Meet the women lighting up London in the spirit of fashion icon Iris Apfel

Sue Kreitzman, Sandra Phillips, Michelle Huberman, Michelle Baharier, Rosie Sandler and Mish Aminoff are the cover stars and featured in the Summer 2024 issue of Jewish News magazine.

Click the image above to read the article on the Jewish News website. (Opens in a new window).

JN: 'Sue Kreitzman, a rainbow in human form, founded The Colour Walk 20 years ago and has become a local celebrity in Mile End, overshadowing plaques for Samuel Pepys and Captain Cook. Her Cleopatra-style necklace, emblazoned with 'Founder', symbolises her love for colour, a passion shared by her vibrant followers who resemble tropical birds posing for tourists and film crews.'



The article is written by Brigit Grant. Photos by Adam Soller Photography.

Sue is interviewed by Norwegian magazine: VAKRE Home and Interior

A playful home

Text and photo: Marianne Wie

There are no sharp dividing lines between the colourful home, life and artwork of Sue Kreitzman (83). For her, life is art, and art is life. Her home is a self-made art museum that celebrates femininity, diversity and all things kitsch.

SUE: "I am a city person, I need people, colours and city noise around me to live."

Sue is originally from New York, but moved to England with her husband and son 30 years ago. After living for a few years in the countryside outside Cambridge, the time had come to return to city life.

"My husband still lives in our house in Cambridge. I often visit him, often for a few weeks at a time, but it is here in London's "East End" that I really feel at home."

It is 25 years since Sue first got off the bus in Bow, where she lives and works in her self-composed universe in what were previously two council flats. The contrast is great from the grey winter day outside and the colourful interior that awaits inside. The first room is an exhibition of Sue's Goddess sculptures made with materials found at flea markets, thrift stores or along the street.

"I am an "outsider artist". This means that I am self-taught and have no formal art education” explains Sue.

She often shows her work and home by appointment to art enthusiasts, museum staff and curators. The BBC, CNN and countless magazines from countries around the world have visited the colourful lady's home.

"It can be a bit of a shock to come in here for the first time. "The experience can be described as spiritual, like stepping into another universe", says Sue. In here there is a wealth of strong colours, patterns and symbols in everything from paintings, sculptures and objects of use to furniture, clothes and textiles. In the middle of the lushness hangs a sign that says "Don't wear beige, it might kill you.

I grew up in a home that can be described as colourless, boring and beige. When my mother visited my first apartment in New York that I had painted in fresh colors, her comment was that I would grow out of it. But it went the opposite way. My home is like the inside of my head. It's colourful here and things happen here. Some visitors have expressed that they think it will be too much, others have become angry, but most are excited and some are even touched", says Sue.

Sources of inspiration, mentor and muse
But there is obviously order in the madness. Every object of use and art has a story. Several of the sculptures are inspired by Sue's mythological and human heroines. Josephine Baker, Frida Kahlo, Medusa and Eve are celebrated here. Surreal sculptures in tribute to the singer and actress Carmen Miranda and Sue's portrayals of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Princess Fiona are placed in a cluster.

Some of these sculptures were shown in a group exhibition about fairy tales at the Museum of the Home in London. In the home's second living room are Sue's armchairs. There are two large red chairs called "Peel chair" designed by the Norwegian furniture designer Olav Eldøy. On the wall behind hang several portraits of Sue made by her artist friends. Many of them meet at Old Spitalfields Market in London every third Thursday of the month, the big antique and flea market day at the famous London market. The concept started 20 years ago and is now known as the "Colour Walk".

"We are a group of creative people from different backgrounds, parts of the world, age groups and sexualities who like to dress colourfully. We meet for a chat over a cup of coffee, look for second-hand finds and simply have a good time together. The "Colour Walk" is a well-known phenomenon in London to the delight of participants, passers-by, photographers and the press."

Sue is one of the zealots in the group who has been involved from the very beginning. She is also a mentor to several younger artists who work with similar concepts.

"The turning point"
Sue's art career started abruptly when she was 58 years old. At the same time, her long and successful career as a cookbook author came to an end.

"I was proofreading my 27th cookbook. Suddenly I picked up a marker and drew a mermaid. Within a year I held my first exhibition."

When Sue transitioned to art, she put cookbook writing on the shelf for good. Her editor thought she had gone mad. The drawing of the mermaid that changed her life is now part of an art collection of outsider art in Berlin. Since then, her work has evolved from drawings to sculptures. A few years ago, she started making necklaces that she describes as "Neckshrines".

"I have made hundreds of them, and they can be found everywhere in my home. I am very pleased that 50 of them are now part of the permanent collection of The American Visionary Art Museum, which has the largest collection of outsider art in the United States."

The two apartments have been created by knocking out a living room wall on the first floor. Thus, the home has two mirrored separate wings, each with its own staircase. The apartments were bought many years apart.

"The first one I bought was in very poor condition, but in return very reasonable. After I had lived here for a number of years, my neighbours, with whom I was good friends, decided to move out into the country. I bought their apartment and got twice as much space to play around as well as a garden, where I have built an annex that houses both a studio and a small gallery."

The two wings of the apartment have different expressions and atmospheres. The upper floor, which contains Sue's bedroom, wardrobe, bathroom and office, can be described as a colourful firework consisting of art, books and textiles. The room, which contains many of Sue's clothes and jewellery, is a collection of textiles and ornaments from different parts of the world. Sue designs her own dresses, which she then has sewn by a local tailor she has worked with for years. Many of the pieces of jewellery are works of art created by Sue and her artist friends.

The other wing is also colourful with walls filled with art. This is where Sue's husband stays when he visits her in London.

"He is a conservative researcher who needs space to think, peace and quiet. He is an introvert and I am an extrovert. We met when we were in junior high school, and we've been together since I was 15 years old and he was 16. We both have extremely strong interests and need time and space to do our own things. The beauty of living separately is that we don't get on top of each other and that we appreciate the time we spend together more. I miss him when I haven't seen him in weeks. But it is here in Bow that I have created my habitat, and it is here that I have my art, my home and my friends. I get homesick if I'm away from my nest for too long."

Written by Marianne Wie. Freelance photographer, writer, artist, workshop holder. England & Norway.

Instagram: @marianne_wie

Sue is interviewed by Justine Guillermou

Justine Guillermou is the creative mind behind Rainbow Shaker, where she creates interior environments that elevates the mood and gives us all a dose of happiness... spaces that make you smile.

Here she interviews Sue and takes us on a home tour of Sue's uber colourful and dopamine inducing home.

Click the image above to view the video on Sue's YouTube Channel (opens in a new window).

And see more of Justine's eye-popping interior design on her Instagram page: @rainbow.shaker

Sue is interviewed by PBS TV

PBS (The Public Broadcasting Service) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in, Virginia, USA.

PBS is America's largest classroom, the United States' largest stage for the arts and valued window on the world. Loved for its quality output since 1969, PBS is a private, non-profit corporation which has been rated America's most trusted institution for more than 17 consecutive years.

Here they interview Artist, Curator and Fashion Icon Sue Kreitzman about her art, fashion, outlook on life and meet her friends at London's Colourwalk which happens every third Thursday of the month at Spitalfields Market.

Click the image above to go to Sue's YouTube channel to view. Sue talks about her art, fashion, outlook on life and meet her friends at London's Colourwalk which happens every third Thursday of the month at Spitalfields Market.

Sue is interviewed by THE FACE Magazine

Raw Vision magazine has been showcasing unknown, self-taught and visionary artists for more than three decades. As the publication turns 35, founder John Maizels and interviewer Artemis van Dorssen introduce us to the hidden glories of seven artists living and creating around London today.

Transcript is below. Click The FACE magazine cover above to read the article on their website (Opens in a new window).





Sue Kreitzman went from being a food writer in New York to creating feminist art from her home in East London. What changed? ​"I figured either the muse bit me in the bum, or I had a psychotic break – or more likely it was the menopause," says the 80-year-old, laughing. ​"My hand picked up a marker and drew a mermaid on a piece of scrap paper. I looked at her. She looked at me. She took over my life. I never wrote another cookbook."

Now, Kreitzman paints with nail varnish or acrylic on paper and found wood, often collaging buttons, toys and jewellery on top. It's all on display in her home, with images of heroines and goddesses smothering the walls, peering out from behind deconstructed mannequins wearing jewellery. ​"I'm only interested in the female landscape," she says, gazing at a mannequin with little alarm clocks at the ends of her nipples. ​"I love men, I'm married to a man, I have a son. But I'm not interested in men as far as their inner life or their spirituality."

That's also why Kreitzman has painted her walls red, matching her glasses, clothes, carpet, furniture and much of her artwork. ​"It's because we bleed every month. It's the colour of blood, it's a feminine colour." Plus, red is the polar opposite to Kreitzman's biggest fear. ​"I'm scared of beige the way some people are scared of heights. It leeches the life right out of you."

Taken from the new print issue of THE FACE.

Photography: Maxwell Granger
Words: John Maizels
Interviews: Artemis van Dorssen
12th March 2024

Sue is interviewed by German TV Channel ZDF

Click the image above to watch the video on Sue's YouTube Channel (Opens in a new window).


'Every day starts with "Which colours today?"
"Colour is my passion every piece is a work of art. When I get myself ready I make a collage of colour in that world out there of beige. Some people wear such dull colours and are afraid if colour - they have Chromophobia. Then the accessories; "Does this match? Yes it does!"

Sue Kreitzman's house in London East End. She has been going to Spitalfields Market for the past 25 years with her Colour Walk friends. She has also curated art installations with this community.

"Sometimes the world is dark and we feel miserable." These are Sue's Goddess phones… "Hello may I please speak with a Goddess? Oh they're all busy I'll call back. This is The call centre If you want to talk to us, please hold on."

Sue is inspired by Mexican art. And also by Frida Kahlo. She was a TV chef and wrote various successful cookbooks. She is famous as an icon and is also active on social media and at 83 she can also give good advice.

"Listen, beige. Never do beige. Beige can kill you. Some people are afraid of heights. I get a panic attack when I am around beige."

This is how Sue looks when she goes out to battle the beige. She loves to shop at Spitlefields Market with other colourful friends, and the market traders also love her.

Helen Scalway: "The colours lift the spirits. If You are getting closer to your exit years as I clearly am. Instead of drooling, you can go drumming. This is what the ColourWalk is all about. To be as cheerful as we can and have lots of fun!"

Sandra Phillips: "It is really a unique community that Sue has created."

Sue gathers friends from the colour walk regularly more and more people are joining.

"Colour has helped me physchologically, it helps to heal my inner child."

"This helps me to show my extrovert side, since I'm really an introvert. This is a chance where my inner shy self can be bold."

Whoever is walking by wearing beige feels the pull of this colourful universe.

"Scarcely do you see people who wear so much colour. Seeing this really made my day."

Photos are taken in the hundreds of these colour walk days because the colour craze has got to spread out into the world.

Sue: "It's about colour, creativity and freedom. to be with people that enjoy this is incredible. I'm not an isolated crazy person, I'm surrounded by a lots of crazy people and I'm not alone. We are not lonely at all!"

Sue Kreitzman is the centre of this movement. Her energy pulls people together to make the world a more colourful place.'

Click HERE to open the Colourwalk Facebook Event page. Come, get colourful and join us! (Opens in a new window).

Sue is featured in The Guardian Newspaper

Click the image above to read the whole article (Opens in a new window). Photograph: Colin Allen.

SUE KREITZMAN:
"I am the colour queen of the world. My motto is: "Don't wear beige, it might kill you", and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I was born with a rainbow in my head.

I curate myself every single morning. I love red with anything. With bright pink, with bright orange, with turquoise. I love different shades of red. I love all colour as long as it's not in the beige and brown and tan family – that adds 15 years to my life.

I make my own clothes. I buy wonderful African wax print fabrics from female dealers, and vintage fabrics from flea markets. I design the garments and have a lovely guy who does the stitching. I buy my rings and bracelets from the same flea market every Thursday – Old Spitalfields, in East London."

Sue is wearing a long orange overall with patterned patches, a trim that looks vaguely flag-inspired and a necklace (a neckshrine) that features a totem pole and an Amerindian-looking bird. Her granny trolley has a large eye printed on it and also some apples. She looks happy.

"I also make these "neckshrines". They are cultural mashups, shrines to kitsch, sometimes something more profound. They're very very important to me. I've been making them for years and probably have more than a thousand.

I'm 83 years old and I have terrible feet, so I wear Crocs. I love Crocs. I have them in all different colours and I embellish them myself. So the Crocs become works of art.

People stop me and say: "You look amazing." People are very, very nice. Sometimes when I walk down Roman Road market, London, some of the younger guys say: "I wish my nan dressed like that." I'll take it. Once in a while some really insulting person, and it's usually a man, will say: "This is the way to the clown department."

There's too much chromophobia about. For heaven's sake don't be afraid of colour. It's so good for the soul, it's so good for the mental health, it's so good for the people around you. If you dress conservatively in dull colours, start with a scarf, start with a bracelet, start adding colours to your outfit and you'll find that you like it.

Don't worry about what's in fashion and what's not in fashion. Don't buy fast fashion that is not good for the planet or for anybody. Start being a little bit picky about what you wear. If you can add some art, buy jewellery from an artist. Support small business, it makes so much more sense."

HOUSE TOUR | The Most Colourful Home in London

Artist Sue Kreitzman welcomes Homeworthy, who video home tours and interior design, inside her bold and colourful art flat in the East End of London.

Watch the video by clicking the image above (Opens in a new window).

"Age is but a number for the indomitable 80-year-old artist and former cookbook author, Sue Kreitzman. Her personal motto, "Don't wear beige, it might kill you," is more than just a catchphrase – it's a way of life. Nestled in the heart of London's eclectic East End, Sue's art-filled flat is a breathtaking testament to her unwavering commitment to color and creativity.

Walking through Sue's living space is akin to stepping into a kaleidoscope of emotions and expression. Every room bursts with life, from the fiery reds to the electrifying pinks that adorn her walls. No inch of her home is spared from the artistic reverie; Sue's original embellished paintings, folk art treasures, neck shrines, goddess phones, and busts adorned with jewels and found objects blend seamlessly to create a symphony of visual delight.

Sue Kreitzman's home is more than a dwelling; it's a sanctuary for self-expression. Her maximalist approach to design serves as a vibrant reminder to stay true to one's unique artistic vision. In a world where conformity often takes center stage, Sue's East End oasis is a refreshing oasis of authenticity and teaches us the ultimate lesson: to embrace color, creativity, and individuality with unwavering devotion."

For more extraordinary home tours, visit the Homeworthy website: https://homeworthy.com/
Follow Homeworthy on Instagram: @homeworthy

BBC London Radio Interview with Sue Kreitzman

Anna O'Neill is a Journalist for BBC London Radio and visits Sue's Art Flat for a live interview.

Anna interviews creative people in each area of London's 32 boroughs, and the City of London. #32

She asks Sue about Spitalfields Market, sustainable fashion and how she became an Artist for the first time, aged 58, when she decided to end her successful career as a Food Writer and Television Presenter.

Anna O'Neill : Instagram: @annareporting

Watch the video on Sue's YouTube channel by clicking the image above (Opens in a new window).

Sue Kreitzman talks to the BBC about Spitalfields Market and the ColourWalk

"I'm not an old woman, just disguised as one"
Sue Kreitzman is an adopted East Ender and has lived in Tower Hamlets for over 25 years. Old Spitalfields Market is a special place for her where, with friends, the 83-year-old regularly visits to trawl through the stalls in search of materials for her artwork. The occasion, now fondly known as the "Colour Walk", has attracted more and more people and is quite the spectacle.

Video by Rob Taylor

Watch the video on Sue's YouTube channel by clicking the image above (Opens in a new window).

Sue Kreitzman Talks Peace Unity Love & Art -
Interviewed by Steve Jones, founder of the AllCity TaxiTalk Show

"Be violently vibrant!"

Sue Kreitzman hailed a black cab one London afternoon and met Taxi Driver Steve Jones. They shared their love of creativity throughout the whole journey and a year later, Steve visited her Art Flat for an interview. Steve Jones is the founder of the AllCity TaxiTalk Show which is... "Dedicated to interviewing Musicians, Graffiti Artists, DJs, Actors, Fashion Designers from the UK and the rest of the world."

SUE: "That was the best cab ride of my entire life! So glad we met.

The 1960s in New York were something special. There was alot going on... extremely diverse and very very lively... The graffiti was POW! Every inch was covered, it was ART."

Watch Sue's fascinating and inspiring interview by clicking the image above (Opens in a new window).

And Subscribe to Steve's Channel, the AllCity TaxiTalk Show.

Distinguishing Character: In Search of the Eccentric. Episode 1: The Artist, Sue Kreitzman

In this new video series, Londnr talks to different London characters about life, living in London and what eccentricity means to them.

"At LONDNR, we are cultish about culture.

In this episode, Londnr talks to Sue Kreitzman, an artist originally from New York. Launched in 2015 as a digital platform, we've since expanded to a print magazine (published 5 times a year) and a lively events programme (LONDNR Club).

We believe the world of culture - the arts, thought, history, lifestyle and more - deserves better coverage. Less stale. Less sterile. Less superficial. Therefore, our mission is simple: tell wonderful stories. We want our writing to spark conversations. To turn into icebreakers on a date, or good anecdotes to share over dinner. And at the very heart of everything, we want to bring likeminded, curious, adventurous, mischievous souls together."

Watch Sue's interview by clicking the image above (Opens in a new window).

Sue's Neckshrines at the American Visionary Art Museum

Click the image below for a look at Sue's Neckshrines on permanent display at 'Abundance' at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, USA. (Opens in a new window).

The American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) in Baltimore has a large display of Sue's eye-popping and inspirational Neckshrines as part of their permanent collection.

AVAM specializes in original thematic exhibitions that seamlessly combine art, science, philosophy, humor and especially social justice and betterment.