Diane Dillon

Her father, a schoolteacher and inventor, and her mother, a concert pianist and organist, encouraged her passion for drawing. Dillon also took inspiration from the fact that her favorite drawings, the newspaper fashion illustrations of Dorothy Hood, were created by a woman artist.

Diane Dillon studied art at Los Angeles City College, Skidmore College, and finally Parsons School of Design, where she met Leo Dillon for the first time

Leo and Diane Dillon first met at Parsons School of Design and competed against one another while each believed the other's work was superior. Competition led to companionship and after graduation they married. They began working together producing what they refer to as the "Third artist" through their collaborations. When working on an illustration, they pass it back and forth adding and improving until the illustration is complete - creating a unique blend that is different from anything they would have produced individually. Their many books are in a variety of media, making each book visually different from any other. This partnership has spanned more than fifty years and resulted in two Caldecott Medals - for Ashanti to Zulu and Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears - four New York Times Best Illustrated Awards, four Boston Globe/Horn Book Awards, two Coretta Scott King Awards, two Coretta Scott King Honors, and the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal.

From: http://lookingglassreview.com/html/leo_and_diane_dillion.html