Alfred Crocker Leighton (1901-1956) was a prominent Canadian artist born in Hastings, Sussex. Although he initially pursued architecture as his father wished, Leighton’s early talent in drawing persisted. During World War I, he joined the Royal Flying Corps illegally but sustained injuries in a crash that would trouble him for life.
In 1924, Leighton gained recognition with a scale model of the port of Liverpool, leading to a role with Canadian Pacific where he was introduced to the Canadian Rockies. His early Canadian works, created while traveling by train and sketching landscapes, were destroyed in World War II bombings.
Leighton’s second trip to Canada in 1927 included exhibitions in Banff and Calgary. He returned in 1929 to continue his Canadian explorations and showcased his work across several cities. That same year, he became the Art Director at the Art Institute of Calgary, where he also met and married Barbara Mary Harvey in 1931.
Leighton founded the Alberta Society of Artists in 1931 and was its first president. He contributed to the establishment of the Banff School of Fine Arts and exhibited at the Vancouver Art Gallery in 1935. Exhausted from his work, Leighton took a break in England in 1936 and resigned from his position in 1938.
Below are some of his paintings:
