Carolyne Sweet Interview

On this edition of the Erotica Author’s Corner, we have a unique treat for our guests! We have prolific Transgender artist Carolyne Sweet. She is a French digital artist that uses AI art to create scenes involving transvestites in the office and city environment in moments of vulnerability and power reversal.

In our interview, we discuss her experience in the fashion industry, the use of AI art, her inspirations and of course her erotic creations. 

  

The Force Feminization Illustration Art Blog is very pleased and honored to have Carolyne Sweet as a guest on this edition of The Erotica Author’s Corner.

Tell us a bit about yourself before you started in this genre?

I started cross-dressing at the age of 12 or 13, in a fairly traditional way, borrowing clothes from my mother or my sisters wardrobe. So it's been a while... I've never stopped since and I'm still passionate about it. I love going out as a girl, shopping, but also partying, going to bars or dancing in clubs. I have friends who only know me as Carolyne, and others who only know me as a boy. A sort of double identity. Only a few people who are very close to me know my dual nature... I also work in the fashion industry - women's fashion, needless to say...

What was your earliest exposure to this genre? What was the "inspiration/discovery" moment?

As a child, I was very impressed by the image of the damsel in distress, like Fay Wray in King Kong, or Sleeping Beauty rescued by Prince Charming. Strangely enough, I identified with the princess. I was also under the spell of actresses or singers wearing beautiful gowns, like Marilyn Monroe, Dalida, Donna Summer. I could also mention the films of Lubitsch, where the women are so elegant and sophisticated, or the musicals with Cyd Charisse, but also Mogambo, and so on. It wasn't long before I started drawing beautiful dresses, damsels in distress, and also... tying up dolls!  So it was the image of the beautiful, elegant, sophisticated woman, often in danger, that was my first inspiration.

I vividly remember being dressed as a princess by my two sisters, probably around the age of 6 or 7. Above all, I have a clear memory of a scarf that made an extraordinary impression on me. I think it was ecru, a little glittery and very beautiful. It provoked a very, very strong emotion in me, a bit like the ring in Lord of the Rings, incomprehensible and inexplicable. (Fortunately, it didn't turn me into Gollum!) It wasn't until much later, around the age of 12 or 13, that I started cross-dressing. At the time there were no transvestite models available. There were no social networks either. So it was a guilty, but very exciting, activity that had to be done in secret.

How would Carolyn describe herself? In other words, how are you different from other artists?

Discovering AI was fundamental for me. It's a fantastic creative tool that multiplies the possibilities. I admire artists who draw or paint, but I don't have the talent nor the time. I'm a big fan of Al Buell or Gil Elvgren, for example. I am also a big fan of Andy Latex you know well.

About how I am different, I would say:

The fashion: my heroines (transvestites, sissies or women) are always well dressed, very chic, quite sophisticated. They know how to dress with taste and are never or rarely vulgar. I pay a lot of attention to fabrics and materials. I take great care with the fall of a dress, the draping, the pleats, and the movement of a skirt.

The diversity of scenarios: I draw a lot of inspiration from my own experience for the situations in which my transvestites find themselves. Despite their efforts to be decent, my heroines are nonetheless desirable. Their elegance triggers desire in those around them, and as a result they are completely overwhelmed by events and experience strong emotions.

My transvestites are often excited by their cross-dressing, but surprised by the desire they arouse in men. They had never imagined such reactions, and even less a sexual relationship. But they're going to have to cope with it! In French we say “passer à la casserole!”

Others have taken the plunge and are living with a partner. In this case, they have to deal with completely new and emotionally charged relationship problems, with their new family, parents-in-law, children, and also deal with the practical problems of being a wife, cooking, cleaning, daily life, etc.

The expressions: I take a lot of time to ensure that the emotions I want to portray are properly conveyed. Fear, embarrassment, amazement, innocence, etc... Sometimes I think I'm making servers work at the other side of the world to get the right position of an eyebrow, the right gleam in the eye, but AI is so efficient and fun!

The political message: of course, my transvestites are sometimes a bit sissy, narcissistic, often naive. But they're also about interaction, about social relationships. They want to go out, to work, to be part of society. They are also strong and take risks. Often in my scripts, they are much sought after for their qualities, either by companies or by men. So, this is a message to all young and not so young transvestites or transgender people. Be proud of yourself, come out of the closet! You have a future, you are lovable. The world might even be a better place with you in it!

You set many of your pieces in offices and in department stores? Why? There is a metropolitan theme in many of your images.

The city is a much more welcoming place for my transvestites than the countryside or small villages for at least 3 reasons:

People are more elegantly dressed, so it's easier to move around discreetly in a pretty dress and heels. I still remember my first visit as a child to a big city and how delighted I was to see all those women so well dressed.

It's in the city that you'll find the big shops, with a wide choice of clothes and where it's easy to try things on.

Transvestites are more accepted in the cities, as are gays, because people are more used to them and are either more tolerant or more indifferent.

Office life is a big theme for me, again for several reasons. Dress codes are well defined, and transvestites have to dress elegantly. There's a notion of constraint, of social rules. And so transgression is strong. What a joy it is to leave behind the drab male suit for skirts, dresses and heels!

Relationships of seduction, domination and submission are commonplace in the office. Just as many romances are born in the workplace. So, it's a great place for me to express myself. In the days of Me Too, a movement that I also support, my transvestites suddenly appear as the alternative solution for men who are a bit harassing... A sissy will accept a hand up the bum, or even more!

In a way you answered a question of mine that I was going to ask you about, you use the word "transvestite." In this genre, terms are many (sissy, cross-dresser trans woman, femboy, etc.), did you struggle a bit to arrive at what to call yourself and your characters?

In French, there are fewer words than in English to describe this genre. We might even say that only the word travesti exists, whereas in English we find tranvestite, crossdresser, sissy. This shows that the genre is probably better known in Anglo-Saxon countries. There are other words in French, but they are pejorative: travelo, folle. With the development of identity theories, new words have appeared, such as transgenre, genderfluid. There's also a drag queen phenomenon at the moment, with the Drag Race program in particular enjoying great TV success. Voguing is also fashionable. 

The English language allows more nuance in the expression of this genre. I'd say it's a notion of slider in the intensity of emotions. For me, crossdresser and travestite are close, whereas a sissy is totally overwhelmed by her excitement. 

As far as my heroines are concerned, they start out crossdressing, but are overwhelmed by their emotions when they come into contact with others, and evolve towards a real questioning of their gender and sexuality. I like the word sissy, because it's emotionally charged. Confronted with men, they evolve into a new gender, a third sex. Femboy, shemale, ladyboy.

As far as I'm concerned, I'd tend to categorize myself as transgender or part of the 3rd sex.  Confrontation with others has been extremely positive for me, with beautiful encounters and adventures. It's not unusual for people to thank me for coming to a bar or disco when I'm dressed as a woman. This has never happened to me as a boy!

I love how you compose your images, your "ladies" encased in the satin and very elegant (but composed) feminine wardrobes with their panel skirts and soft satin pussy bow blouses which are just very flirty. Almost like your characters are inviting attention in their submissive role as secretaries. There is drama there, an internal struggle of unease in what will happen next when a man is getting too to one of the "ladies"? Is that a metaphor for many men that harbor some level of same sex attraction or perhaps a way to explore their more vulnerable feminine side? Also what are things that people are getting wrong about your art?

Exacerbated femininity is sought after by transvestites and sissies. Contact with the beautiful materials of a woman's wardrobe is extremely pleasurable. Behind transvestism lies narcissism. My ladies find themselves beautiful in this way, and they also want to please others. Pleasing others is a source of great satisfaction.  Some transvestites wear provocative outfits that appeal directly to a sexual representation of the prostitute. This is not the case with my heroines, who want to please by being feminine, but not vulgar.

The notion of submission is very important, as it is a powerful driving force behind transvestism. The transvestite takes on the role of the female, dominated by the male. She's passive, offered up to the male's impulses. 

As for the metaphor, I think that what attracts men to transvestites is the femininity of the transvestite, an assumed femininity, an assumed passivity. It's also simpler than with a woman, less mysterious, less simulated, less risky. For the man, there's no questioning of his virility in his relationship with a transvestite; in fact, I'd say quite the opposite! 

I don't think there's any misunderstanding about my art. But as I explore several very different themes, there may be for one person, themes that appeal and others that don't. Let's just say that I cover roughly 4 themes, transgender first, then lesbians, then women in distress, and fashion. What all four have in common is femininity, beauty and emotions.

There has been pushback in the artist community about the potential of AI replacing them, however it is a tool that many non artists are using to be able to express themselves which I am thankful you are using to create your world. Do you consider yourself an artist?

I fully understand artists' reactions to AI. In fact, AI is going to turn many professional categories upside down economically, starting with artists. Illustrators, graphic designers, photographers, authors and writers are being challenged by AI. You have the ability to transcribe an idea directly into image or text - it's frightening! What's unfair is that AI is inspired by existing representations created by humans and artists.

Fortunately, for the time being, ideas and imagination are unassailable by AI. The same applies to style.

Do I consider myself an artist? 

As a fan of Matisse, Modigliani, Gauguin and many others, I'd be hard pressed to call myself one. Would I like to hang one of my creations on my living room wall? Maybe a few. 

What's more, AI is recent and evolving so fast that several directions are possible. After images, animation is now there. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities. And how I'll evolve between eroticism and beauty, I don't know yet.

Let's just say I'm more of a storyteller, an entertainer. And I also hope to be an activist to advance or defend the cause of transgender people around the world.

I see some hint of inspiration from the late 70s and early 80s in your images. What is your favorite era or time period of fashion?

I have several favorite eras when it comes to women's fashion. 

Number one, my favorite is the 30s, for its strict long skirts, beautiful long evening dresses in flowing silk with trains, and beautiful hats. 

Number 2 is the '50s, with its slim-fitting suits, pencil skirts in the style of a Hitchcock heroine, or Christian Dior's highly flared skirts.

From the '70s, I love the long skirts, long dresses, prints and sequinned disco dresses.

I'm less of a fan of the '80s. I like the long dresses worn by the heroines of Dallas or Dynasty.

I could also cite the Victorian fashion of the 1880s, with its corsets and exaggerated framed bottoms skirts, later taken up by Vivienne Westwood.

Or the empire dresses of the early 19th century, with their long trains and high waists.

What do people get wrong from your art?  

I don't know what people wrongly think of my art, so it's hard for me to answer that question. Perhaps to say that AI isn't everything, that it's a tool, but not enough on its own.

Your medium has allowed you to be very prolific, have you made your masterpiece? Have you come close? 

That's a pretty tough question and I don't have enough hindsight to answer yes or no. And what will categorize a masterpiece? There are some of my creations that I like a lot, and which don't necessarily get the positive reception I was expecting. Others, on the contrary, are very well received, which surprises me. There are themes I have in mind that I'll be developing in the future, and which could become a kind of signature work. I'd also like some of my characters to become recurring heroines, with more developed stories.

Your images can be very empowering, but many are also very erotic. Do you ever look at your own creations and get turned on? (let me know if this is too probing).

That is indeed an indiscreet question! Let's just say that the sex drive is an essential motor for every living being on this earth. 

My images begin with an idea. The idea itself can be turning on, because it's like a phantasm. When it come from a real-life experience, it is also exiting, because it reminds me good moments. 

During the creative phase, which is above all very time-consuming, there is above all a pleasure of creation, in the search for the right facial expression, the beauty of a garment,etc.

When the image is finished, there's a feeling of satisfaction, but very quickly comes the new idea for the next creation.

Thank you Carolyne for being a guest on this edition of The Erotica Author's Corner. 

If you want to see more of Carolyne Sweet's art you can follow her on her Deviant Art account at:

Deviant Art: Carolyne Sweet