Barbara Leighton

Barbara Leighton immigrated to Canada, with her family, at the age of three. Leighton attended the Alberta College of Art in 1930, where she met her husband, famous landscape painter A. C. Leighton. The two married in 1931, and spent their honeymoon travelling and creating work in Kananaskis Country. Leighton’s collection is primarily composed of woodblock prints, woodcuts, etchings, and batiks; however, she is highly recognized for her woodblock prints that are based on her husband’s paintings. Leighton commonly signed her work with the pseudonym “Barleigh.” Leighton’s husband passed away in 1965. After his death, Barbara studied at the Alberta College of Art and Design. She received a diploma in fiber and metal crafts. In 1970, to showcase A. C. Leighton’s work, Barbara Leighton converted part of her home into a gallery. Financed by her husband’s foundation, Leighton purchased a schoolhouse and converted it into a studio. In 1974, she opened the Leighton Art Centre, which is comprised of the gallery and the studio. The Centre was designed to encourage people of all ages to learn artistic skills, such as: silversmithing, stained glass, arts and crafts, weaving, copper enameling and ceramics. The Centre is located near Millarville, Alberta and it provides artists with a breathtaking view of the Rocky Mountains and the Foothills. In 1984, Leighton won the Alberta Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions to the arts. Leighton’s legacy lives on everyday in the success of the Leighton Art Centre and in the contributions she made to encourage art in Alberta.