Hi! I'm Heli, a children's book illustrator based in Lahti, Finland.

 

In 2025, I published my very first children’s book, Stuck with a Stain. It's a heartwarming and humorous story about Margaret and a very persistent stain on her favorite shirt. You can find it here on Amazon. I created the book as a personal project to learn the full process of making a children’s book: from idea to illustration to print. It was a dream come true and a big step on my journey as an illustrator.

 

Before fully focusing on illustration, I worked as a graphic designer and later earned a Bachelor's Degree in Social Services in 2018. I then spent five years working with people with disabilities—an experience that taught me a lot about compassion and communication. Eventually, I found myself drawn back to the visual arts.

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I’ve always loved to draw, but it wasn’t until I became a parent (and started reading loads of picture books) that I realized how much I wanted to create stories and images for children myself. I’m still at the beginning of this journey, but I’m excited to grow and develop as an illustrator.

 

In 2025, I received a grant from the Päijät-Häme Cultural Fund to work on my next children's book project, which is currently in development for the Finnish market.

 

Outside of work, I’m married and a proud mom of two. When summer comes around, we keep bees as a hobby and enjoy traveling around Finland with our trailer. When I get some quiet time to myself, you’ll usually find me drawing while listening to illustration podcasts, or setting up a cozy movie night just for me.

 

Illustration is my passion, and I'm committed to doing meaningful, high-quality work for authors—and especially for young readers!