Hélène Desputeaux is a Canadian illustrator, writer, and educator. She is known for her children’s books full of her colored illustrations, humor, and the unexpected which reflect her understanding of small children. One of the most famous characters she created is Caillou baby.
Background
Hélène Desputeaux was born on July 10, 1959, in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
She has revealed her passion for drawing very early. As a child, she often colored long sheets of paper that would run the length of the hallway.
Education
Hélène Desputeaux studied at Laval University where she received a Bachelor of Visual Arts degree in 1981. Three years later, she obtained a Bachelor of Education from the University of Quebec at Montreal.
Desputeaux pursued her training at the institution and gained a Master of Science in Education degree in 1985.
The professional career of Hélène Desputeaux has always been related to children. So, at first, she worked as an educator and art specialist for schools. She also has served as a puppeteer.
The start of writing and illustration career can be counted from 1983 when she has created her first books for children with lovely characters who made children dream. The debut books from Lollipop series were published at the early 1990s.
Since then, Desputeaux has devoted all her time to freelance illustration making pictures not only for her own publications but also for other children’s authors, such as Robert Munsch, Craig MacAulay, Rhea Tregebov, and her husband Michel Aubin.
In 2006, Michel and Hélène have founded their common production house called ‘desputeaux + aubin’. Many books depicting the colored world of Desputeaux’s characters, such as Caillou baby, Mella, and others have appeared.
Nowadays, Hélène Desputeaux lives and works with her husband near Montreal, Canada.