I have had the pleasure of meeting so many great talents over the years. While I can’t think of many bad encounters along the way, sometimes you just ‘click’ with an artist, and this was absolutely the case when I met Gerald Bell. Those who know his work agree that he has immeasurable talent, and for a big, strong man with muscles for days, he is surprisingly soft-spoken and possesses a heart of gold.
Beyond the regular run-ins with each other at area art events, we’ve also had a few get-together’s over coffee, where we talk about art, current happenings, and life in general. Gerald has a unique personality, owing to the fact that he has Asperger syndrome (an autism spectrum disorder), yet he can easily make you feel like his bestie when talking to him.
Gerald’s place in the local art pantheon has grown significantly over time. He already has dedicated collectors that make special trips to see his new work whenever he has a showing, and eagerly snap them up to add to their collections. While every artist dreams of having their work sell, a piece that recently hung at the Dang Good Candy gallery was purchased, and he said it actually made him feel a little sad. Gerald told me that he was very attached to “Free Range Unicorn’s Best Day Ever”. It was the most expensive piece that was on display at the show, and he hoped to hang on to it a little bit longer, but it got snatched up. This unique unicorn painting was one of my favorites too, so I absolutely understand!
“I have to stay busy because idleness
is not good for the creative soul”
In one of my recent favorites, he replicates an iconic L.A. image, but instead of the “Hollywood” sign, he paints, “Hellywood”. I lived there and worked in the entertainment industry, so I know this sentiment is on point. Another one of my favorite pieces includes a unique word search with catch phrases from the Tiger King series. There is a take on “the educated Negro” that depicts an image of the late musician, Prince, which celebrates his colorful contributions to the world.
Gerald’s work comes in all colors of the rainbow, and he uses beautiful shade and hue combinations that invite you to examine his work closer, which sometimes can be jarring and often gives you an “OMG” reaction, but in a light-hearted manner.
One thing is for certain, he’s always very busy and is a hot commodity when it comes to getting asked to show his work in galleries. Gerald’s DGC show closes on August 27th, and his new show opens that same evening in Dallas at 500X, which will feature brand new work! Sounds like an artist’s dream, right?
I specifically asked Gerald about this, and he says that he’s very grateful and appreciative of all the success and accolades that have come his way, but he still tends to get a little apprehensive before shows. Like anyone who puts themselves out there to be judged and critiqued, he frets about what others reactions are going to be, especially when he’s showing something that could be deemed controversial.
Case in point: he recently had a piece in a group show, curated by Arts Fort Worth, and the painting depicted Texas Governor Greg Abbot in his wheel chair, riding a bull, in a faux advertisement for the Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo. In a previous Artsy Scoop article, Gerald admits that the imagery and accompanying text could be controversial, but he says that he is simply taking the idea of equality for everyone to its zenith.
“If someone in a wheelchair wants to ride a bull, then nothing should stop them. If we want equality for all, then we must let people be who they want to be and do what they want to do.”
Gerald’s mixed media style is unmistakably his own, yet it clearly borrows from many ‘statement’ painters from the past. He frequently utilizes lots of words and phrases to emphasize the meaning and subject matter he is communicating to the viewer. It’s pop art, with a dose of text art, and a touch of modern. It’s a bit of Warhol, with a sprinkle of D’Arcangelo, and a whole lot of Gerald Bell. He paints on canvas of course, but also on spray paint bottles and skateboards. Sometimes, he collaborates with other artists to present a variety of art, like a new line of shoes he designed with the owner of Union Station, Patrick Junya. Whatever form it takes, his thought provoking and conversation starting work is always fascinating and über creative.
To explore more of Gerald’s body of work on Instagram.
Article & Photos by: Mouty Shackelford
