This is a special drawing of a special person.
My beloved friend and Muse Noéline la Bouche has burlesque costumes and performance routines for many Gods and Goddesses, and one of the most beautiful is the Yemaya one.
Noéline performed as Yemaya for the wonderful “Winter is Coming” edition of Extravagant Shambles.
It was the last time I saw her dance live before the pandemic, and yet I didn’t draw her.
Because the performance was so beautiful, I wanted to focus all my energy on watching.
I didn’t draw everyone at this show – and I didn’t draw my muse Noéline la Bouche for an unusual reason. Noéline performed as the Goddess “Yemaya – mère de l’eau”, and I was so captivated by her dance choreography and costume for this number I actually decided to just watch! But you can see photos of her doing the act!
I wrote that at the time. Even if I could go back and change things, I would still watch Noéline dance in the dark cave of the club, my drawing tools down. After the show she came over and hugged me, still throwing sparkles of energy from the performance.
I am so grateful to know this amazing friend.
I hope you will take a moment to follow Noéline, who has done streaming performances for many Disability-Positive and disability inclusive burlesque shows in the last two years, and created a gallery of glamorous pin-up selfies in a rainbow of colors using her handmade accessories.
Noéline has also created a project called “Self-Isolation Updates”.
In almost 250 installments to date, they have shared the experience of being chronically ill in a pandemic. She shares isolation, loneliness, doctor visits during the early months of the pandemic, and ultimately contracting Covid in Fall 2020 despite exhausting precautions.
Then comes Covid-induced kidney failure, medical crisis, experiencing medical racism and gaslighting, dialysis life and disability reality.
Noéline describes it all with incredible insight and wisdom. Someday I hope these entries will be a book, illuminated by the gorgeous selfies!
But right now, Noéline needs our help and support more than ever.
Compounding financial hardship, medical racism and the CripTax of disabled life means simply paypaling money to her would make her actual daily life easier. Could you do that?
We have a little auction going where the highest Paypal donor in Feb will win the original of the Yemaya drawing!
Paypal.me/noelinelabouche
Noéline’s website here, Insta here, burlesque accessory line here, Paypal.me here!
Noéline in a headpiece I made!
Many other Noeline drawings in my Noéline Muse Album on flickr.
My dear friend and eternal muse Noéline la Bouche is starting to do some event hosting!
If you’re interested in disabled performer life and building the emotional intelligence to cope with radical physical challenge, I highly recommend reading Noéline’s posts.
