Monthly Archives: April 2019

A benefit for Berlin’s only Gay-Inclusive Rugby Team, the Berlin Bruisers!

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Lola Rose at Violet Variete Benefit for Berlin Bruisers by Suzanne Forbes April 14 2019Sometime soon I’m gonna go draw the Berlin Bruisers actually playing rugby.Ben Meachum at Violet Variete Benefit for Berlin Bruisers by Suzanne Forbes April 12 2019

But first, I drew the fabulous performers at a benefit for the Bruisers, who are Berlin’s only gay-inclusive rugby team. The annual benefit is called Violet Varieté, and was held at epic queer nightclub and party space Schwuz. That’s beautiful Lola Rose, above!

On the left, comedian Ben Meachum, in his latex wrestling singlet 🙂

The event was hosted by legends of queer Berlin, Gieza Poke and Liliana Velásquez! Two of the hardest-working performers in town, they have contributed their talents to this fundraiser for years.

“I love to draw Liliana,” I said to her dear friend Fannie Headaek, “she has the elegant lines of a fighting swan.”Liliana Velasquez at Violet Variete Benefit for Berlin Bruisers by Suzanne Forbes April 10 2019

Does that make sense? I don’t know, but I stand by it! And check out co-host Gieza Poke!

Is Pansexual Pleasure Goddess Gieza’s outfit a yellow plaid bustier and plaid booty shorts topped with a yellow plaid cape with power shoulders and a yellow tam o’shanter fascinator? Yes, yes it is. Fucking amazing.Gieza Poke at Violet Variete Benefit for Berlin Bruisers by Suzanne Forbes April 12 2019

Also performing was The Darvish, an elegant neo-bellydancer.The Darwish at Violet Variete Benefit for Berlin Bruisers by Suzanne Forbes April 12 2019

Dunja, an incredible Guinness World Record setting hula hooper, (see below!) as Mia Wallace!Dunja at Violet Variete Benefit for Berlin Bruisers by Suzanne Forbes April 12 2019

And Evilyn Frantic, muse of Dr. Sketchys Berlin, who I have drawn many times before, but never while she was moving!Evilyn Frantic at Violet Variete Benefit for Berlin Bruisers by Suzanne Forbes April 13 2019

Plus Nana Schewitz, another local legend!

Nana Schewitz at Violet Variete Benefit for Berlin Bruisers by Suzanne Forbes April 12 2019Here’s some of the Bruisers in uniform, on the dance floor before the show!Berlin Bruisers at Violet Variete Schuz April 10 2019 by Suzanne Forbes

And here is Feline and Strange, with my beloved Friend-Muse-Patron Rah Hell on drums!Feline and Strange at Violet Variete Schuz April 10 2019 by Suzanne Forbes

Thanks to the Bruisers for inviting me! And always, my heartfelt gratitude to my Patrons, who crowdfund my documentary art project of a queer feminist intersectional lens on Berlin life! You can help, with any amount you like per month, a dollar or euro is great ?

My Patrons on Patreon give monthly financial support which allows me to make this free documentary art available for all to share.

And enjoy witnessing Dunja setting one of her hula hoop Guinness World Records!!!!

 

Women tattooing women at the Drink And Draw Berlin Tattoo Jam – on a boat!!

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Lydia tattooing at Drink & Draw Berlin Tattoo Jam April 12 2019 by Suzanne ForbesWhat a lovely time we had!

This is Lydia, aka Lylicious Ink, tattooing a lovely lady, ON A BOAT. Lydia is a friend who is a fantastic artist who is now a tattoo artist, like Daria.

I went to the new Drink And Draw Berlin location finally, and holy heck it’s amazing. Drink And Draw’s classes and events are now held in a 90-year-old boat docked in the Historic Harbor by Markisches Museum. The atmosphere is so cozy, so charming, so superbly comfortable for drawing, I cannot even deal. I want to go back ASAP.

Here’s the Drink and Draw Berlin Insta, featuring ME!

Daria tattooing at Drink & Draw Berlin Tattoo Jam April 12 2019 by Suzanne ForbesDaria was tattooing in a mask, looking even more like an artist ninja than usual!

The woman Daria is tattooing is Fania Katz, an “illustrator and creator of weirdness from Berlin“. Fania is a native Berliner, and with Daria, a native Muscovite, and me, a Native New Yorker, sitting there, Daria said we had a mighty trinity.At Drink & Draw Berlin Tattoo Jam April 12 2019 by Suzanne Forbes

These two cool as hell friends of Lydia’s were talking about tat appointments, and one of them was also drawing.

I just was so happy there! There were groups of artists and tattooists working at tables and on couches throughout the boat’s comfy seating areas, and another woman tattoo artist, the fantastically badass Strix, working up on the stage, and people doing stick-and-poke.

Elliott doing stick and poke tattoo at Drink and Draw Berlin Tattoo Jam April 20 2019Suzanne ForbesThis is Elliott, stick-and-poke tattooing his own leg.

I knew people stick-and-poke tattooed themselves, as my incredible artist sister-in-law Caitlin has a number of beautiful works she has designed and done herself. But I’d never seen it happening live in front of me before! I was like, look, a hot boy stick-and-poking his own leg on a boat! What could possible be more Berlin? But then I remembered my friend Suz told me about a nonbinary person who stick-and-poke tattoos drunk club-goers on the party train U8 on Friday nights around 3am, and that is actually more Berlin 🙂

I had some lovely Fritz-Kola on the boat (local soft drink company well known for always sponsoring art events!) and altogether the nicest time.

Thanks, Drink and Draw Berlin! I’ll be back!

And always, my deepest and profoundest gratitude to my Patrons, who crowdfund my documentary art project of a feminist intersectional lens on Berlin life! You can help, with any amount you like per month, a dollar or euro is great ?

My Patrons on Patreon give monthly financial support which allows me to make this free documentary art available for all to share!