Biography of
Michael Dumas
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Michael Dumas’s art is characterized by masterful drawing, and an unusual sensitivity to the subtleties of detail, form, color, and composition.
Conservation efforts the world over have benefitted from Michael’s dedication and support. At the time of his receiving the Carling-OKeefe Professional Conservationist Award in 1986, it was estimated that he was instrumental in raising in excess of five million dollars for conservation projects. A significant proportion of Michael’s art reflects his concern for the welfare of the natural world. A five-year project initiated in 1978, and supported by the Canadian government’s Canadian Explorations Program depicted Canadian Endangered Species. This collection formed the core of a 1981 exhibit on the same theme at the prestigious McMichael Canadian Collection in Kleinberg, Ontario. In 1987, a series on endangered birds of prey was created in conjunction with the Wildlife ’87 Conservation Fund. Michael has also produced paintings to promote and raise funds for many diverse conservation groups, including The World Wildlife Fund, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy of Canada and Canadian Parks Partnership, The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, and The International Council for the Preservation of Birds.
Michael’s drawings and paintings have been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums on an international scale including, The National Museum of Canada, The McMichael Canadian Collection, The Royal Botanical Gardens – Hamilton, The Royal Ontario Museum Toronto, The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site – Buffalo, N. Y, The Suntory Museum of art – Tokyo & Osaka, Japan, The Yamanakako-Takamura Museum of Arts – Japan. Mitsukoshi Gallery- Tokyo, Matsuya Gallery – Tokyo, Sogo Gallery – Osaka, Nature In Art, the International Museum of Wildlife Art – Gloucester, England.
CREDENTIALS:
AWARDS AND HONORS:
-Dual Category Award – ARC International Salon 2017
-Best Sketchbook – Plein Air Salon Dec-Jan 2017
-Award of Excellence – National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society 2016
-SAA President’s Artistic Achievement Award 2016
-Designated as a Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achiever 2016
-Dual Category Award – ARC International Art Salon Competition 2016
-Plein Air Magazine bi-monthly competition: Feb-March 2015 Best Still Life
-Plein Air Magazine bi-monthly competition: Dec-Jan 2015 Best Overall Oil: Shown in the May 2015 issue of Plein Air Magazine
-Plein Air Magazine bi-monthly competition: Oct-Nov 2014 Best Nocturne
-ARC International Salon Competition 2014: Dual Category Award
-AFC Festival 2014 – 2 Medals of Excellence
-ATIM’s Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art 2014: Chosen for 2nd consecutive year by Art Tour International Magazine
– Best of Show: Richeson 75 International Art Competition – Animals, Birds, and Wildlife 2013
– Long Point Waterfowl Association Artist of the Year, 2013
– Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters Artist of the Year, 2013
– 1st Place – A Singular Creation International Art Competition (nature category), 2013
– 1st Place – Artavita International Art Competition (painting category), 2012
– 1st Place – The Artist’s Magazine Annual Art Competition (wildlife category), 2012
– Artists for Conservation Medal of Excellence, 2012
– Decree of Excellence in Art, IBI, Cambridge, 2006
-Master Palette Award, Masterworks in Miniature – Gallery One, USA, 2005
-Pathway to Fame, City of Peterborough, Inducted 2004
-Order of Biographical Excellence, International Biographical Institute, Cambridge, England, 2002
-Twentieth Century Achievement Award, American Biographical Institute, 2000
-Artist of the Year, Ontario Federation of Anglers & Hunters, 1993 / 1998
-International ‘Flyway’ Artist, Ducks Unlimited International, 1992
-Wildlife Habitat Canada, *First Winner by Competition, 1990
-Wildlife Conservation Award, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1987
*First artist to win this award.
-Professional Conservationist Award, Carling – O’Keefe, 1986 *First artist to win this award.
-Waterfowl Art Award, Ducks Unlimited Canada,1983 – 1984
ART EDUCATION:
-Apprentice to master artist Lewis Parker, Lazare & Parker Studio, Toronto, Ontario, 1971 – 1972
-Humber College of Art & Technology, Toronto, Ontario, Graduated – 1970,
Post-graduate Studies – 1971
-Art Instruction Schools, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Completed Studies – 1968
-Biology Studies: Cornell University, Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, Completed Studies – 1984
SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS:
- 2017 ARC International Touring Exhibition – Salmagundi Club / NYC, and MEAM (European Museum Modern Art), Barcelona, Spain.
- 2016-17 AFC International Touring Exhibition – Grouse Mountain, Vancouver / Arizona Desert Museum USA / Qingdao Lan Wan Art Gallery, Qingdao City, China.
- 2016-17 SAA American Touring Exhibition: Houston Museum of Natural History / Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum / Sternberg Museum of Natural History / Museum of the Shenandoah Valley.
- 2016 Western Visions Exhibition: National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming.
- 2016 Birds in Art Exhibition / Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin
‘Sparrow’s Rest’ by Michael Dumas was the recipient of the Dual Category Award. It is also selected for the international exhibition, opening at the Salmagundi Club in New York City from May 12 -June 1, 2017. The exhibit will then be on view at the MEAM, the European Museum of Modern Art, in Barcelona, Spain from Sept. 23 – Nov 27. ‘Sparrow’s Rest’ was also selected for exhibition at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming Sept 7 – Oct 9, 2016.
Michael’s painting, ‘Innocence’ has been selected for the SAA exhibition tour and will be on display at The Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum in Oradell, NJ, January 21 – March 12, 2017; Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays University, Hays, Kansas, March 25 – May 12, 2017; Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester, Virginia, May 27 – Sept 3, 2017.
Two Dumas artworks have been accepted into the 2016 AFC International Exhibit of Nature in Art; ‘Innocence’ appears in the online virtual exhibition, and ‘Fox Sparrow Study’ for both the virtual and the live exhibit opening at the Grouse Mountain Resort, Vancouver, BC, Canada, September 29 – Oct 3, 2016. ‘Fox Sparrow Study’ is part of the exhibit tour, first to the Arizona Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ, Dec 10 – Feb 12, 2016, and then to Qingdao Lan Wan Art Gallery, Qingdao City, China, Aug 1 – Sept 30, 2017.
*Selective listing
-Algonquin Art Centre – Algonquin Park, Ontario 2014
-Birds in Art 2014 – Woodson Art Museum – Wausau, Wisconsin
-Buckingham Fine Art, ‘The Fine Art of Michael Dumas’, **Solo Exhibition, Uxbridge, Ontario, 2003 – 2004
-Arai Gallery, ‘Michael Dumas – Expressions of Nature’, **Solo Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan, Annual show 2000 – 2004
-Mitsukoshi Gallery, ‘Michael Dumas – Expressions of Nature’, **Solo Exhibition, Sendai, Japan, 2003 – 2004
-Algonquin Gallery, ‘Wildlife Art in the Park’, **Group Exhibition, Algonquin Park, Ontario, 2002
-Mitsukoshi – Shinjuku Gallery, ‘Michael Dumas – Paintings and Drawings’,*Solo Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan, Annual show 1994 through 2001
-Takamura Museum of Art, ‘Michael Dumas – Profile’, *Solo Exhibition, LakeYamanakako, Japan, 2000
-Wild Bird Society of Japan – Exhibition Gallery, ‘Michael Dumas – Bird Paintings’, *Solo Exhibition, Sendai, Japan, 1999
-Spanierman Gallery, ‘Natural Habitat’ – Contemporary Wildlife Artists of North America. **Group Exhibition, New York, NY, USA, 1998
– Disney World – Animal Kingdom, Society of Animal Artists ‘Art and the Animal **Group Exhibition, Disney World, Florida, USA, 1998
-The McMichael Canadian Collection, ‘Canadian Endangered Species’, *Solo Exhibition, Kleinberg, Ontario, 1981
-The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, Buffalo, New York, ‘Michael Dumas -Wildlife’, *Solo Exhibit
PUBLICATIONS:
Plein Air Magazine/ April-May issue 2017 /’Plein Air Events’ – Jan-Feb Winners Western Art Collector / September issue 2016 / Group article ‘Breaking Trail’
Dumas’s Artwork is included in two new book releases by North Light Books; ‘Strokes of Genius 8’ – The Best of Drawing and ‘Art Journey: Animals – A Collection of Inspiring Contemporary Masterworks.
Western Art Collector Magazine – Sept 2016 issue: Group Exhibition Article: ‘Breaking Trail’ – Western Visions at the National Wildlife Art Museum.
– International Contemporary Masters Vol 6
– Strokes of Genius 3: The Best Drawing
– The Artist’s Magazine / Article on Field Drawing / Nov. 2012 issue
– Southwest Art magazine / Article: Wild at Art / March 2013 issues
LISTED IN:
-The International Register of Profiles, and Outstanding People of the 20th/21st Century, published by the International Biographical Institute, Cambridge, England.
-Elected Life Fellow of the International Biographical Institute, Cambridge, England. Inducted 2000.
Numerous books, magazines, films, Canadian postage stamps, and commemorative coins have featured Michael’s art and he is also a published writer. He is listed in the Who’s Who in Canada directory (University of Toronto Press) since 1994. Currently, the artist lives and works in Buckhorn Lake, Ontario.
AWARDS & CREDENTIALS . . .
ART EDUCATION:
-Apprentice to master artist Lewis Parker, Lazare & Parker Studio, Toronto, Ontario, 1971 – 1972
-Humber College of Art & Technology, Toronto, Ontario, Graduated – 1970,
Post-graduate Studies – 1971
-Art Instruction Schools, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Completed Studies – 1968
-Biology Studies: Cornell University, Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York, Completed Studies – 1984
SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS: *Selective listing
-Buckingham Fine Art, ‘The Fine Art of Michael Dumas’, **Solo Exhibition, Uxbridge, Ontario, 2003 – 2004
-Arai Gallery, ‘Michael Dumas – Expressions of Nature’, **Solo Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan, Annual show 2000 – 2004
-Mitsukoshi Gallery, ‘Michael Dumas – Expressions of Nature’, **Solo Exhibition, Sendai, Japan, 2003 – 2004
-Algonquin Gallery, ‘Wildlife Art in the Park’, **Group Exhibition, Algonquin Park, Ontario, 2002
-Mitsukoshi – Shinjuku Gallery, ‘Michael Dumas – Paintings and Drawings’,*Solo Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan, Annual show 1994 through 2001
-Takamura Museum of Art, ‘Michael Dumas – Profile’, *Solo Exhibition, LakeYamanakako, Japan, 2000
-Wild Bird Society of Japan – Exhibition Gallery, ‘Michael Dumas – Bird Paintings’, *Solo Exhibition, Sendai, Japan, 1999
-Spanierman Gallery, ‘Natural Habitat’ – Contemporary Wildlife Artists ofNorth America. **Group Exhibition, New York, NY, USA, 1998
– Disney World – Animal Kingdom, Society of Animal Artists ‘Art and the Animal **Group Exhibition, Disney World, Florida, USA, 1998
-The McMichael Canadian Collection, ‘Canadian Endangered Species’, *Solo Exhibition, Kleinberg, Ontario, 1981
-The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, Buffalo, New York, ‘Michael Dumas -Wildlife’, *Solo Exhibit
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS:
-Canadian Endangered Species, Canadian ‘Explorations’ Program, The Canada Council – 1978 – 1980
-Commemorative Postage Stamps, Canadian Endangered Species, *Vancouver Island Marmot – 1981, *Atlantic Whitefish 1980, Canada Post – Ottawa
-Spirit of the Wild’, Guest Host: HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Sponsored by: World Wildlife Fund Canada, Toronto, Ontario, 1982
-‘Wild in the West’, Swift Fox Recovery Program, World Wildlife Fund – 1985
-‘ Saving the World’s Birds’ Gala, Special guest and ceremonial introduction to hosts: Prince & Princess Hitachi of the Japanese Imperial Family, and HRH Prince Bernhardt. Sponsored by Suntory Corporation, Osaka, Japan, 1990
-‘ Saving the World’s Birds’ Campaign, Suntory Corporation, Japan – 1990 -1993
-‘The Antarctic Experience’ Expedition, Cornell University, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology – 1990
-Kenya Wild Elephant Campaign, In association with Dr. Richard Leakey, Toronto, Ontario, 1991
-‘ Albatross 1000’ Conservation Project, Suntory Corporation, Japan -1994 -1995
-Canadian Commemorative Coins, Four coins (lynx) / Platinum edition, Royal Canadian Mint – 1995
-The Silver Signature Collection, Stamp Sculptures, Wildlife Habitat Canada -1995
-PBS Documentary Film, Journeys of an Artist series – Winter in Algonquin, 2005
LISTED IN:
-The International Register of Profiles, and Outstanding People of the 20th/21st Century, published by the International Biographical Institute, Cambridge, England.
-Elected Life Fellow of the International Biographical Institute, Cambridge, England. Inducted 2000.
