Cai Gao

illustration

Complete Profile

Introduction

Born in 1946 in Changsha, Hunan Province, Cai Gao is a pioneer of original picture books in China and a member of the Chinese Artists Association. She is affectionately known as "Grandma of Picture Books." A self‑taught artist who never attended art school, she made history in 2026 by becoming the first Chinese illustrator to win the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration--the highest honor in children's literature, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Children's Literature."

Cai Gao artwork

Biography

  1. 1. Childhood: Growing up in old downtown Changsha, her early life was shaped by cobblestone alleys, ancient wells, folk tales, and the rustic charm of Hunan's countryside -elements that would later nourish her lifelong creative work.
  2. 2. Youth: At age 23, she became a rural teacher at a primary school in Hunan, where she spent six years deeply rooted in the countryside, Observing the land, crops, and children, amassing a wealth of sketches and personal insights.
  3. 3. 1982 (age 36): Transferred to the Hunan Children's Publishing House, where she worked as an art editor and eventually became head of the Art Editing Department‑a role she held for nearly 20 years. During this many local creators, calling the time, she discovered and nurtured publishing house "my university."
  4. 4. 1993 (age 47): Her book Bao'er (originally titled The Fox Spirit of the Wasteland) won the Golden Apple Award at the BIB International Biennial illustration Exhibition in Bratislava, making her the first Chinese artist to receive this prestigious honor and launching Chinese original picture books onto the international stage.
  5. 5. 2000: Retired from the publishing house, she entered a new creative peak and has continued producing picture books ever since.
  6. 6. 2026: Awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration the first Chinese recipient in the award's 60‑year history.

Artistic Style

  1. Themes: Drawn from Chinese folk tales, classical literature, regional culture of Hunan, and childhood memories deeply grounded in Eastern traditions without imitating Western picture books.
  2. Techniques: Watercolor, ink painting. and mixed media. Lines are simple and free‑flowing: colors are rich and warm.
  3. Character Design: Characters are not strictly realistic but slightly stylized and childlike, echoing traditional folk New Year paintings and paper‑cutting art, conveying a natural innocence. Key point: Many of her sketch drafts consist of minimalist line drawings of plants, fruits, and rural scenes‑simple and relaxed lines embody the very spirit of casual, expressive drawing.
  4. Creative Philosophy: "Picture books are a warm endeavor; they bring light and hope to children. Art originates from everyday soil and life."

Representative Works

Cai Gao’s picture‑books draw heavily from Hunan local folk culture. Instead of fancy, exaggerated visuals, she records the quiet beauty of rural daily life. Many of her stories carry warm memories of her own childhood. Even simple sketches can deliver deep feelings toward land and children.

When we look at her illustrations, we can easily feel the power of folk art. Her ink‑wash and water‑color pictures mix folk‑painting styling with modern picture‑book language. Every plant, child and farm scene in her works comes from real‑life observation.

picture1
picture2
picture3
thank you for watching