Gerda Dendooven


Gerda Dendooven is a Belgian illustrator.

Early life

Dendooven was born in 1962 in Marke, Belgium. She studied Vrije Grafiek at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent.

Career

Children's literature

In 1987 she illustrated her first children's book Geen gezoen, vlug opendoen by Ed Franck. Dendooven went on to illustrate many books by many different authors, including Herman Brusselmans, Toon Tellegen and Bart Moeyaert. Other authors include Elvis Peeters, Michael De Cock and Wally De Doncker.
In 1996 she was nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Dendooven also won several awards for books that she wrote and illustrated herself, such as IJsjes, Soepkinders and Hoe het varken aan zijn krulstaart kwam.
She won the Vlag en Wimpel award in 1998 for illustrating the book Nietes welles and in 2015 for writing the book De wondertuin.
In 2017 she won the Woutertje Pieterse Prijs for her book Stella, ster van de zee. She was also nominated for this award in 2015 and 2016.

Theatre

Dendooven has also written various texts for stage plays. In 2001 she participated in the play Bremen is niet ver in collaboration with Geert Hautekiet, Bart Moeyaert and Ianka Fleerackers.

Personal life

Dendooven is in a relationship with typographist and designer Gert Dooreman and they have two daughters.

Awards