Gelbell

In an art world often defined by individual genius, Gelbell offers something refreshingly different: a vivid, collaborative force of two. Melbourne-born duo—Angelica Wootton and Isabella Greene—paint as one, working simultaneously on the same canvases in a free-flowing, intuitive process that’s part choreography, part conversation.

 

What began during a 2020 lockdown with leftover art supplies and a borrowed space has evolved into a confident, full-time practice that defies categorisation. Their first-ever painting was made in quarantine, as a birthday gift using found materials. It was just a way to pass time but that accidental collaboration became an unshakable rhythm.

 

With no strict roles or formula, their style blends bold colour blocking, sculptural layering, and expressive mark-making using anything within reach: feet, rags, sticks, hands, even clothes. "We describe it as one brain with four arms," they explain, and watching them work, the metaphor feels startlingly literal. Canvas lies flat on the ground as they build sculptural layers of paint, walking across surfaces and leaving traces of their movement embedded in the work. Physical gestures leave behind a charged, visceral record of the process, often mirroring the figures they depict: statuesque, satirical, and unapologetically female.

 

Gelbell’s signature characters, often drawn from memory or observation, are rooted in real-life moments: beachside postures, awkward stances, oversized boots, dangling cigarettes. These aren’t idealised women but visual punchlines, nostalgic icons, and familiar strangers all at once. The duo’s interest in fashion, interiors, and pop culture is present but never dominant, appearing instead as playful motifs that ground the works in time and shared experience.

 

While many works begin in memory or casual observation, Gelbell’s figures resist over-explanation. “We often paint realness and day-to-day life. We’re not trying to beautify anything—we just keep it as we see it.” Viewers are invited to fill in the blanks, finding connection in a slouched shoulder, a gesture, a gaze turned away.

 

Their inspiration spans generations and movements, from Picasso’s bold forms to Brett Whiteley’s looseness, Kusama’s obsessive energy, and Giacometti’s raw honesty. Yet what unites them is their fascination with the figure, and with artists who pushed boundaries in their time. “Anyone doing something out of the box inspires us,” they say.

 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Whether in their beachside studio along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road or a pop-up setup in Ibiza or Paris, their process is spontaneous, site-responsive, and driven by curiosity rather than routine. Every painting is a negotiation between chaos and clarity, never fully planned and never replicable.

 

Though Gelbell prefers the creative freedom of independence, they’ve quickly built a loyal collector base across Australia, Europe, the US, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK. Their exhibitions—“Salted Butter,” “Red Wine of Summer,” “Girl on Beach”—have drawn crowds and acclaim, often exceeding capacity and marking milestones in the artists’ shared journey. Features in Vogue Living, The Design Files, InStyle Australia, and White Ibiza have further expanded their audience.

 

The collaborative element runs deeper than technique. Both artists bring design backgrounds, Wootton in interiors, Greene in furniture, but their artistic education has been entirely shared, learned through experimentation and mutual problem-solving. They've developed an unspoken language that allows them to work without conflict, each responding intuitively to what the other contributes. "We couldn't do it by ourselves," they admit. "We do this because we love it and are inspired by working and problem-solving together."

 

With each collection, Gelbell pushes the boundaries of what it means to co-create. Whether rolling canvas through red Outback dirt or chasing studio light across hemispheres, their process is about presence, place, and permission: to make, to mess, and to laugh while doing it. Looking ahead, international exhibitions remain a priority. They've tasted the freedom of creating and showing work abroad and want more. But their core philosophy remains unchanged: paint when inspiration strikes, embrace the chaos, and above all: make, mess, and laugh.