Barbara Mary Harvey Leighton, known as Barleigh, was a Canadian artist born in Plymouth, England. She moved to Alberta, Canada, in 1911 and studied at the Provincial Institute of Design and Technology in Calgary, where she met and married Alfred (A.C.) Leighton in 1931. Barbara continued to create woodblock prints and support her husband's career. She was a member of the Canadian Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers and the Alberta Society of Artists.
In 1941, the Leightons moved to Chilliwack, BC, but later returned to Alberta. After A.C. Leighton's death in 1965, Barbara pursued further education in the arts and produced linocuts and woodcuts based on his works. She signed her prints as "Barleigh."
In 1970, Barbara established the Leighton Art Centre in Calgary, a gallery and craft center. She received the Alberta Achievement Award in 1984 for her contributions to the arts. Barbara Leighton passed away in 1986.
Here are some of her notable paintings:
