Beverley Ann Reid passed away peacefully at Hardy View Lodge, Grand Forks on Monday, October 14, 2019 at the age of 83 years.
Beverley was born in Regina. She was predeceased by her parents Fred and Margaret Williams and her brother Patrick. She is survived by her husband Richard Reid and her much-loved nieces, nephews and cousins.
After receiving her Fine Arts Diploma from the University of Manitoba in1956, Bev worked as a display designer. A year later, she moved to San Miguel de Allende with fellow artists (including her future husband) and painted. After her six month Mexican sojourn Bev became Chief Designer for Walker Display Co. in Vancouver. Richard was soon to follow and a courtship unfolded. They married February 27th, 1960 and left the very next day for Europe. They explored the continent in a VW camper before settling and working in London. She and Richard established a display business where she designed and made window design props, mostly fibreglass works, for several major retailers (including Harrods, Selfridges, Liberty) and for television. This highly successful endeavour afforded Bev and Richard the luxury of working for three or four months a year, and travelling and painting for the remaining months.
In 1964 the VW van was shipped to New York and Bev and Richard drove it across Canada to make their home in Richmond, BC. Bev had a studio made on their property and continued her innovative fibreglass works until eventually finding her passion in fabric arts. After purchasing land at Christina Lake, summers were spent developing their property and home and in 1979 they moved in.
Although Beverley shied away from the limelight, she left her mark on the arts community. She was a co-founder of the Grand Forks Art Gallery and served as its first curator from 1984-1989. In addition to curating about 20 exhibitions, she led other artistic projects in the area and juried various exhibitions across BC and beyond. Her own work was displayed in many group exhibitions throughout the country and one of her numerous solo exhibitions toured as far away as Spremberg, Germany. Beverley’s most recent collection, Hanging by a Thread, was exhibited at Gallery 2 in 2013.
Beverley was also known for her extraordinary gardens. They were an inspiration not only to her work, but also her generous hospitality and renowned culinary talent. The garden was her sanctuary, her life force. She designed and built the 12,000 square foot Peace Garden at the original Hardy View Lodge while her mother was a resident there. The healing garden was designed with the needs of dementia patients in mind and provided an opportunity for residents to tend some of the plants that were in raised beds.
On the last long road
When I fall and fail to rise….
I’ll bed with flowers – Sora
Messages of sympathy may be sent to Richard at PO Box 151, Grand Forks V0H 1H0. Cremation arrangements are in the care of Gwen Ziprick of Alternatives Funeral & Cremation Services, Trail. You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence.
There will be no formal funeral service by Beverley’s own request. Donations in her memory may be made to Grand Forks Art Gallery Society Permanent Collection Fund in Grand Forks. There will be a celebration of Beverley’s life announced at a future date.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Beverley Ann Reid October 14th 2019..
Décès pour la Ville: Trail, Province: Colombie britanique