Category Archives: Artwork Archives

Older original artworks by Berlin-based artist Suzanne Forbes.

Art archives: St. Paul cafe drawings!

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St Paul cafe drawing by Suzanne Forbes working as Rachel Ketchum circa 1990 1I started seriously drawing in cafes or coffee shops in 1990.

I finally got into the habit of having a sketchbook with me at all times, not just most of the time, once I had a car!

St Paul cafe drawing by Suzanne Forbes working as Rachel Ketchum circa 1990And I had a teacher at MCAD who said the best way to draw the figure confidently was to draw “in situ“, constantly.

Good advice! Seriously, look at the foot of that little girl.

St Paul restaurant drawing by Suzanne Forbes working as Rachel Ketchum circa 1990I drew everywhere I went.

And as a person in early sobriety, it was the perfect way to be comfortable in social situations.

Self portrait with Day by Day cafe cruising map 1991 by Rachel Ketchum aka Suzanne ForbesThe Day by Day Cafe!

Such a part of sober life in St. Paul back then. And even now, I think? Also, as indicated in this drawing, a total cruising spot for me and all my gay friends 🙂

Minneapolis Dunn Bros 5 29 91 by Suzanne Forbes working as Rachel KetchumI lived near Dunn Bros, worked at Dunn Bros, hung out at Dunn Bros.

The coffee was incredible. This is from 1991.

homage a degas 1990 by Suzanne Forbes working as Rachel Ketchum

This homage to Degas is one of my favorite cafe drawings ever.

Dunn Bros, 1990.

Denise and Zora March 15 1994 at Music City Cafe by Rachel Ketchum aka Suzanne ForbesThere were other sober hangouts, like the Music City Cafe.

This is my friend Denise and her daughter Zora there, 1994. Children have never been my specialty!

musicians at Music City Cafe St Paul Jan 4 1991 Rachel Ketchum aka Suzanne ForbesI also did a whole series of drawings of musicians in cafes during this time, like this one at Music City Cafe.

You can see some more of them here on flickr, in my Musicians album. Later coffee shop drawings are here.

Most of these drawings had never been scanned or uploaded; until now, no online record of them existed – if we had a fire or flood they would just be gone forever.

I am so grateful to my Patrons on Patreon, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to take time to document my art archives.

Printmaking at Parsons, Fall 1986.

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Starfire etching by Suzanne Forbes working as Rachel Ketchum Fall 1986 detailI didn’t want to take printmaking.

I considered it a waste of time, because I didn’t intend to be a fine artist who made prints; I was going to be a comic artist, whose artwork was sent to printers!

But it was required, so I made superheroine prints!

Scarlet Witch lithograph by Suzanne Forbes working as Rachel Ketchum Fall 1986This lithograph of the Scarlet Witch is very gothic!

I was 19 and very sad, but also even then Wanda was a tragic character..

Warrior Woman lithograph by Suzanne Forbes working as Rachel Ketchum Fall 1986I was absolutely just meeting the requirements in this last litho.

It is 100% phoning it in. I did like the print shop, which was a world of its own with so many arcane processes and chemicals, and the print teacher, who always smelled like the garlic he was taking against a parasite infection he’d gotten in Belize.

I just didn’t like all the hassle involved in printmaking! It is such a goddam pain. Even then, at 19, I had limited energy and couldn’t tolerate the rubbing of the plates. Nothing looks like a hand-pulled print, though.

As far as I know, these were the first fine art prints ever made of Kory and Wanda!

I hand-colored a few of the Kory etchings with Dr. Martin’s dye, just her golden skin, green eyes and orange hair I think. I gave one to Marv Wolfman at San Diego in…’90 maybe? As a thank you, for all the Titans gave to me.

These prints had never been photographed; until now, no record of them existed – if we had a fire or flood they would just be gone forever.

I am so grateful to my Patrons on Patreon, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to take time to document my art archives.