Gayle Grass
Author/President of Iris the Dragon
Gayle graduated with an honours degree in economics and worked in the investment/brokerage industry. After the birth of her children, she pursued her passion for antique children’s books and illustration. This interest led her to taking a master’s degree in Victorian Art and Architecture from the University in London, England. Her thesis on bookmaking began her love and interest in the power of fairy tales and their ability to provide education and hope for children with mental health challenges. Today, she lives with her husband and family on a hobby farm near Perth, Ontario, Canada where she enjoys writing Iris the Dragon books.
Jessica Grass
Marketing Director
With an honours degree in Communications from Queen’s University and an event marketing degree from Algonquin College, Jessica has worked with both private and public industry in Ottawa. With her specialty in marketing and communications, she has assisted many companies in Ottawa develop their overall marketing and communication plans. Recently, Jessica Grass attended SUNY Potsdam College in New York State where she pursued a Masters of Science in Teaching. Jessica is the marketing manager for Iris the Dragon as well as pursuing a fulltime teaching career.
Iris The Dragon
Spokesperson
Iris the Dragon is the company's spokesperson and main character in the Iris the Dragon book series. Iris is a figure that both children and adults can relate to and trust. She represents the fairy godmother that everyone would like to have. She is always there for you and appears when you most need her. Iris is able to interpret the child's thoughts and fears in order to help them through their troubled times. Whether you are a parent with a child with special needs or a child with special needs, Iris is there for you in a supportive and guiding role.
Graham Ross
Illustrator
Look! Look what I’ve done!! The words of an eight year old as he holds up the drawing of a vibrant red fire engine. Oh Graham, that’s wonderful.
Really? Oh this is good. You draw a picture and you get a reaction. I could get into this! And so it began. The seed was planted, further watered by bedtime rituals of propping pillows up against his bedroom wall getting into bed to get lost in a family members reading of The Wind in the Willows.
An unintended lesson learned through those readings that our intrepid illustrator still calls upon in his illustration work is that the viewer will take different things from the illustration and he will add elements to the illustration that may go over some heads, but others will catch them and smile. There’s always something to look at.
A graduate of the illustration program at Sheridan College in Ontario, Graham began his career as a designer for Canadian publisher McClelland & Stewart. Growing disenchanted with living in the Big Smoke Graham moved back to his hometown of Ottawa, Ontario to contemplate his next career move.
It was in Ottawa, that Graham began his freelance illustration and graphic design career. A career that has spawned illustrations for such publishers as Orca Book Publishers, Scholastic Canada, and Meadowside Books of the United Kingdom, as well as numerous Canadian government agencies and private design firms.
He lives in Merrickville, Ontario with circus star family. His juggling wife, a helldriver daughter, a canine cannonball, and a fire breathing cat.