OUR STORY
Born from a love of Australian wildflowers
For more than three decades, Bell Art has brought Meryl Bell’s original paintings of Australian flora into everyday life, creating thoughtful pieces to give, keep and enjoy.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
A childhood amongst the wildflowers
Meryl Bell’s love of Australian flora began in Bridgetown, Western Australia, where she grew up surrounded by the native plants and wildflowers that would become a lifelong source of fascination.
Years later, that connection found its expression in paint. In 1974, Meryl began her journey of creating extraordinarily detailed studies of Australian native flora, always working from real life.
MERYL BELL - ARTIST & FOUNDER
Art that makes you stop and look
Meryl’s highly detailed oil paintings celebrate the colour, form and botanical intricacy of Australian native flora. Using techniques influenced by the great 17th-century Dutch floral artists, she captured not only the plants themselves but the insects, birds and creatures that shared their environment.
Her paintings are held in notable private collections around Australia and the world, and became the artistic foundation for Bell Art, a remarkable legacy that continues to shape the brand today.
“If my paintings make people stop for a moment to look, enjoy and wonder then I will have succeeded.”
1940 - 2009
ORIGINAL ART AT HEART
Meryl’s art, reimagined for today
Every Bell Art design begins with Meryl’s original art. More than 200 of her paintings have been digitally preserved, creating a remarkable archive from which the paintings, individual blossoms and floral details are carefully selected and brought together in new ways.
Each new collection is created with deep care and respect for Meryl’s original work. So when you choose a Bell Art design, you’re not choosing artwork created in Meryl’s style. You’re choosing Meryl’s art itself, reimagined for today, in pieces made to be used, enjoyed and shared.
ART FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
Made to be enjoyed, used and given
Bell Art grew from a desire to make Meryl’s artwork accessible beyond the original paintings themselves. Beginning with prints and greeting cards, the range gradually expanded into thoughtful, practical pieces for the home, gifting and everyday life.
Meryl was drawn to products that were small, practical, thoughtful and made with quality, an approach that continues to influence Bell Art today.
THE STORY CONTINUES
Carrying the legacy forward
Today, Meryl’s daughter Amanda is custodian of both Bell Art and her mother’s remarkable artistic archive, preserving what makes them special while guiding Bell Art into its next chapter.
At its heart is a simple idea that has endured from the very beginning: To celebrate Australia's flora beautifully and share it with the world. Amanda and the Bell Art team carry that idea forward, in all they do, bringing Meryl’s art into thoughtful, useful pieces that share Australia’s incredible natural beauty with homes and lives around the world.
WHAT MATTERS TO US
Caring for what's close to home
For Bell Art, celebrating Australia goes beyond the flowers in Meryl’s paintings. It means supporting the people who make our products here and giving back to the native flora that has inspired us from the beginning.
Cherishing Australia’s flora
Part proceeds from every Bell Art product sold supports the Australian Flora Foundation, helping fund vital scientific research into the biology, conservation and cultivation of Australia’s extraordinary native flora, the natural heritage that has inspired us from the beginning.
Proudly Australian made
Every Bell Art product is designed in Australia, and more than 85% of our range is also made here. From design through to production, we choose to work locally wherever possible, supporting Australian skills, makers and businesses along the way.
Treading lightly
We make deliberate choices about the materials and processes we use, from eco-friendly papers and inks to organic and natural materials and ingredients. We work to minimise waste, maximise recyclability and create practical products that are easy to send and made to last.
