Beverly Erdreich

I remember when I first was introduced to Toni, shortly after Stanley and I married and I moved to Birmingham in the 60’s. She was so beautiful and so delightfully feminine; it was hard to realize how smart she was! We were both eager to learn more about art, meet artists, and become involved in the local art community, never dawning on us that there were opportunities for artists beyond Birmingham! As the years went by we became closer, sharing philosophies about art, information on materials and techniques, sources, etc. Toni was always two steps ahead of everyone else, inquisitive, full of adventure, with a soul filled with beauty. Our friendship enlarged into knowing her family and loving Albert and their kids as well. One of the most memorable moments we shared was attending an encaustic workshop in Kingston, NY, spending four days together trying to meet the new challenge of the medium and the unusual mix of people in the class. We laughed our way through and managed to learn something along the way. Toni was the most generous artist in Birmingham. No one ever came to her whom she did not graciously help, with no effect too large if she believed in the cause. She once did the sets for a local production and afterwards allowed them to cut up the canvases and sell it by the inch for a fundraiser! No box was large enough to suppress her creative mind.

Beverly B. Erdreich graduated from Newcomb College in 1961 with a degree in Art History. Working as a professional artist for most of her adult life, she has had over 25 one-woman shows in both commercial galleries and museums. Beverly’s work hangs in the Birmingham Museum of Art, Montgomery Museum of Fine Art, and other regional museums, corporate art collections, and private homes. When she is not in her studio in Birmingham, she and her husband Stanley enjoy traveling, visiting their children and grandchildren, and struggling with bridge.