Leighton History (cont.)
Range Gossip, Barbara Harvey Leighton
Canadian C.P.E., A.S.A. [1911-1986]
Colour woodcut on paper, Ed. #11/100
10 3/4 x 14 3/4 ins.
At ACAD she found the support of young artists who were attracted to the Leighton history and the artistic and natural wealth of their home and property. In 1970 Barbara sold half of her quarter-section to invest in the purchase for $1,000 of the abandoned 1919 Ballyhamage one room schoolhouse. Her friends pitched in to help restore the old school house and convert it to an art studio. A few years later a weaving studio and pottery studio were added, but the red one room schoolhouse remains to this day the heart of the Centre’s children’s programs.
Ballyhamage One Room School House (2005)
In 1974 with the support of her friends, Barbara officially opened the Leighton Centre. The Centre had quickly become a gathering place for budding and professional artists and children. Many had come to discover their artistic talents by exploring the beauty found in the Leighton’s home and surrounding fields. Barbara turned her home into a gallery and museum so that she could exhibit AC’s paintings, as well as works by other prominent Alberta artists such as Stan Perrott, Barbara Ballachey, Jim and Marion Nichol, Rick Grandmaison, Janet Mitchell, Roland Gissing, lllingworth Kerr, and sculptor Richard Roenisch.
Leighton Home (2005)
“I let my students experiment and do practical work right off, instead of teaching design first, as you are supposed to:’ Barbara said. “How can you understand just what you can do with a material, and thereby design for it, if you have never worked with it?”
This approach appealed to artists, said Rob Ollerenshaw, an architectural designer and current member of the board of directors. Rob became a friend of Leighton’s while taking silversmith classes in the early ‘70s. “The focus was on the experience of making art and having fun. She felt there was artistic ability in everyone and all they needed was an avenue to express it,” says Ollerenshaw.
Barbara brought out the enthusiasm for nature by creating works of art from nature. She had the children use willow branches, bark, spruce cones, and stones and believed that giving them the opportunity to explore the aspen groves and prairie grasses was as important as art instruction.
^ Barbara teaching a student to weave
^ Barbara with Students
An Alberta Achievement Award, in recognition of her contribution to the province’s art community was presented to Barbara in 1984.
Barbara Leighton died at home in her garden room on April 18, 1986 at 77 years of age. She died believing that ‘If I’ve taught one child to look down and see a beautiful flower, I’ll be completely contented.” She is buried next to A.C. in the Millarville cemetery.
Today, Barbara’s legacy is still very much alive as about 12,000 children attend the centre annually and about 10,000 people visit the gallery each year.
The non-profit foundation raises funds through school and adult classes, summer camps, art sales, fundraisers and a strong membership base of 700 regular members and artist members. Its programs are supported by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Calgary Regional Arts Foundation and Museums Alberta.