Tag Archives: art in berlin

Virtual Halloween life drawing with Muse Noéline la Bouche!

On Halloween I booked Beloved Friend and Muse Noéline la Bouche for a zoom life drawing session!

As we are both disabled artists, virtual collaboration lets us work together safely. My Patrons who support me made it possible for me to pay Noéline for both modeling and prep time. We did a similar collab for Black Fae Day, and I hope to do more in the future.

Noeline la Bouche, a fat femme-presenting Black burlesque performer, gazes at the viewer fiercely. Drawn on Halloween by Suzanne Forbes October 31 2022 I’m so grateful that my Patrons make supporting creative equity like this possible!

Noéline is always on-time and professional and we started our session with them completely in costume and makeup, set up with camera. We always take breaks as needed for our disabled bodies. Working with Noéline is a safe space for me, so I continued to experiment with the Liquitex Acrylic Ink I’ve been using for the past six months or so.

Noeline la Bouche for Halloween by Suzanne Forbes October 31 2022If you’re interested in disabled performer life and building the emotional intelligence to cope with medical trauma and serious physical challenge, I highly recommend reading Noéline’s posts.

And of course paying her some money because we don’t take the labor of Black femmes for free!

Noéline’s website here, Insta here, burlesque accessory line here, Paypal.me here!

Noéline in a headpiece I made! And as the Goddess Yemaya.

Many other Noeline drawings in my Noéline Muse Album on flickr.

I am so grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to continue documenting Berlin performers as a vulnerable disabled person.

 

The Big Gay Wedding: Gieza and Tomi in headpieces by me!

Wedding ceremony of Gieza and Tomi wearing crowns by Suzanne Forbes event photography by Jenkins Photography May 2022This is absolutely the crowning achievement of my handmade decorative arts accessory work to date!

Alphonse Mucha made jewelry and stage accessories for Sarah Bernhardt, and in this great tradition I couldn’t be more proud to be a figurative artist making decorative arts work!

Wedding at Zionskirche of Gieza and Tomi wearing crowns by Suzanne Forbes event photography by Jenkins Photography May 2022Dear ones Gieza and Tomi celebrated their wedding at beautiful and historic Zionskirche in Berlin this May.

The grooms were swamped with wedding preparations, and two weeks before their “Hats and Headpieces” themed wedding, had nothing to wear themselves!

Wedding of Gieza and Tomi wearing crowns by Suzanne Forbes event photography by Jenkins Photography May 2022 2Tomi asked at the last minute, “I know you don’t do commissions, but maybe we could borrow pieces you’ve already made?”

“Of course!” I said.

Wedding of Gieza and Tomi with Gieza wearing crown by Suzanne Forbes event photography by Jenkins Photography May 2022I went through all the pieces I have on hand, re-photographing old work and new, and sent the photos to the grooms.

Gieza chose my “Dejah Thoris” crown from 2020.

Wedding of Gieza and Tomi event photography by Jenkins Photography May 2022 Tomi with dancersTomi chose the “Snow Queen”, which was the first headpiece I ever made, back in Oakland in 2014 or so.

I know you are going wild wanting to know about their suits. Gieza and Tomi’s wedding clothes were completely hand made by Alexis Mersmann. Alexis hand-marbled sheets of fabric to make the suits and every detail from scratch.

I absolutely beg you to watch this video of the process!Wedding of Gieza and Tomi event photography by Jenkins Photography May 2022 Tomi comes down the aisle

To have headpieces I made worn by beloved friends dressed in the most incredible, and SO GAY, garments I have ever seen!

This is one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. And what a joy to have these moments so beautifully documented.

Wedding of Gieza and Tomi wearing crowns by Suzanne Forbes event photography by Jenkins Photography May 2022 kissesThe event photography was done by Jenkins Photography.

Photography by Felix Jonathan Jenkins and Essie Jenkins of Jenkins Photography! Jenkins Photography website here and insta here.

This wedding was a celebration of Berlin’s queer community, of drag and burlesque family and talents and love, at the highest possible level. Queer Love is UNSTOPPABLE.

Snow Queen crown of papier mache wire rabbit fur and crystals by Suzanne Forbes 2014To get the crowns to the grooms, we organized a Queer Courier mission.

I put the crowns in the “art bag” and lowered them down from the balcony to Suze, who transported them across town. This balcony art drop has been one of the few fun parts of our 2.5 year self-isolation, as people come by to buy drawings and I lower them down.

Snow Queen crown of papier mache wire rabbit fur and crystals by Suzanne Forbes 2014 detailHere are some of the new photos I took, which are better than the old ones on the original posts lol!Dejah Thoris crown of holgraphic vinyl UV resin Angelina Fantasy Filma and crystals by Suzanne Forbes 2020 2

Dejah Thoris crown of holgraphic vinyl UV resin Angelina Fantasy Filma and crystals by Suzanne Forbes 2020 detailAs always, I am so grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support makes it possible for me to continue documenting and decorating Berlin performers as a  disabled artist.