Leigh Hobbs

Born 1953, Williamstown, Victoria

Artist and author Leigh Hobbs is best known in Australia, the UK and USA for the children’s books he has written and illustrated featuring his characters Old Tom, Horrible Harriet and Mr Chicken.

Leigh works across a wide range of mediums. His ceramics, sculptures, drawings, paintings and prints are in the collections of The National Gallery of Victoria, State Libraries of Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, and The Australian National Library, as well as The Powerhouse Museum and a number of regional Galleries.

Leigh was Australian Children’s Laureate in 2016/17 and was honoured with his own Australia Post ‘Australian Legend’ stamp in 2019.

He is fascinated by ‘character and atmosphere’.