Stephane Delapree ''Stef' was born in France and raised in Canada, Stef started his artistic career in comic strip drawing and publishing.

In 1992, while visiting a Crayola kids paintings exhibition in New York, his fascination with the artworks done by very young children inspired him to start the concept of Happy Painting.

He soon developed his very personal style, in Costa Rica, using free figuration and bold colors to depict a world as seen through a child’s eyes.

Stef's paintings are very positive in spirit and he is a truly independent artist who does not rely on any government to continue his creation.

In 1995, the King of Cambodia thanked Stef for his contribution to Contemporary Cambodian Art and in 2008; Happy painting Gallery received "Gold Status" by the Ministry of Tourism.