Our Team
We come from very different career backgrounds, but we share the same conviction: that meaningful work, thoughtful design, and real human connection can change a community.
Between the four founders, we run the gamut from a former Fortune 100 VP to a true artist’s artist still finding her voice.
None of us set out to do the same thing professionally, but that's exactly the point. Ta-da was born from the idea that creativity thrives when different perspectives, skills, and life experiences come together. We bring business sense, artistic curiosity, educational expertise, and a whole lot of heart—and we can't wait to bring all of that into the space we're building with you.
Cara spent years moving around the US and the UK. Then somehow, during 15 years in Québec, it became home. A thirty-year internet career plus AuDHD meant two art degrees gathered dust—never enough time or energy for creativity. In October, 18 years with the same company ended with redundancy. As burnout left the building, clarity arrived: build the thing she’d needed all along. A safe space where people could be creative, drop their masks, and let their nervous systems rest.
CARA GERARD
Based in Saint-Roch, Québec City, Amanda Jeanne is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and community facilitator originally from Massachusetts. Her practice—intuitive painting, somatic writing, street photography—grew from needing to make sense of chaos and share that process with others. As co-founder of Ta-da, she leads workshops grounded in the belief that making doesn't need to be polished or serious to matter. The name itself references TDAH—a personal nod to neurodivergence and the community this space serves.
AMANDa Jeanne
A native Australian who has called Québec City home for 13 years, Shelley has been sewing since she was knee-high to a grasshopper. With formal training in graphic design and many years working in early childhood development, she carries a deep belief in the power of play and creativity——for children and the young at heart alike. She loves challenging herself with unexpected creations: shoes, camping gear, custom bags, and other items that probably don’t have a pattern at Fabricville.
SHELLEY DUPUIS
Helen grew up in Quebec City, where her love for creating began at a young age. She has actually used her two art degrees (and one teaching degree) to share her expertise in drawing, sculpture, and photography, with lucky generations of CEGEP students. She finds joy in always learning—recent experiments include pottery wheel work and sock knitting. Her curiosity never stops; if there's a new craft to try, Helen's already halfway through researching how.
