The ribbons

I just had an email from the women that did the ribbons for the sculpture asking if I had any more work for them. Does anyone reading the blog have some beading - fine beading - that they would like to have done? I can put you in touch with a group of women that can make bracelets, necklaces, belts, whatever bead-work you need. It was hard for them to make these simple red ribbons - they wanted to something much more intricate, but the red ribbon has been the symbol of solidarity in the AIDS world for decades. I needed red ribbons to catch the light as they twirled in the sunshine - the same sunshine that makes its way to every village, city and town on the earth.  Solidarity!

Party Time

Friday there was a big party at Garth Homer in the Community Access Team's (CAT) meeting room.  Why?  Because the amazing people at CAT have raised over $5,500 for several of the African projects.  They are by far positivelyAFRICA's most amazing and dependable donors! And while we, at pA couldn't be prouder of them - they are also proud of themselves. If I get permission I'll post pictures, but imagine a room where the walls are adorned with pictures of children, pigs, chickens, trucks (including the Osopet Water truck) and water tanks as well as pA volunteers receiving cheque after cheque from these amazing souls.  It was a humbling afternoon.  I thought fundraising was difficult, but they have shown me that with persistence and a strong will thousands and thousands of dollars can be raised, five cents at a time. They have been collecting recyclable pop, beer, wine bottles for the past 5 years. Amazing.

Here is the cake!

 

After I rested a bit, I headed over to get a tiny bit involved in the creation of the box which will carry the sculpture across the country.  Family and friends of Cathy and I have been busy measuring, sawing, drilling, screwing together and painting the blue box for the sculpture. Tomorrow we will secure the box onto the truck, and then tuck the sculptrue carefully away for its' long ride. Again I want to get permission before posting pictures of the work crew hard at for days.

The Cross Canada Cocktail Party 'Send-Off' is today and what could be better than having three beautiful women arrive at your door laden with food. Cooking with them! It was a blast, lots of talk and laughter. I learned that I cut pineapple just like my friend's grandmother. Here are the three helpers at the door - ready to cook - before they adorned their cocktail dresses!

What happens when you get the counter covered with delicious food and these wonderful friends preparing food? Have a look for yourself.

Thanks to everyone who made the sculpture and the send off party possible. Time to get into my own cocktail dress.  See you all soon.  

Beads Shining in the Sunlight

Today was a busy day. Thanks to follow-up efforts of a friend I did two more interviews today - and the photographers to go with them. It meant less time to work on hanging the beautiful red ribbons, but I am hoping the articles will encourage people here to share the trip with their friends across the country.  It would also be wonderful to have a few more people coming to the sendoff party on Sunday! Some friends are busy preparing delicious food! If you plan to come don't forget to R.S.V.P. to VPWAs.

If you are tired of reading the blog - or following the preparations on Facebook - keep your eyes out for articles in Monday Magazine, the Times Colonist, and the Black Press's Oak Bay News.

One thing I will say about the cocktail glass - it is photogenic! But it's hard to step far enough back on the deck. It was so funny to watch the photographers lying on the deck looking up or walking down the ramp to get further away from the glass, which is safely positioned under the glass roof of the deck.

Here is an image of the beads.  I am about half done!

While I have been here mixing epoxy and glue, friends from Uculet were busy building the box that will hold the precious cargo as Cathy and I roll east. It was too dark to take a picture tonight, but I hope to take a couple on Wednesday. when we lift it into the truck, and make sure that any tweaking can happen before the last screw is secured. Like the sculpture, the box has been created out of mostly recycled materials.  It's already beautiful, but a little paint and the artistry of my friends and it will look dashing - which is exactly what it will do!! 

I called the truck Babe, after Paul Bunyan's Blue Ox, when I bought it, because it was the powerful force that allowed me to carry a couple of things from my family home west.  'So Babe' is about to get a saddle. He must be excited.

'This is Not a Cocktail Party' is Close to Finished

I am back from Vancouver, and still feeling a bit under the weather.  It's always tough reaching out and not getting off centre.  So many of my positive women friends want to do amazing things in the communities that they live and thrive in - and they are - but our energy levels are not boundless. Sigh. We are alive, but need to be mindful of self-care.

Was it just yesterday, or Wednesday, that Monday Magazine sent a wonderful writer around to do an article on the Cocktail Glass. For her to photograph the piece, we moved the 'shorty' out of the basement, and began the involved task of dis-assembly and re-assembly. Eventually the tall, elegant cocktail glass stood alone on the deck. It was an overcast rainy day and I am grateful to have a covered space high enough for the sculpture. It took 5 people and lots of patience, but here are a few images of me and the glass. I will post other people if I get their permission. I certainly did not do it alone!!

The last shot is tightening the bolt on the rod that holds the base to the bowl and runs through the stem.  We have new ideas about how to protect the sculpture for its cross Canada trip, and these involve extending the rod and tethering it securely into the box that the sculpture will be protected by.

I am still hoping to collect a few more of the HIV medication bottles that I am missing.  Some I have used, like saquinivir and indinivir.  Others I do not know - like Tipanivir and Maraviroc. As I llok at the stem and the drugs and supplements that have kept us alive people ask if I know the dollar value of these drugs.  I'm getting that information, but know that it is huge.  It is so much better to educate people and stop the spread of HIV, than to medicate. That is the conversation I hope to ahve as we move from city to city and town to town.

Below are few of the precious meds. I am so lucky and grateful to be alive! I have to say a huge thanks to all the researchers for the science that has gone into HIV and the production of these drugs.

The Vancouver story

We returned safely from Vancouver, but not without getting sick - darn it all! But it means I will move slowly through the next couple of weeks.

A few pictures tell the story.  Excuse any duplicates please.

The installation began by unloading the shorty sculpture - which traveled very well in the back of a cube van. The truck's ramp and the wheels on the base of the sculpture helped too.  We are hoping it will do as well in the Blue Ox - Babe, a.k.a. - the truck.

Once inside the Conference Centre, we attached the 'long' stem, with all the HIV medication bottles on it, and lowered the bowl into place.  The nut that holds it all together (as opposed to the nut who made it) was attached to the metal rod that joins bottom to top. Finally the ropes were untied and the wooden carrying/lifting supports removed and the sculpture stood alone. Well not really.  People gathered under it to chat and discuss pill consumption, criminalization of HIV, drug costs and so much more. This was the most exciting for me.  I don't share images of this because I didn't ask people if I could post their pictures - but I understand that there were plenty of images shared. Here is a friend and I chatting.

I placed a few of the red ribbons on the sculpture, but was distracted by the Conference.  They look fantastic. It was a very interesting few days, with other artists showing their work, great conversations, oral presentations and posters, as well as the exchanges that take place at big meetings.

All too soon it was time to pack up and leave.  After the closing ceremonies Sunday, it was amazing how people disappeared.  I was grateful to my traveling companion, the hotel staff and one deligate who offered to help.  He had also been involved in an art installation at the meeting - photos of life for those living in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Here he is assisting with the return loading.You can see that a couple of bottles need to be replaced on the base - which was the most exposed part of the sculpture.

Pictures from the Conference

The Conference was ready for us with a large floor space set aside for the sculpture. Here is everything set up.  The orange sign on the stem is my "wanted" sign. I am still missing about 8 HIV medication bottles!

Below is one of my favourite signs. This picture was taken at a gathering of women aver tea yesterday afternoon. So sad for all the people who care - we have problems related to criminalization, safe injection sites and HIV care.  This Conference is all about research. 

 I know that you will want to see the things I should have posted Thursday when we arrived - but I was just to tired.  Above is a picture of the sculpture as we opened the doors of the van.  Everything made the trip safely.

We arrived at 2 p.m. and unloaded and set up for the next couple of hours, ate and crashed. I had plenty of help but don't like posting images of others on my blog so, sorry, all you see is a hint of the help I had.

Below I am setting the bolt that actually holds the whole glass up.  It was an amazing moment when the two fellows who were holding the wooden supports let go and the sculpture stood on its own.

It has been a successful trip. I have met a few people who are excited and promise to set up the parties across the country. So I will try to post another image before we leave. Apparently people have been tweeting the sculpture. I still have a bit of work to do on the sculpture.

On the Road - Test Drive

Amazing but true.  We are waiting for the ferry which will take us to the Canadian AIDS and HIV Research Conference at the Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver. And the sculpture - with its wee transportation stem is loaded in the back of Dutch's van. The proof is in the pictures.

Again and again I realize that I cannot do this alone. I know that transporting the giant is a community effort. I also getting a few messages to put inside the bottles. Blessings to sail across the country with.
Our route has us zigzagging through BC and then I think Cathy is taking over the navigation role.  I seem better at building cocktail glasses. 

The Victoria (First) Cocktail party is in the planning stages. If I can post from the BC Ferry parking lot, I should be able to keep you posted.

See you soon. -peg

 

It took three hours to load safely! 

Wanted - Dead Empty

That was not an earthquake. I shouted YIPEE as I glued the last pill bottle on the bowl of the cocktail glass at 10:37 a.m. April 10, 2013. Sorry for the noise.

I still have the beautiful ribbons which will be added in Vancouver where I will work as artist in residence at the Canadian AIDS Research Conference. This is not an official title.  The organizers think I have finished the sculpture.  Where did I put my beret and smock?

I am still looking for a few empty pill bottles so have created a 'Wanted" add.  Please cut, copy and send to anyone who might be able to help me.

WANTED

The following HIV medicine  bottles, dead (empty) but in good readable condition!!

• Abacivir
• Delaviridine
• Enfuviritide
• Maraviroc
• Fosaqmprenavir
• Indinair
• Ripivine
• Saquinavir
• Tipanavir
• Trizivir

 
Contact Peggy Frank 250-891-6345 or pegfrank@gmail.com

Oh my - One side is almost done!

Here is what the final placement of the pill bottles will look like. I have to admit that three is another side that is still needing pill bottling... Thanks Deb for this picture and so much else.

Please notice the lab coat that I am wearing.  It was my Dad's.  I am not sure how old it is, but he graduated from Veterinary College in about 1945. He didn't work much in the lab after that - mostly told helped other people get their funding for work that needed to be done. I like imagining that he wore it for his University labs as I use it every day for this massive project. It's been a great way to save my cloths from glue!

Eight inches to completion

Here are pictures taken last night after I finished gluing bottles onto the sculpture.

May 7th - Cleaning the Last Bottles

 

I think these are the last bottles I need to soak, scrape, oil, scrub, soap and sand. 

It is amazing to think that the sculpture will soon be completed.  Well - there are still 130 beautiful red beaded ribbons from Kenya to place on the bowl... I am tired but oh so happy with the result.

Spring is blooming all around me

I have had my head down - but can't help but notice the blossoms as I drive down the streets or walk through the garden here.  Its snowing pink in Victoria while the rest of Canada watches out for more of the white stuff! My little pagoda lilies are abloom too.  They remind of two wonderful places - Peggy Packard's garden, where I first saw them look so happy; and the maple forest in St Antoine de Tilly, where the wild lilies look a lot like these - and I seem to recall are called 'Hound's tooth violet'. Why would someone take such a pretty flower and give it such a name? 

Today, on the sculpture, I decided that a round of the beautiful tourqoise bottles would fininsh the bottom of the sculpture. This meant cutting pill bottles in half, cleaning the melted plastic off them and then cleaning, sanding and giving them the alcohol bath before attaching them to the - what appears to be the top but is actually the bottom - of the bowl. What do you think?

And yes - I made more progress today with a second gluing. I am going to have something to stand proudly in front of in Vancouver. 

Picture from Yesterday

Here is a picture I took yesterday.  About to head down to work today and will post again later.

Cross Canada Cocktail Tour Schedule

Its time to post the travel plans, as firm as they are. I have been struggling to complete the gluing so the travel arrangements are not as tight as they could be.

Cathy and I leave Victoria May 1 - our goal - to enjoy driving towards St Andrews.  Below is roughly what the month looks like for us. 

If you are reading this and know a group, or even someone, in a centre across the country who would be interested in hosting an event please comment on the blog or email peggy at pegfrank@telus.net.

May 1: Depart Victoria for Vancouver and the rest of BC.

• BC engagements confirmed: Hope - May 4;  Nelson - May 6;  Prince George - May 7.

May 8 - 11: Alberta

May 12, 13: Saskatchewan

May 14,15: Manitoba

May 16 - 24: Ontario (Toronto - May 20, 21) (Ottawa - May 24)

May 26-27: Quebec (Montreal - May 26)

May 28: New Brunswick

May 29: PEI

May 30: Nova Scotia

May 31: St Andrews and Kingsbrae Gardens

THANK YOU day!

Today is the first day that did a tour around the sculpture.  Now the bottles fit on all sides so that the glass grows more colourful each day in a more symmetrical way that previously. IT really doesn't look much different than yesterday but it is!

 

It's starting to look more and more like a party.  Today as Sherry sanded and cleaned bottles while I glued I realized that everyone that has helped so much. I have my technical advisers, Nic and Dutch to thank for the very fact that the sculpture will stand up.  I have the angels that appeared and washed bottles, Carol Anne, Carolina, Cathy, Sue, Maddie as well as Sherry, and Marney who dd as many as she could.  And then the colourful bottles have poured in from everywhere - pharmacies and individuals have augmented my own supply. 

The thoughts that run through my head - aside from gratitude for my life - are concerns about how many drugs and supplements people are taking - the costs of these - and the ridiculous number of different bottles that companies use to package their products.  I estimate there to be over 200 different bottles in my collection. I haven't had time to count.

So thank you - I'm almost there - keep cheering for me.  Love  -peg

April 3 and all is going well

I have decided to post daily to keep myself heading in the best direction - i.e. working hard. 

There are many errands to do, but here is the result of my full morning's work. Do you think I can finish it in the next few days - watch carefully as I document the progress.

So the truck is being serviced and brakes changed a bit early so that they will not fail on mountain roads. I am about to hop on my bike and weave my way through town to collect the truck. My partner - Cathy - is sounding very sick and I hope that she recovers as quickly as I did from the toe surgery.

We are still wanting to make appointments to share stories with positive people across the country. I will be writing people and seeing who - like the Nelson and Prince Gorge communities - want to sit and talk about - how many pills we consume, about intimacy, about art and recycled materials, about growing older being so much better than the alternative. We're looking forward to the trip and most of all meeting people as we roll across Canada.  Please contact Cathy or I if you have a group that would like to meet us.  My email is pegfrank@telus.net.

April 2 - 9 days until the CAHR Conference

Here is the most optimistic report that I can make. The sculpture fits together and could roll easily into the van to be at the Conference in 9 days.  I still need to change the stem so the height of the darn giant doesn't make that impossible. But today a little magic made me believe again. I don't know what I would do without friends.

Anne is trying to create a Facebook page for the Cross Canada Cocktail Tour - and we have people who like the idea - but can't seem to post easily - so back to the blog...

There is still so much to do and my energy is not what it used to be - but my determination is elevated and my foot is no longer needing that so much.  Yes surgery slowed me down a bit but also kept me leached to home.

Let me share the sneak preview that we gave the neighbours.  Of course I had to call them to help lower the bowl onto the stem, so the preview was not entirely voluntary!!

All is well in plastic land.  Hope all is well for those of you who are crazy enough to follow this blog.  Love  -peg