Claire Wendling was born in Montpellier but adopted in Angoulême. She first chose to commit to study biology and although she had a passion for exotic fishes, at 17-years-old, she found a calling to art that led her to the school of the Beaux-Arts of Angoulême. In her third year, she won the Alph-Art Avenir at the Angoulême festival in 1989. In November 1990, Claire worked on “Theo”, the first part of a series called “Les Lumières de l’Amalou”. For Wendling and her scenarist Gibelin, they had instant success and in 1991 they won the the “Prix de la Presse” award. While continuing the series, she collaborated with the Smurfs journal where she created the character Garance. She has also created covers for the magazine Player One, and won Best Young Illustrator in Angoulême in 1992. After her series, Claire worked in the States on the animated Warner Bros. movie Excalibur. With her collection of sketches, Desk (Delcourt edition) and Drawers (Cycliste edition), Wendling continues to express her beautiful talent.