Tag Archives: “Glücklich in Berlin”

Tango dancers and more, from an amazing holiday party at TangoLoft Berlin.

Holiday party drawings by Suzanne Forbes Dec 14 to 22 2017My husband works for a wonderful company.

And every year the company throws a really terrific holiday party. (They throw parties all year, actually, but the December one is the fanciest!).

Tango dancers at Tango Loft Berlin by Suzanne Forbes Dec 22 2017The venue is always super cool, the food is always FANTASTIC, the music and entertainment is great.

This year’s party was at TangoLoft Berlin, which is soooooo beautiful! They had some of their tango dancers do a demonstration for us, above – I hadn’t drawn the tango in over a decade, and I had to hustle to get it going! Did you know the tango is hugely popular in Berlin?

M and team holiday party Dec 14 2017 by Suzanne ForbesH and I dancing at holiday party Dec 14 2017 by Suzanne ForbesThe theme was 1920s so lots of the guys wore suspenders and bowties, which is a great look!

I actually cried with happiness while I was drawing at one point during this party, because I am so incredibly grateful that my hard-working guy works for good people after all the evil startup asshats he worked for in the Bay.*R and S dancing at holiday party by Suzanne Forbes Dec 14 2017

Guest at holiday party by Suzanne Forbes Dec 15 2017Dj Steven at holiday party by Suzanne Forbes Dec 14 2017

smoker at holiday party Dec 14 2017 by Suzanne ForbesWe had a delightful time, as always, and I drew Steven twice because he’s so handsome. My husband danced quite a bit, on his new cyborg body part, and it was just beautiful to see.

The Tango Loft folks were super kind and the food, which was 90% vegan, came out of the small kitchen in smooth waves of scrumptiousness. We had roast goose, and it was SO good!

There was a smoking lounge, which I visited several times to enjoy the pleasure of vicarious smoking. The cigarette holder seen here was antique, a telescoping brass thing of great elegance.

Dancing coders holiday party Dec 14 2017 by Suzanne ForbesCheck out the fabulous Dancing Dev Team!

This was after the big “Despacito” sing-along. I was not familiar with Despacito, but apparently it was THE hit of the summer! There was also dancing to The Spice Girls song that has that line about family, idk? I kinda missed the whole Spice Girls thing. Anyway, we had a fabulous time.

Previous holiday and company party drawings herehere and here!

*Here is a story I will not stop telling until work/life balance changes in the US. In 2012 my hub and I had gone to the East Coast for Christmas to visit our families. We were at his parents’ house on Christmas Eve when his boss at the tech startup called him to ask him a question about the server. And hung up without saying “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”. Jesus forgive me, I hated that fucking guy so much, and I hated that my man had to work for him and be exploited by him so we could have health insurance. Pretty much every conversation my hub and I have about his work here ends with, “We’re in Germany, thank God.”

Women’s Art Lounge at Ludwig, with a Wonder-Elf!

Artists and elf Dec 17 2017 by Suzanne ForbesThis past Sunday I organized the first Women’s Art Lounge at Ludwig Berlin.

Here are artists Suzanne Wegh and Alexandra Ru sketching our holiday elf, who is reading a very long naughty list! Other art friends present included Giulia Caruso, The Artist Minotaur.

Miss Natasha Enquist by Giulia Caruso dec 17 2017

Miss Natasha Enquist by Giulia Caruso, Dec 17 2017

Cheeky Elf Miss Natasha Enquist by Suzanne Forbes Dec 17 2017I engaged my favorite life model, Miss Natasha Enquist, and our lovely group of woman-identifying Berlin artists gathered to draw.

Miss Natasha wore her fabulous Elf outfit! Her Fluevog boots made the best elf boots ever.

I don’t know why so many of my models wear Fluevog, I swear I’ve drawn at least twenty people in them!

Miss Natasha also had a string of red and green lights AND the battery pack for the lights fit perfectly in the back pocket of her candy-apple red shorts which just slayed me! Professional at work.

 

Check out this gorgeous digital drawing from illustrator Kelsey Bass.

Miss Natasha Enquist by Kelsey Bass Dec 17 2017

Miss Natasha Enquist by Kelsey Bass Dec 17 2017

Both Kelsey and Alexandra, who is known around Berlin as artist’s meetup organizer BarSketcher, were using iPad Pro tablets and Procreate software.

drawing by Suzanne Wegh Dec 17 2017

drawing by Suzanne Wegh Dec 17 2017

Daria got one of them early this year, and seeing her experiment with it has made me feel like digital drawing technology is finally at a place where I want to try it.

Now I just need a Patron to gift me one!

Alexandra has a cool time-lapse of her drawing on her insta. Meanwhile Suzanne went in the opposite direction, using white pencil on black paper for this lovely drawing of MNE’s hands.

 

It was very cozy in the middle room at Ludwig, with our group of woman-identifying artists gathered close.

Miss Natasha Enquist posing at Ludwig photo by Suzanne Wegh Dec 17 2017

Miss Natasha Enquist posing at Ludwig; photo by Suz Wegh Dec 17 2017

I made vegan peanut butter chocolate bars and flourless chocolate cake with pistachio icing to keep our strength up. Turns out it is quite easy to make vegan chocolate with cocoa butter and cocoa powder.

I had to request a drastic music change; Maurus was playing some kind of classical stuff I am not sophisticated enough to appreciate.

So we switched to Parliament which always makes everyone feel good!

 

It was a lovely time, and I look forward to our next gathering together, whether it’s in my salon like the Halloween Art Salon or at Ludwig, like this one and the A(RT)ffair Suzanne, NataschaArtworx and I put on last summer.

Wonder Elf by Suzanne Forbes Dec 17 2017

I can do things like things for Berlin’s art community and pay professional artist’s models like Miss Natasha because of the monthly support of my Patrons on Patreon.

Patreon is a subscription support service where you can automatically contribute financially to an artist. You can contribute as as little as a dollar (or euro) a month! And it has changed my life!!!