Education

2015 Bachelor of Fine Arts, OCAD University

Professional Development

2023 Posing Characters, Society of Visual Storytelling

2023 How to Draw Everything, Society of Visual Storytelling

2022 Creative Composition, Society of Visual Storytelling

2022 Light and Shadow, Society of Visual Storytelling

2021 Publish and Sell Your E-Books, Gale Courses

2021 Getting Published, Gale Courses

2021 Writing for Children, Gale Courses

2018 Communities of Care, Ryerson University

2018 Creative Facilitation Camp, East End Arts

2018 Rebirth: Artist Educator Training, Voice of Purpose

2017 Entrepreneurs 4 Entrepreneurs, Vibe Arts

2016 Mural Art Career Development, Mural Routes

Publications

2025 The Friendship Project, published by EQAO

2025 Wildflowers All Around Us, published by EQAO

2024 The Little Elf Finds His Spark, published by Chubby Cheeks Press

2024 The Pit, published by The Layered Onion

2024 The Little Tree, published by Lived Collective

2023 The Way You View the World, published by Chubby Cheeks Press

2023 The Little Fairy Finds Her Glow, published by Chubby Cheeks Press

2023 Yellow Socks, published by The Layered Onion

2023 Writing Impactful Children’s Stories, published by Laura’s Books

2022 How to Show Love, published by Chubby Cheeks Press

2022 I Remember, published by Lived Collective

2022 Building a Creative Career, published by North York Arts

2022 Building Relationships, published by ArtReach

2022 Building a Creative Practice, published by North York Arts

2022 Buried in Blankets, published by Free Spirit

2022 Attending Art School, published by North York Arts

2022 Building a Creative Career, published by ArtReach

2022 Imagination, published by North York Arts

2022 Beginnings, published by Lived Collective

2022 My Reasons, published by North York Arts

2022 Building a Creative Practice, published by ArtReach

2022 Being an Artist, published by North York Arts

2019 Art Ignite’s Open Studio Exhibition, published by SNAPD

2018 Repainting Perceptions, published by SNAPD

2017 Multicoloured, published by Cultural Hotspot

2016 Featured Artist of the Month, published by SNAPD

2016 Flemo Mural, published by Cultural Hotspot

2015 Green Paper Leaf, published by Green Paper Leaf

Solo Exhibitions

2022 Find Your Glow, Cedar Ridge Creative Centre

2020 Embrace, Fairview Library

2019 Metamorphic Reflections, Toronto Centre for the Arts

2016 The Ignored Geniuses, The Local

Group  Exhibitions

2024 Collingwood Art Crawl, Town of Collingwood and Butter Gallery

2024 The Blue Mountains Arts and Crafts Walk, Blue Mountain Library

2022 Akin Winter Art Market, Cedar Ridge Creative Centre

2022 From the Depths, Miles Nadal JCC

2021 Bring to Light, Queen West Art Crawl

2020 Darkness into Light, Women’s Art Association of Canada

2019 Artsideout, University of Toronto

2019 Emerging Artist Festival, Scarborough Village Centre

2018 Communities of Care, Ryerson University

2018 Lawrence Park Art Show, Lawrence Park Community Church

2018 Vibe Arts Fest, Ontario Place

2017 Lawrence Park Art Show, Lawrence Park Community Church

2017 Emergence, Toronto Centre for the Arts

2017 A-Show, Artscape Youngplace

2017 Art Takes Action for Charity, The Merchant

2017 Buy Good. Feel Good. Expo, Heritage Court – Exhibition Place

2016 North York Arts’ Arts Market, Toronto Centre for the Arts

2016 Toronto Marks, Queen West Art Crawl

2016 RAW: Toronto Presents REVEAL, Mod Club

2016 Where Are You Really From?, Daniels Spectrum

2015 In the Round, Graven Feather

2015 Delta, Project Gallery

Readings

2025 Birchview Dunes

2025 Meaford Public Library

2025 Wasaga Beach Public School

2024 Birchview Dunes

2024 Collingwood Public Library

2024 Wasaga Beach Public Library

2024 RecPlex Community Centre

2023 Canadian National Exhibition

2023 Graydon Hall Child Care Centre

Public Art

2019 Environment, Lead Artist, Vibe Arts

2017 150 subway panel, Assistant Artist, Ecole Elementaire Felix Leclerc

2017 UN Canadian Diversity Mural, Assistant Artist, Fisherville PBS

2016 Long Live People’s Resistance!, Lead Artist, 15 Years of War

2016 Flemo City Media Mural, Lead Artist, Flemo City Media

2016 Connection, Assistant Artist, Parkway Forest Community Centre

Collectives / Artist Rosters

Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators

The Writer’s Union of Canada

Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers

Women’s Art Association of Canada

North York Visual Artists

Vibe Arts

North York Arts

Published Interviews

2025 Author Feature, online interview by Collingword

2023 Writing Books About Difficult Feelings, online interview by Peerbagh

2019 Metro Morning with Matt Galloway, radio interview by CBC Radio

2019 Stories by Laila Hobbs, published by TSTV Media

2018 Challenging Islamophobia, published by Inside Toronto

2018 The Cycle of Art, online interview by Izdeyar Setna

2018 Bring to Light, published by ArtReach

2016 April 2016 Youth Feature, online interview by AVNU

Artist Talks

2025 Building Bridges, Collingwood Public Library

2024 Woven Word Symposium, Wasaga Beach Public Library

2024 Creative Collingwood Symposium, Simcoe Street Theatre

2024 A Guide to Children’s Literature, Collingwood Public Library

2023 Bringing Diverse Experiences, Peerbagh

2018 Arts Based Approaches to Engaging Community, University of Toronto

2018 TPL Unconference, Community Development Unit

2018 Path of Possibilities: Exploring the Arts Sector in Toronto, Art Starts

Juries

2023 Contemporary Gallery Exhibitions, Cedar Ridge Creative Centre

2018 Intersection Festival, Myseum of Toronto

2017 Plat Form A Micro Grant, Vibe Arts

Collections

Dennis R. Timbrell Resource Centre

Flemo City Media

Works held in private collections in Canada, USA and Pakistan

Teaching

2024 Creating Stories, Birchview Dunes

2024 Crafting Characters, Wasaga Beach Public Library

2024 Build Your Own Character, Town of Wasaga Beach

2022 Draw Your Happy, Mabelle Arts

2022 Poetry in Nature, Vibe Arts

2022 How to Write a Bio, Stitching Diaries

2022 Creative Writing, Stitching Diaries

2022 What’s Your Story?, Vibe Arts

2021 Digital Painting, Virtual Workshop

2021 How to Write an Artist Statement, All Around Us

2021 Vision-Boarding, Virtual Workshop

2020 Website Development, Virtual Workshop

2020 Cartooning, Virtual Workshop

2020 Self Care For Seniors, Cultural Hotspot

2020 Canvas Stretching, Flemingdon Park Library

2020 Paper Mache, Flemingdon Park Library

2020 Glass Painting Techniques, Flemingdon Park Library

2020 Oil Painting 102, Flemingdon Park Library

2019 Watercolour Techniques, Flemingdon Park Library

2019 Youth Ignite, Flemingdon Health Centre

2019 Glass Painting Mandalas, Flemingdon Park Library

2019 Art & Mindfulness, Flemingdon Park Library

2018 Blending with Gouache, Flemingdon Park Library

2018 Oil Painting 101, Flemingdon Park Library

2018 Colour Theory with Watercolours, Flemingdon Park Library

2018 Metamorphic Reflections (glass painting), Flemingdon Park Public Library

2018 Fun Fair, Flemingdon park

2018 Repainting Perceptions (portrait painting), Flemingdon Park Library

2017-2022 Seniors Ignite, Flemingdon Park Public Library

2017-2018 Bring to Light 2 (light painting), Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute

2017 Narrative Painting, Flemingdon Park Public Library

2017 Painting (dreamscapes), Flemingdon Health Centre

2017 Multicoloured (landscape painting), Flemingdon Park Public Library

2017 Bring to Light 1  (light painting), Flemo City Media

2016 Community (mural), Flemo City Media

2011-2016 Watercolours, Parks, Forestry and Recreation

2008-2010 Sketching, City of Toronto: Parks, Forestry and Recreation

2008 – 2010 Cartooning, City of Toronto: Parks, Forestry and Recreation

Creation Grants

2025 Skills and Career Development, Ontario Arts Council

2024 Mentorship Micro-grant, Writer’s Union of Canada

2024 Research and Creation, Canada Council for the Arts

2024 Deaf and Disability Arts, Ontario Arts Council

2023 Deaf and Disability Arts, Ontario Arts Council

2022 Career Catalyst, Ontario Arts Council

2022 Deaf and Disability Arts, Ontario Arts Council

2018 Deaf and Disability Arts, Ontario Arts Council

2017 Deaf and Disability Arts, Ontario Arts Council

2016 Learning Journey Scholarship, AVNU

Programming Grants

2024 Ontario Writers-in-the-Schools, Writer’s Union of Canada

2024 National Public Reading, Writer’s Union of Canada

2022 Community Arts Project Grant, Toronto Arts Council

2022 Artists in Communities and Schools, Ontario Arts Council

2020 Community Arts Project Grant, Toronto Arts Council

2020 Artists in Communities and Schools, Ontario Arts Council

2020 Spark Project, Cultural Hotspot

2019 Artists in Communities and Schools, Ontario Arts Council

2019 Community Arts Project Grant, Toronto Arts Council

2019 Art Reach, Toronto Arts Council

2018 Artists in Communities and Schools, Ontario Arts Council

2018 Community Arts Project Grant, Toronto Arts Council

2017 Change Up Grant, Inspirit Foundation

2017 Artists in Communities and Schools, Ontario Arts Council

2017 Pilot Project, ArtReach

2017 Spark Project, Cultural Hotspot

2017 Micro Grant, Vibe Arts

2016 Spark Project, Cultural Hotspot

Awards

2010 CNE Express Yourself Competition first place award

2009 BMO Financial Group Award

2009 Zainab Kazmi Memorial Scholarship

2009 John Andrews Memorial Scholarship