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.

Ice Queen Crown made of Trash!

Ice Queen Crown on pillows by Suzanne Forbes March 2020Well, not entirely of trash, but there’s some trash in there!

No new materials purchased to make this crown for a fabulous Snow Queen or Winter Witch except the headband base. Yeah, it’s not exactly seasonal, but I had a lot of pretty snow and ice materials around from the Snow Queen projects of years ago. And besides, this is one of the projects I’m gonna raffle or donate for queer community fundraisers when quarantine is over, so maybe it won’t even be out in public for months!

Ice Queen Crown center by Suzanne Forbes March 2020Sometimes another artist’s creative work hits me so hard it haunts me (benevolently) for years.

Such was the case with Nifer’s Gashlycrumb Tinies costume for the Edwardian Ball in 2009. Her genius in creating the costume for Winnie, Embedded in Ice, was so great that I can see it in my mind’s eye like a photograph any time I want. I always wanted to do something icy like that, with transparent and glitter frosted materials. Finally, last month, I did!

Ice Queen Crown detail 2 by Suzanne Forbes March 2020The frontispiece of this headpiece is a piece of flexible plastic from a box or something, cut into curving, wavelike shapes along the top.

Then I used my finger to smear interference paint (the same interference paint, once I get going with a material I keep going!) on the back, and then I dusted lavender-blue micro-glitter over the wet paint.

Ice Queen Crown WIP 2 by Suzanne Forbes March 2020Once the paint on the back was dry, I glued the plastic strip to the wide blue headband I had already built out with plastic icicles and blue glitter vinyl spikes. Then I decorated the curved top edge of the plastic with opalescent and iridescent crystals and beads.

I had saved the plastic bags the PVA for my 3D printing pen came in. They were slightly cloudy and had a rounded shape from holding the coils of PVA filament. I cut them into round tabs, gathered the tabs at their bases with wire, smeared interference paint on them, and dredged them in glitter.

I also did some ombre business with silver and teal microbeads! I love microbeads, which are also easily found under the name “nail art caviar beads”!

Ice Queen Crown fans WIP by Suzanne Forbes March 2020And I made some little curliques of beads on wire, cause why not. And tucked some tufts of that galaxy tulle in the fans as well. You can see a little video of me dredging them in glitter here.

Haven’t you always wanted to be DREDGED IN GLITTER?

Actually, I know you – you have been!

Ice Queen Crown outside by Suzanne Forbes March 2020So I gluegunned the plastic fans on, and added resin snowflakes and a swirl of silver wired ribbon at the front and poufs of a different silver wired ribbon at the back. I am gonna use up this Snow Queen stuff  at some point!Ice Queen Crown on Suzanne Forbes March 2020

April 11 livestream portraits: The Beige Biitch, GodxNoirphiles and the Velvet Creepers!

The Beige Biitch April 9 2020 by Suzanne ForbesI have been drawing more than one livestream some nights!

Above, The Beige Biitch in a stream put on by radically inclusive performance center Sophiensaele.

Amazing performer GodX Noirphiles was a guest on the show and did a fantastic performance. I want you to know Godxxx, who is an enormously popular performer and Mother of drag house House of Living Colors, has lost all expected show income while they are pregnant so—

GodxNoirphiles for the Beige Biitch April 9 2020 by Suzanne ForbesFor fuck’s sake if you can, donate to the Doula Fund for this single trans boi mama!!

Above, my attempt to capture Godxxx’s piece. It was so beautiful and fascinating to try and draw a piece that had layering and texture and digital glitch, and started black and white and then transformed into color, and I had a great experience! Please check Godxxx’s Drag King Don’t Rush challenge, you will faint. Godxxx aka Adrian Blount is doing a Youtube series on Queer Birthing!

EDIT Jan 2120: GodXXXNoirphiles has a Patreon and you can support their art and the Queer Birthing series, which is a radical and historic project.

And you can give funds to help their baby have a lush nursery right here.

Nana Schewitz and Fifi Fantome livestreams for Velvet Creepers by Suzanne Forbes April 11 2020Then, I popped over to The Velvet Creepers’ livestream!

Here’s Nana Schewitz guest hosting with Fifi Fantôme of the Velvet Creepers ! Fifi Fantôme is very active during quarantine and you can check out her Insta for when she is teaching and check out her Patreon for performance tips, art and treats! I don’t know why Fifi and Nana had heads on sticks but I liked the heads on sticks.

Muse Dunja von K did spooky hooping!

Dunja von K for Velvet Creepers by Suzanne Forbes April 11 2020Dunja is teaching her famous hula hoop classes online!

You can get moving with her here.

Lilly Mortis for Velvet Creepers by Suzanne Forbes April 11 2020And Lilly Mortis was a poignant, creepy vintage clown.

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