Author Archives: Suzanne Forbes

About Suzanne Forbes

Suzanne Forbes is a traditionally trained figurative artist who makes documentary art of queer culture and Berlin life. She also works in mixed media. She is a former New Yorker who immigrated to Berlin with her third husband and their two cats. Her work is crowdfunded by the support of her Patrons on Patreon; you could help! In previous lives Suzanne was a graffiti artist in downtown NY, a courtroom artist for CBS and CNN, a penciller for DC Comics on Star Trek, and a live-drawing chronicler of Bay Area alternative culture.

Guest blog of Break-up Art by Victoria Aronoff!

Valentines by Victoria Aronoff March 2020Victoria and I have been friends for forty-five years.

We met at The Little Red Schoolhouse on Bleecker St. when I was eight and she was nine. She is the brilliant daughter of two artists, and she grew up in a vast loft on Great Jones St. full of cats, canvases and coffee table books about painters. She posed for me many times in art school!

Self Help Tips by Victoria Aronoff March 2020Her art has always been precious to me.

It’s deceptively simple, with an uncanny grasp of detail. Although she works primarily in grantwriting for social justice organizations, the art always pops up. She recently experienced a break-up and has made some art about it. I hope you enjoy it!

The first ever Torture Garden Berlin!

The Pain Proof Priestess at Torture Garden Berlin Feb 29 2020 by Suzanne ForbesHoly heck, the first Torture Garden in Berlin was amazing!

It was held at the breathtaking, legendary, just re-opened Art Deco palais The Metropol. The performers were fantastic. Above, Bertoulle Beaurebec, The Pain Proof Priestess. She is incredible. More drawings of her to come! Ms. Beaurebec is wearing a headpiece created by my friend Sylva Hattington of Bubbles and Frown. Sylva did simply unbelievable costumery for the performance. I wore one of her creations too and I have never gotten so many compliments!

Marie Devilreux at Torture Garden Berlin Feb 29 2020 by Suzanne ForbesI got to draw fantastic multi-talented Marie Devilreux!

I have been wanting to draw her for absolutely ages! Her Instagram handle is Dressed to Kill You, which never fails to delight my 80s De Palma heart.

Marie Devilreux in Moon at Torture Garden Berlin by Suzanne Forbes Oct 26 2021Another drawing of Marie Devilreux, in her flying moon hoop!

I have to admit that this is only a rough approximation of the costume she was wearing, but I tried to capture the sense of what a sparkling lovely being she is and I think that comes through!

Gina Harrison at Torture Garden Berlin Feb 29 2020 by Suzanne ForbesAn elegiac exorcism and rebirth by Gina Harrison.

The stage was covered with earth and she emerged from – well, actually I’m not gonna spoil it, in case she performs it somewhere else! You can follow Ms. Harrison here, I highly recommend it! Louis Fleischauer is the performer with her.

Martini at Torture Garden Berlin 2020 by Suzanne Forbes Oct 26 2021Berlin’s radiant queen Martini Cherry was a featured performer too!

Love to see her light up a stage.

Devinity performing in AMF corset at Torture Garden Berlin Suzanne Forbes Sept 14 2022Devinity Berlin performed with fire wearing AMF Corsets.

It took me several years to finish this one!

I had such a thrilling time. Thanks so much to Torture Garden Berlin for the press pass and access, to my Patrons on Patreon, and to my dear friend Sadie Lune for moral support!

As usual these drawings are licensed Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) for all to share and enjoy!

In addition, I release the copyright on each drawing to the performer shown and they may use the drawings for their own profit and pleeeasssure in any way they choose.