Able Zine | Charlie Fitz Artist

Able Zine X Kiosk N1C

Able Zine is a volunteer led and disabled run publication and creative agency in London. In August 2021 I features on the front and back cover of issue 2 and I had artwork included and featured as a model in the editorial “See You At Home”. A selection of the editorial was also exhibited along Lower Stable Street in Coal Drops Yard with KIOSK N1C.

The back cover photo was more DIY, I did the hair with the help of a mirror and the image was taken by Oscar Vinter in a makeshift photoshoot in our bedroom.

Wearing:

Disabled & Proud Necklace by Not Your Grandma's

The back cover of Able Issue 2. Featuring a back portrait of artist Charlie Fitz, a white disabled woman in her late 20's, with long brown hair separated into two side ponytails, with a healed surgical scar laying pink and vertical down the middle of her neck. Beneath the scar is a gold necklace featuring the phrase 'disabled & proud'. Her ponytails are gathered with coloured hair bands down the length of them and her scalp is parted in diagonal lines, with coloured triangular and rectangular clips attached to her hair in random placement. There is a second necklace strap with assorted gems laying across her right shoulder and the image sits within a white border.

The cover photo was part of the editorial below

and all "See You At Home" credits apply.

Wearing:

Disabled & Proud Earrings by Not Your Grandma's

Acrylic Ring by Brianna Moreno
Long Handled Comb by Aidapt

A graphic with the title "SEE YOU AT HOME", above an illustration of a house and underneath that text which reads ''What does the dream accessible home look like? “See You At Home” aims to answer this question on both a miniature and life size scale, illustrating the fusion of accessibility and modern design within an imaginary home environment. Featuring three models that represent a spectrum of visible and invisible disabilities, combined with products that aim to showcase the possibilities within design, we can aspire to create a more positive, inclusive and accessible future for the disabled community.' '

Words & Graphic by Able Zine

Some photos from the editorial below

Two models pose together against a white background and are standing on a deep green carpet. The male model on the left is wearing a pink Gucci suit and is holding a deep green watering can and the model on the right is seated wearing a green dress and an orange puffy hat using an adaptive gardening tool. The two people are looking out away from the camera standing center frame in between shelves of ferns and plants. The image has orange-pink lighting with dark green props. A green watering pail is seen on the bottom left.

A portrait of artist Charlie Fitz, a white disabled woman in her late 20's, with long brown hair, thick brown eyebrows and dark brown eyes. She is against a light grey backdrop,with pale pink bra straps visible above her chest, holding a long handled hair comb above her right ear. On her right ear lobe is a gold hoop, featuring the phrase 'disabled & proud' within. On her hand there are silver ring splints on each finder. She is looking straight towards the camera.

A fashion editorial image, the backdrop is an off-white. . The subject of the image is Charlie, a 30 year old white, disabled woman with brown eyes, long straight brown hair and thick brown eyebrows. She is standing facing forward, she stands on two overlapping rugs, a large red and light red persian style rug. To the right of her feet and overlapping on the bigger rug is a small, faux zebra skin rug. Charlie wears a red and pink patchwork dress, black pattern leggings, green and red open toe heeled mules. With her right hand she supports herself with a pink, transparent walking stick and with her left hand she paints on a large canvas which is on a large wooden standing easel. In front of the easel is a small, round gold metal table with a paint palette with paint in, a jar of water with a paint brush in it and a plant and on the floor in front of the table are paint pots. On the canvas is a brightly coloured abstract painting.

A fashion editorial image of a staged garden scene. The backdrop is an off-white. In front of the backdrop there are medium sized potted plants roughly a metre in height, to the right of the image is a wooden ladder style, free-standing shelf with small potted plants on each shelf, the edge of this is only in shot. On the floor is a layer of fake grass. In the centre of the garden image on top of the fake grass and in front of the potted plants is Charlie, a 30 year old white, disabled woman with brown eyes, long straight brown hair and thick brown eyebrows. He is wearing a gold and green long dress with long sleeves, a red padded scarf hat, 70's style pattern tights and white slingback heeled sandals with a gold buckle. She is sitting on the Rollz All Terrain Combined Rollator and Wheelchair in Green. To her left on the floor is Buffy, a white long-haired chihuahua who is sitting down and wearing a green knitted jumper.

An editorial image of a young white woman in a long dress, with long dark straight hair, holding an 11 month old tan chihuahua and standing next to, with her hand on a red no bend pet bowl and a grey pet food tin. There is an off white backdrop.

Credits

Modelled by Charlie Fitz, Oscar Vinter and Deniz Eskisan
Photography by David PD Hyde
Styling by Beatriz S. Maués | Assisted by Sarah Baala
Makeup and Hair by Georgia Hope
Miniatures Set Design by Lucy Drew Bell
Creative Direction and Set Design by Able Zine (Claudia Walder & Emily Sorrell)

Digital and print copies of Able Zine issue two are available here: link

The editorial process was a collaboration from the beginning and miniature set designer Lucy Drew Bell created miniature models of our ideal accessible home spaces with input from the models, she also included several of my artworks in miniature form in the pieces. In addition I designed an adult bib for the shoot, with a digital collage on which was brought to life by the sewing talents of Emily Fitz-Harris of Crafty Eclair . Photographs of the bib and of the miniatures are below.

A photo of a male model eating breakfast at a table.

A photo of a miniature model living room.

A photo of a miniature model of a kitchen.

A photo of a miniature model of a bedroom with a disability related objects.