Gisele was born in Charente-Maritime, France. She lives in the French Atlantic coastal town of La Rochelle. She has practiced drawing and painting since 1990. She began with watercolor but upon discovering pastels in 1997, has remained with that medium. She is fascinated with the velvety touch and subtle nuances of the medium. Gisele says that she must find a face interesting, be drawn to it, in order to paint it