To ensure each plate was flawlessly clear, my mother and I would lean over the table, picking out bubbles one by one with a needle before the gel set—like a fool, as I sometimes joked. I knew even then that this method would never scale, but I believed that someone, somewhere, would recognize this stubborn dedication.

And sure enough, that person appeared.

After communicating online, I flew to Cambridge to meet the artist Mark Yeates: markyeatesart.com and 'Yeates Makes' on YouTube. He took me to the Fitzwilliam Museum, where we wandered through the halls and talked for hours about what art means to each of us. Afterward, we went for what he called his favorite noodles—which, to my surprise and delight, turned out to be hot dry noodles from my hometown. Under the timeworn gates of Cambridge, sharing that bowl of noodles that had traveled so far, we weren't a brand and an artist—we were friends.

He was the first kindred spirit we found.

From that day on, I understood: every Gelelf plate was never just a product—it was an invitation to find our tribe—and through it, we've met so many fascinating souls.

The connections we've made have been wonderful and heartwarming—like another unforgettable day at Union Square in New York.

By our third day there, we were nearly ready to give up. For two days, passersby had glanced curiously at our stall but walked on, unsure what to make of the gel plates we were offering. Just as we were packing up, my friend called—her voice urgent but smiling—"There's someone at the next stall making art with a gel plate right now."

We rushed over and met Artist C. the Rich artist(@agtraphaus). That afternoon, business faded into the background. We stood by that busy street like old friends, talking excitedly about creation, technique, and what art could be. When it was time to go, I handed him all the products we had brought with us.

To repay such trust, we do everything we can to help our artist friends be seen.

We print their works and social media links on our packaging. When customers buy our products, they're not just getting a tool—they're getting a guide to talented creators. We sincerely hope these artists keep growing and thriving.

We launched the Gelelf Collaboration Program, where artists can exchange their outstanding original works for our largest gel plates (100cm x 75cm)—free. We also plan to tour exhibitions featuring these artists' works, hoping to introduce more people to this unique art form. We believe their creations and our tools are equally valuable.

We've also quietly supported a wider creative community—currency research scholars, community activities for the elderly, interest groups for people with disabilities, art therapy for children in conflict zones, gel plate printing courses around the world… Whenever possible, we provide help because we believe creative sparks can ignite anywhere.

Of course, there have been many times when our donations were never acknowledged. But that doesn't matter.

Some acts of support are silent and seek no echo. We believe kindness is its own purpose—it can reach much farther than we imagine.

We picked out bubbles, journeyed across oceans, to find creators who share our stubborn passion. We come together, to make the small world of gel plate printing just a little bigger.

The story of Gelelf is, in the end, the story of a group of "fools" and their artist friends, learning, supporting, and growing together.