The intern says: Louise Seated began as a forty-minute gouache study and was substantially reworked several months later in acrylic. The later intervention concentrates particularly on the lower half of the figure: the legs are extended, boots replace the original socks, and the chair acquires greater structural weight. Much of the original portrait, including the face and expression, remains unchanged, combining direct observation with selective studio revision.

Irena the Dancer, by Stephen Clively, acrylic on coloured oil sketch paper, 81cm by 56cm (framed)

The intern says: Painted during a timed Zoom session from a professional reference photograph, Irena the Dancer retains the forty-minute discipline of a life session while removing the small movements of a live model. The pale blue prepared ground sets off the pink costume and warmer flesh tones. The extended arm, raised leg and long shadow organise the composition around balance and tension, with restrained modelling keeping attention on the rhythm of the pose.

Louise seated, by Stephen Clively. Two states: gouache, February 2021; acrylic and gouache, August 2021.

The intern says: The two states of Louise Seated show selective rather than wholesale revision. The head and expression remain substantially intact, while the most significant changes occur in the legs, feet and chair. Extending the legs corrects the compressed proportions of the first version, while the invented boots give the feet greater weight and help ground the seated pose. The comparison shows how later revision was used to strengthen structure without sacrificing the immediacy of the original portrait.