Tag Archives: traditional portraiture for alternative lifestyles

Queerantina Part 2!

Wizzy for Queerantina by Suzanne Forbes May 15 2020The gorgeous Wizzy.

Second round of drawings from Queerantina, an online drag show featuring the performers of our city’s refugee and asylum-seeker drag houses, like Queerberg, Queer Syria, Queens Against Borders, and House of Royals.

WIZZY for Queerantina May 19 2020 by Suzanne ForbesOmg Wizzy! They are so good-looking I drew them twice! Top, Wizzy performing, and above, in curtain-call casual!

Prenz Emrah for Queerantina May 19 2020 by Suzanne ForbesFabulous bellydancer Prenz Emrah danced with fire on their balcony.

I am the most serious fan of Prenz Emrah of House of Royals. They are doing so many cool activities during this time, like bellydance workshops and makeup workshops for young queers. You can check out their insta for performance videos and events! Help Queerberg Soil-Party keep going! You can support the House here.

Julie Dancer for Queerantina May 19 2020 by Suzanne ForbesJulie Dancer is marvelous!

Love to see her go, she is ethereal.

It’s so important to support Berlin’s queer and trans performers who are refugees and asylum-seekers. They get virtually no money from the government, may live in housing where they can’t reveal their true gender, and are dependent on income from performing, which is on hold for now.

We need these glorious folx to flourish! Watch this Don’t Rush challenge to see how much creativity, skill and life these Drag Houses bring to Berlin. Drawings from the previous show here.

I am so grateful to my Patrons on Patreon, whose monthly financial support lets me keep documenting Berlin’s queer, intersectional drag performers while I work safely at home.

 

MisSa’s Birthday Extravaganza!

MisSa Blue performing in red room for her Birthday Extravaganza by Suzanne Forbes May 18 2020What a joy to draw MisSa again!

MisSa is such a charismatic performer. And she brought in some wonderful folks for her birthday livestream!

Kiki Deville for MisSa Blue Birthday Extravaganza by Suzanne Forbes May 10 2020A marvelous touch from hostess Kiki DeVille was that after each performance, she would check in with the performer about how they were doing.

It was so cool to see the performer shake off their stage persona, catch their breath, and tell us how things are for them.

MisSa Blue for her Birthday Extravaganza by Suzanne Forbes May 10 2020MisSa did go-go dancing during the intermission. Good heavens, she can dance!

Ruby Tuesday NeoBurlesque for MisSa Blue Birthday Extravaganza by Suzanne Forbes May 10 2020Ruby Tuesday is a fabulous drag creature, and gave a sizzling show.

You would not believe how resourceful she was in utilizing living room furniture!

Jo Boobs Weldon for MisSa Blue Birthday Extravaganza by Suzanne Forbes May 10 2020I have been drawing burlesque performers for fifteen years, but this was the first time I drew Jo “Boobs” Weldon, the Headmistress!

I had such fun drawing this legendary pillar of modern burly-q, Mistress of the New York School of Burlesque.

MisSa Blue for her Birthday Extravaganza 2 by Suzanne Forbes May 10 2020Thanks so much to MisSa and Kiki DeVille for an incredible joyful show!

I am so grateful to my Patrons on Patreon, whose monthly financial support lets me keep documenting performers and releasing the art free to all, while I work safely at home. 

You can see previous drawings of MisSa performing at Berlin Burlesque Week here, and co-hosting the Berlin Burlesque Week Performer’s Panel on Cultural Appropriation here. Her linktree for all info is here!

Cleopantha by Suzanne Forbes Feb 17 2021Updated Feb 18, 2021: Finally finished this drawing of Cleopantha!

It took so long to finish this drawing of Cleopantha ! Sometimes my finishing a drawing stalls because of a silly thing – in this case, I couldn’t figure out how to draw the hallway Cleopantha was dancing in. Then I suddenly realized yesterday, it’s a good likeness of a very beautiful performer, no one will care about the hallway!