Stephanie Dehennin describes herself on X as ‘Kids & Science illustrator - Repped by MB Artists NYC - Armchair detective - NL/ENG/Nederlish - Certified Autistic - Inclusieridder’. She champions inclusion, sharing her journey and artwork under the alias Poodle Soup on social media platforms like Instagram and X. Through her illustrations, Stephanie aims to spark curiosity and wonder in children, making her a dedicated advocate for science education and storytelling. It was great talking to her touching on this diversity of interesting topics.
About Stephanie Dehennin
Stephanie Dehennin is an illustrator of children’s books and scientific stories, making complex concepts accessible and engaging. Based in Antwerp, she is represented in the United States by MB Artists for her children’s projects. Closer to home, Stephanie collaborates with Pelckmans, creating illustrations for picture books and popular science works that captivate and educate. Her work has been widely recognized, earning her the Biannual Picturale Public’s Choice Award in 2017 and again in 2022. Beyond her professional achievements, Dehennin was a member of the Nerdland Podcast team, communicating on the latest science and technology news.Illustrating is your core activity, was it clear from the beginning that this was your path?
Dehennin \ “My career path wasn’t clear from the beginning. I’ve always had a passion for drawing, attending art school from a young age. As I grew, I explored different avenues, initially pursuing product development which seemed a creative and inventive fit. However, lacking the maturity for college at 16, I explored other areas like architecture and illustrative design, but I didn’t feel certain in these fields either. After some time in hospitality, I was still searching for a way to make a meaningful contribution, which led me to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and later, I started training as an emergency nurse, which I found deeply fulfilling. The constant changes in my career and my deep dives into my passions can be attributed to my at the time undiagnosed ADHD, which made me enthusiastic and committed at the start, but maintaining long-term focus was a challenge.”
And was science always an interest of yours?
Dehennin \ “In secondary school, science wasn’t presented in an inspiring way. My interest, especially in medicine, was sparked by Oliver Sacks’ book ‘The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat’. Sacks, a neurologist, and inspiration for the film ‘Awakenings’, was known for his work with patients who were considered hopeless cases. The narrative on his patients really reads like a detective. This combination of creativity and science was my gateway into the broader field of science. Later, during my nursing training, which I initially started to help people, I really got hooked on biomedical science.”
But still, you returned to your first passion, drawing?
Dehennin \ “That’s right. When I was working and studying nursing, I found myself drawing less, but I really began to miss it. I seized every creative opportunity during my training, doodling during lessons, which my classmates and friends also noticed. It was during a vacation with friends, surfing in France, that I took the decision to pursue drawing seriously. I started—and finished—‘illustrative design’ studies through the ‘Middle Jury’.”
“It might not have been the most obvious and easy path to come to my real passion, but all these side roads gave me a broad set of skills across various disciplines. The medical knowledge and understanding of product development I acquired along the way have proven particularly valuable.”