Works by the prolific England-born sculptor and painter Roy Leadbeater, a long-time neighbour and close friend of the home’s current resident, are on display from the front yard all the way through the home. Many of the works were commissioned by the occupant of the home.
“I’ve always been a collector,” the current renter and art enthusiast says.
A lifetime art lover and collector, the current resident moved his art (and other belongings) into the home in May, and quickly filled the walls, nooks and crannies with paintings and sculptures. In the dining room hang three striking Emma Jensen portraits, along with vintage radios from Switzerland — among many more sculptures and paintings.
“Roy Leadbeater changed my life,” the renter says of his late friend, who passed away in 2017. Tucked behind the kitchen, in the back of the home, is a room dedicated to Leadbeater’s work. Paintings line the walls and sculptures sit on pedestals, a gallery exclusively filled with Leadbeaters.
Previously, the renter owned a condo on Jasper Ave, before moving to the west end, convinced he wouldn’t move back downtown — until he found this Wîhkwêntôwin home. “I like a house, I like a yard,” he says. Luckily, this home has a great yard — surely the envy of his neighbours.
Art doesn’t just hang on the walls or sit on shelves — many of the steel and glass tables throughout the home are works of art themselves, with sculptural details and engaging shapes and colours. This home is really a canvas for art.
“Art is about the experience,” he says. Each piece in this home has a story, and the resident is happy to share each of them, encouraging guests to interact with the art.
This treasure chest of a home proves even a rental can be filled with character and beauty.
Ballet Edmonton’s Home Tour takes place on September 13 & 14, 2025. This annual fundraiser allows patrons to see inside a curated selection of beautiful private homes while supporting the arts in Edmonton.
This article appears in the September 2025 issue of Edify
This content was produced in partnership with the advertiser by Odvod Publishing for commercial purposes.
