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.

My first art in Berlin, thanks to Patreon!

Original drawing Suzanne Forbes May 2015We’ve been in Berlin over two months, but I’d been afraid to take any time to make art. Looking for any kind of job to help us get settled seemed like the highest priority.

Then some loved ones suggested I start a Patreon to support my art. And so I did!

This is my first Berlin drawing. I got on the U-Bahn, took out my sketchbook, and looked up. There he was! I felt like this wonderful-looking fellow, with his recurving forms and enormous angular hands, was a gift from the drawing gods.

 

Families are very close and tender here; there’s a lot of physical affection, like between this mama or auntie and her girls.

Original drawing Suzanne Forbes June 2015

I’ve seen several of these bags around; I can’t help but wonder what would happen if you carried one in the US.Original drawing Suzanne Forbes June 2015

I’m so grateful to my amazing patrons, who have made this batch of drawings possible!

If you’d like to help support my work, please visit my Patreon.
You can contribute any amount- $5 a month is great!- and stop at any time. 

 

 

 

 

A Patreon, I haz it!

IMG_0006That’s right, some of my wonderful friends suggested I set up a Patreon so they could help support me making art. Pretty wonderful friends, if I do say so myself.

Here it is!

https://www.patreon.com/SuzanneForbes

 

Also maybe you’d like to see an amazing high-speed video of me painting an entire portrait in just a couple minutes.

Suzanne Rachel Forbes – Portrait Painting from John Ashton-Keller on Vimeo.

*photo of me painting by Justin Quimby, Feb 2015