Barb Temple

Barb Temple is a Calgary-based artist working from her home studio, where she creates handcrafted, one-of-a-kind jewelry that embraces imperfection, intuition, and the raw beauty of the natural world.

As a child, Barb was always happiest with a pen and paper in hand. She discovered metalsmithing in the 1990s through a weekend course, followed by a night class at the Alberta College of Art + Design—and was instantly hooked. Her path led her north, working in remote tree planting camps, lookout towers, and drilling sites. In the winters, she trained as a pilot, earning her commercial license and flying floatplanes in northern Manitoba before joining the air ambulance service in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

After settling into life with her partner Phil and raising two children, Barb opened a successful in-home hair salon in 2010- 2024. In 2015, she returned to metalsmithing through weekly classes with Shona Rae at The Blackboard Studio, reigniting her creative spark. When the pandemic brought unexpected stillness in 2020, she set up a home studio — giving herself the time and space to experiment, explore, and find her own artistic voice.

Barb’s current work blends enamel, sterling silver, and repurposed tin. Her pieces are tactile, expressive, and often feature organic forms, movement, and quiet details that invite closer attention.

In 2024, Barb founded Maker’s Dozen, a collective of thirteen Calgary-based jewelry artists. She curated and organized The Earring Edition, a month-long group exhibition at Sparrow ArtSpace in November 2024. The show later moved to the Alberta Craft Council, where it was featured from April to June 2025.