Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 Joe Average was an artist, advocate and activist whose bright, multicoloured images were as multi-faceted as his existence.
But his sister Karin Carson says she used to giggle about his fame and always called him by Brock, his given name.
Carson, who lives in Falkland, B.C., outside Vernon, said her brother died peacefully in his home on Christmas Eve, frail from the medications he needed to manage his HIV-positive status, a condition he lived with for four decades.
Average, who was 67, was an advocate for people living with HIV and terminal illnesses, as well as marriage equality and LGBTQ+ rights.
His vivid pop-style art has been a part of Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 cityscape since the 1980s, according to the citation for the Order of Canada, which he received on Dec. 12, adding to the Order of B.C. he received in 2021.
His death wasn91裸聊视频檛 unexpected, Carson said, but she didn91裸聊视频檛 think it would happen so quickly, less than two weeks after he91裸聊视频檇 been in Ottawa.
91裸聊视频淲e Facetimed at least once a day, every day, sometimes 10 times a day,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淗is goal was to get the Order of Canada, and then he had told me once he had got that, he was done.91裸聊视频�
Carson said her brother was full of 91裸聊视频渦nconditional love,91裸聊视频� and she91裸聊视频檒l remember him most for his thoughtfulness and compassion for others, a legacy she said will live on forever through his artwork.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 why it was so bright,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭he majority of his art is bright and colourful. It makes you smile, it brings a smile to your heart and your soul.91裸聊视频�
Average, who was born Brock David Tebbutt in 1957 in Victoria, was diagnosed with HIV at 27 years old, at a time when the diagnosis was widely considered a death sentence.
But instead the diagnosis shaped his life, as he advocated for others with HIV, shared his personal story, and donated his art to charities supporting people with terminal illnesses, his Order of Canada citation says.
It says he was 91裸聊视频渁 revered Vancouver artist, human rights activist and philanthropist.91裸聊视频�
Among his works, Average designed a Loonie celebrating marriage equality for the Royal Canadian Mint, while his famous 91裸聊视频淥ne World, One Hope91裸聊视频� painting was turned into a postage stamp.
Carson said that after her brother91裸聊视频檚 HIV diagnosis, he was 91裸聊视频渘ot given very long91裸聊视频� to live, but 91裸聊视频渉e beat the odds.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淗e brought AIDS to the limelight,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲hen people first got it, people didn91裸聊视频檛 touch them. People didn91裸聊视频檛 want to be in the same rooms. They were pariahs and it91裸聊视频檚 not like that anymore. His legacy is it91裸聊视频檚 OK to be who you are and to be loved for whoever you are.91裸聊视频�
Dr. Julio Montaner, executive director of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, said he met Average as a patient sometime in the late 80s or early 90s.
Montaner said he worked closely with Average, who had been diagnosed when there was limited understanding about how to treat and manage the virus. He said he met with Average continually as they worked on an effective treatment regimen.
91裸聊视频淓ventually we found a way forward and he would have been the first to tell you that despite many scars and a lot of struggles, he got his wish to live to an old age and enjoy himself just as much as anybody else,91裸聊视频� Montaner said.
Montaner said it was in 1996 when Vancouver hosted the International Aids Conference, and Average91裸聊视频檚 painting 91裸聊视频淥ne World, One Hope91裸聊视频� came to symbolize the progress made in solving 91裸聊视频渢he problem that was HIV at the time.91裸聊视频�
Montaner said news of Average91裸聊视频檚 death brought sadness and 91裸聊视频渕ixed emotions.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been a little bit under the weather all day thinking about Joe, but at the same time, he made it quite a long while, far, far beyond what he ever thought that was possible, and for that we91裸聊视频檙e grateful,91裸聊视频� Montaner said.
He said he91裸聊视频檇 last seen Average on Dec. 3, ahead of his visit to Ottawa to receive the Order of Canada, and Montaner said he91裸聊视频檇 never seen him happier.
He loved life deeply and profoundly,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淗is paintings show that.91裸聊视频�
Michael Harding said he first met Joe Average, then still known as Brock Tebbutt, in 1983 while working as an art gallery curator in Victoria.
Harding was 91裸聊视频渧ery impressed91裸聊视频� by the young artist91裸聊视频檚 work, and steered him away from exhibiting in commercial galleries that took large percentages of sales.
He said after being diagnosed, Average91裸聊视频檚 work 91裸聊视频渢ook off91裸聊视频� as he began championing philanthropic causes related to HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ issues.
91裸聊视频淗is work also changed. He started off doing kind of pastels and then he went into these vivid paintings that people tend to recognize as his work now,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd the word got out that this philanthropic young artist was doing beautiful work of great quality and being generous with it.91裸聊视频�
Harding said a 91裸聊视频渂ig highlight91裸聊视频� for Average was meeting Diana, then Princess of Wales, at her request when she visited Canada in 1991, and his career continued to blossom as he became a public champion in the fight against AIDS.
91裸聊视频淗e really became a spokesperson in many ways for the fight against AIDS, but also for the value of creativity, because creativity pretty well kept him alive,91裸聊视频� Harding said.
Harding said he and Average travelled to Ottawa together for the Order of Canada ceremony this month.
91裸聊视频淗e was ecstatic. He was just shining,91裸聊视频� Harding said. 91裸聊视频淚t was just an accolade that put the cherry on the top of his life.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淎nd what a way to go, to get the Order of Canada and then to go to sleep on Christmas Eve and off you go. No pain, you know? Beautiful.91裸聊视频�
Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press
