Inside the Practice of Gisela Bolotin and Her Creative Process
14 Apr 2026
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Gisela Bolotin was born in Germany and has spent most of her life in Australia. Her early connection to art came through her father, who was born in Russia and worked as an artist. He introduced her to drawing at a young age.
She studied art for four years at art college and later taught in high school. Alongside this, she explored a range of esoteric and philosophical influences, including Austin Osman Spare and Dion Fortune.
Over time, her practice shifted away from structured technique. Her work became guided more by instinct and internal response than form.
Gisela describes a change in her process around ten years ago following what she calls a spiritual shift. Since then, she has worked primarily with acrylic, inks, and mixed media. Her work often reflects nature, emotional states, and themes of inner strength and feminine presence.
She has been a finalist in several Australian art prizes, including the Broken Hill Art Prize, John Leslie Art Prize, and Norvill Art Prize. She has also received awards such as the Broken Hill Regional Outback Art Prize and the Macquarie Art Award.
Her works are held in private and corporate collections across Australia, including the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery.
“My paintings begin in silence and shadow. In the quiet of my studio I often feel a presence, an ancient voice or a child’s laugh, that begins to paint itself through me. I sit with a canvas and let my hand move, guided by instinct. The work unfolds gradually, shaped by intuition rather than planning. Forms appear without fixed intention, becoming part of an ongoing visual process.”
Gisela Bolotin
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Greetings, looking for a direct contact point for Giselle to seek copyright permission for the works we hold in our public gallery. Very grateful if you could provide a current contact please.
Her work unsettles me. Although there are many pieces of odd, pure and unusual beauty, with some I feel jabbed by the finger of a Priestess, and go Hmmm…. (a better sonic than that ‘Om’ thingy us old hipppies chanted in the 60s!) These don’t so much create a ‘Stopping the World’, so much as making me have a Good Think, as they express/invoke/manifest currents I didn’t realise were flowing within me. I would be afraid to meet Giselle in person. I think she would see right through me, with all my twists and turns and hidden currents. Hmmm…