Omar Zayed

Omar Tarek Zayed is a Toronto-based textile artist and designer whose practice explores the relationship between traditional textile craft and contemporary design methodologies. Working primarily with natural dyeing, shibori, and silkscreen, he develops hybridized approaches to both womenswear and textile-based art.

In 2024, Omar graduated from OCAD University with a BDes in Material Art & Design. His thesis project, Henna Explorations: A Bridal Proposition, was exhibited during GRADEX 109 (2024) and received the Friends of Fiber Award.

He is a past recipient of the Artscape Daniels Launchpad Bursary (2021) and has participated in group exhibitions as part of the 2024 DesignTO Festival, including Tribute at Stantec Window Gallery and Art Intelligence: The Near Future of Art in Canada, co-presented by Gallery 1313, Partial Gallery, and DesignTO.

Omar is currently an Artist-in-Residence at Harbourfront Centre Textile Studio, where he is developing a new body of work that further investigates the technical and visual boundaries of natural dye work.

“My first year at Harbourfront was an incredibly valuable experience, giving me the time, space, and support to expand my textile practice into larger scale work while experimenting with new materials and techniques. The meaningful relationships with fellow artists, mentors, and the broader creative community, has been just as invaluable as the studio work itself. This residency has strengthened my confidence as an emerging artist and opened new possibilities for my practice moving forward. ”