Tag Archives: Berlin art scene

Drawing SFxBerlin artist Rachael Jablo working on The Hysteria Project!

Rachael Jablo working on art for The Hysteria Project drawn by Suzanne Forbes Feb 17 2022Such a treat to have a zoom visit with my friend Rachael Jablo, a fellow former Bay Arean!

I met Rachael here in Berlin, at Sadie Lune’s birthday party years ago. Even though we were in the Bay at the same time, and both knew Sadie among other folks, we never met there!

Thank goodness we connected here. I can’t imagine not knowing Rachael! Sick person baker artists rule! Due to both of us being chronically ill, we don’t visit IRL that often, yet our spiritual connection is amazing. And our techie husbands get along great too.

Rachael is creating an incredible collaborative storytelling project called The Hysteria Project.

“The Hysteria Project is a one-on-one storytelling project dealing with menstruation, reproductive, and pelvic disorders, illustrated by individual ‘portraits’ of their reproductive organs based on their stories. These life-size, intimate works start in a traditional darkroom where I use lace instead of negatives to make color prints that I cut up and collage onto a gold leaf background.” – Rachael Jablo

Uterus portrait by Rachael Jablo for the Hysteria Project of Suzanne Forbes with fibroids

Portrait by Rachael Jablo for the Hysteria Project of Suzanne Forbes’ menstrual system with fibroids

I told my fibroids story for the project and Rachael made a portrait of my uterus!

Isn’t it beautiful? You can read my story here, it has lots of swearing and so. much. blood. Other folks I know have also told their stories and had portraits made. Being listened to and witnessed by Rachael’s compassionate spirit is such a healing experience. Rachael describes how the project started here.

Rachael’s website, Rachael’s insta, The Hysteria Project website, insta and twitter.

The Hysteria Project is Funded by Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien.

I of course am funded by my  Patreon Patrons, who have my eternal gratitude and love for keeping me working, making art and documenting Berlin creators as a vaccinated but Covid-vulnerable disabled person.Rachael Jablo working on art for The Hysteria Project drawn by Suzanne Forbes Feb 17 2022 detail

Bishop Black in pearls, and more castaway hotness at Dr. Sketchy’s Berlin!

Bishop Black in pearls at Dr Sketchys Berlin by Suzanne Forbes Sept 29 2019I was very excited to get to draw Bishop Black again.

Bishop is a multi-disciplinary artist who works incredibly hard in so many swim lanes! And he is fantastically handsome and muscular 🙂 You can see my drawings of him from the Dr. Sketchy’s Berlin Red Hot Love session here and here.Bishop Black and Gizam Akman at Dr Sketchys Berlin by Suzanne Forbes Sept 29 2019

I was experimenting a lot with materials for this session (read more at this post) and struggling to resolve values.

Gesture drawing of Bishop Black at Dr Sketchys Berlin by Suzanne Forbes Sept 29 2019Rendering skin tones and clothing shadows is something I can do easily in paint, but I am a novice at pastels and color drawing still.

A big part of the reason I’m adding color to my drawings now is to give performers of color a more vibrant representation. My approach is ever-evolving, and I always invite POC performers to check me if I get their undertones wrong!

I only got one drawing of beautiful mermaid model Gizem Akram, seen below, because my usual table by the dj stand just didn’t work well for most of her poses.

This happens occasionally wherever I draw; sometimes I just can’t get a good “shot” of one or more performers.Gizam Akman at Dr Sketchys Berlin by Suzanne Forbes Sept 29 2019

It’s challenging to draw scantily-clad people in multi-colored stage lighting, but I did my best; you know who is awesome at it?

Samantha Stover, who was also at Dr. Sketchy’s on Sunday. As was superb draughtsman Jürgen Schlotter.

It’s such a treat for me to see drawings of the same scene I drew from these two, because their styles are profoundly different from mine but they are both SO good.

I had a wonderful time at Sketchy’s as always.

All the thanks to producers Syren Joey and Miss LaLa Vox aka @lalavox, UFO Hawaii, @pixie.scarlett and Matthias for all their hard work, and @marenmichaelis  who takes the amazing photographs, and to @lepustra and the hardworking team at the gorgeous vintage venue @ballhausberlin!!

And so much love to my Patrons on Patreon, whose monthly financial support allows me to make this art and make it available as free art!