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.

Field trip with ESDIP Berlin Summer Illustration students!

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What an incredible pleasure it’s been working with the talented group of students we had!esdip Berlin summer illustration students Aug 20 2016 Suzanne Forbes

I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have met these gifted young women (and one fellow!) and shared some of the knowledge I worked so hard for. Although the ESDIP Summer Illustration program was over, I couldn’t say goodbye to these amazing artists yet.

So we went on a bus ride on the M29 and did some drawings.

drawing by Shine - Hyungbok Shin August 20 2016

drawing by Shine – Hyungbok Shin August 20 2016

bus M29 by Ana Vigueras

bus M29 by Ana Vigueras

Then we got off the bus and went to my house! Where we made more drawings.

If I was one-tenth as helpful and supportive to these women as Trina Robbins was to me at their age, I’ll be delighted.

Visiting Trina and her much younger partner Steve Leialoha in their Mission house in 1986 and 1997 had a huge impact on me.

Trina’s warmth, her humility even though she was already a comics legend, her compassion and kindness- all inspired me to become to a person who would have something to give to the next generation of women artists.

And the fact that she lived with a tall thin dark-haired younger man in a big magical apartment full of history and mystery, in a cool city, may have been formative for me as well.

I watched Xena Warrior Princess with Trina one time; you could not ask for a better moment to shape you.

I have so much hope and excitement about what these young artists will do. I can’t wait to see!

If you want to get in my next class, I’m teaching Perspective For Masochists again at ESDIP Berlin starting October 4th.

 

Watercoloring my Never-Muse.

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When you live in Berlin, lots of people visit.

My Never-Muse comes to Berlin all the time. I had been planning watercolors of her since she went pastelgoth last year. I hadn’t painted a watercolor portrait in a very, very long time- 25 years. I did do a little watercolor experimentation to warm up earlier this summer.
E in Berlin by Suzanne Forbes August 19 2016

Eva in Berlin August 19 2016 by Suzanne ForbesI started the painting above, then set it aside to dry for a while and did this other one. When I came back to the first painting, we were talking about some very heavy things, and that’s why she looks so sad.

I feel like sadness is a part of life and sharing it with friends is a way to make peace with it, so I don’t mind that she looks sad.

I’m glad we did two though.

I was so happy to spend a day making art with my Never-Muse again.