Leigh Hobbs was born in Melbourne and grew up in Bairnsdale. He became interested in art in primary school, and later attended art school. After graduating in Art from Caulfield Institute of Technology, he worked at Sydney's Luna Park restoring the carousel and creating two caricature sculptures 'Larry and Lizzie Luna' (now housed in the Powerhouse Museum). He then began teaching Art in secondary schools while continuing to practice as an artist in a range of different mediums. Apart from becoming a critically acclaimed author and illustrator of children's books, Hobbs has created paintings, ceramics, sculptures and ink work, and he has worked as a freelance cartoonist for the Age. A French/Australian co-production TV series (screened on the ABC) is based on his 'Old Tom' character, the cat that features in several of his best known books. http://www.austlit.edu.au/run?ex=ShowAgent&agentId=A0ef
Wikipedia, viewed 27 September 2013 (life dates, 18 April 1953-) Leigh Hobbs is an Australian artist and author. Although he works across a wide range of mediums, he is best known in Australia and the United Kingdom for the humorous children’s books he has written and illustrated https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leigh_Hobbs