Sandra Dumais
BIO
Biography

Hi, I'm Sandy. I'm an author / illustrator / painter based in Montreal (originally from Toronto). I live and work in English et en français.

In all of my work, whether it be illustration, comics, or painting,  you will always find an element of humour, honesty, and most of all, stories about everyday experiences. 

I am currently working on a graphic novel due out 2025, as well as 3 picture books and the next comic book in the series Farm Crimes (Owlkids Books).

FREE TIME

Free time? What’s that? My husband, kids and I are always walking around with our rescue dog Indy (who doesn’t listen or come when we call her.) I volunteer with Dharamsala Animal Rescue where we adopted Indy because I think that fostering compassion in animals means fostering compassion outside of ourselves and getting out of our own damned way. 

One day I will live in the magical town of Val David, nestled in the Laurentian mountains outside of Montreal, where I will paint, write, adopt dogs, and maybe run for mayor.

ADDRESS
City: Tiohtiá:ke/Montreal, Province/Territory: Quebec
EMAIL
GENRE
Comics, MG, Graphic Novels, Picture Books
LANGUAGES
English, French
PUBLICATIONS
Publications
Title
La Première Misson de Gello
Publisher
La Bagnole
Year
2023
Title
Les Oui-dire
Publisher
Fonfon
Year
2022
Title
Bob le bobo
Publisher
La Courte Echelle
Year
2021
Title
Simone sous les Ronces
Publisher
Fonfon
Year
2020
Title
Crimes a la Ferme / Farm Crimes Vol. 2
Publisher
La Courte Echelle
Year
2019
Title
Crimes a la Ferme / Farm Crimes Vol. 1
Publisher
La Courte Echelle
Year
2018
Title
The Fossil Whisperer
Publisher
Kids Can Press
Year
2022
AWARDS
Awards
Name
Le prix de libraires (Booksellers Choice) - Picture Book category
Publication
Simone sous les Ronces
Year
2020
Name
Le prix de libraires (Booksellers Choice) - Picture Book category
Publication
Bob le bobo
Year
2021
LINKS
PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS
Presentation details
Audience Size
Audience size
up to 30 kids
Presentation Genre
Making Faces
Presentation Length
40 minutes - 1.5 hours
Presentation Description
Presentation description

Let's learn a simple, accessible way to draw a real human face in all its emotions. We will actually be making these faces together (angry, happy, silly, embarrassed) and then observing each other before we start to draw. I am very good at making all kinds of faces and am happy to be the model for the artists. 

We'll be looking at lines on our faces, the way we can draw hair, proportions of features, and what happens to things like eyebrows and chins when we express emotion on our faces.

Did you know that drawing from observation fosters caring for the object or person we are drawing? It's true! 

Every participant will have completed a full page of faces that look amazing in their own personal style (this is NOT a "draw what I draw" or "draw in my style" type class. 

I have given this class hundreds of times to thousands of kids (one time we had 6000 participants online all over the country!)

Presentation Fee(s)
$300 per presentation
Workshop details
Audience Size
Write / Draw out our day
School presentation details
Audience Size
20 - 35 kids at a time
Intended Audience
8years - 19 years
Presentation Length
1.5 hours
Presentation Description
Presentation description

It was a long road to get where I am - I didn't go to art school, and I worked as a Graphic Designer before discovering that there was something I am much better at. Art!

Though never having gone to art school (or even university!) I have managed to cobble together my own targeted studies from evening courses in design, to part-time art studies in painting and a one year full-time program in Print Media. All of these gave me the basic skills I needed, but it was really when I started making things that were meaningful and interesting to me that things really took off. 

I will talk to students about the value of working tirelessly on personal projects, finding their own unique voice, and how studying the "wrong thing" really isn't the end of the world. We are forever learning about new skills and interests we have. 

I have given this talk to Seneca College students, CHAVÓN art school in Santo Domingo, DR, and to countless high school students on line through mentorship programs here in Montreal.

Presentation Fee(s)
$300 per session.
Programs & Interests
Interested in participating Union’s Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program:
All members are eligible for the Union’s Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program. Are you interested in participating in this pro
Yes
Interested in participating in the Northern Ontario WITS program:
The Union’s Northern Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools program funds in-person visits to northern Ontario schools when possible. Ar
Yes