Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 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 Vancouver香蕉视频直播檚 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 wasn香蕉视频直播檛 unexpected, Carson said, but she didn香蕉视频直播檛 think it would happen so quickly, less than two weeks after he香蕉视频直播檇 been in Ottawa.

香蕉视频直播淲e Facetimed at least once a day, every day, sometimes 10 times a day,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淗is goal was to get the Order of Canada, and then he had told me once he had got that, he was done.香蕉视频直播�

Carson said her brother was full of 香蕉视频直播渦nconditional love,香蕉视频直播� and she香蕉视频直播檒l remember him most for his thoughtfulness and compassion for others, a legacy she said will live on forever through his artwork.

香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 why it was so bright,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭he majority of his art is bright and colourful. It makes you smile, it brings a smile to your heart and your soul.香蕉视频直播�

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 香蕉视频直播渁 revered Vancouver artist, human rights activist and philanthropist.香蕉视频直播�

Among his works, Average designed a Loonie celebrating marriage equality for the Royal Canadian Mint, while his famous 香蕉视频直播淥ne World, One Hope香蕉视频直播� painting was turned into a postage stamp.

Carson said that after her brother香蕉视频直播檚 HIV diagnosis, he was 香蕉视频直播渘ot given very long香蕉视频直播� to live, but 香蕉视频直播渉e beat the odds.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淗e brought AIDS to the limelight,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen people first got it, people didn香蕉视频直播檛 touch them. People didn香蕉视频直播檛 want to be in the same rooms. They were pariahs and it香蕉视频直播檚 not like that anymore. His legacy is it香蕉视频直播檚 OK to be who you are and to be loved for whoever you are.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淓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,香蕉视频直播� Montaner said.

Montaner said it was in 1996 when Vancouver hosted the International Aids Conference, and Average香蕉视频直播檚 painting 香蕉视频直播淥ne World, One Hope香蕉视频直播� came to symbolize the progress made in solving 香蕉视频直播渢he problem that was HIV at the time.香蕉视频直播�

Montaner said news of Average香蕉视频直播檚 death brought sadness and 香蕉视频直播渕ixed emotions.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝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 we香蕉视频直播檙e grateful,香蕉视频直播� Montaner said.

He said he香蕉视频直播檇 last seen Average on Dec. 3, ahead of his visit to Ottawa to receive the Order of Canada, and Montaner said he香蕉视频直播檇 never seen him happier.

He loved life deeply and profoundly,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淗is paintings show that.香蕉视频直播�

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 香蕉视频直播渧ery impressed香蕉视频直播� by the young artist香蕉视频直播檚 work, and steered him away from exhibiting in commercial galleries that took large percentages of sales.

He said after being diagnosed, Average香蕉视频直播檚 work 香蕉视频直播渢ook off香蕉视频直播� as he began championing philanthropic causes related to HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ issues.

香蕉视频直播淗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,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd the word got out that this philanthropic young artist was doing beautiful work of great quality and being generous with it.香蕉视频直播�

Harding said a 香蕉视频直播渂ig highlight香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淗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,香蕉视频直播� Harding said.

Harding said he and Average travelled to Ottawa together for the Order of Canada ceremony this month.

香蕉视频直播淗e was ecstatic. He was just shining,香蕉视频直播� Harding said. 香蕉视频直播淚t was just an accolade that put the cherry on the top of his life.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淎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.香蕉视频直播�

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press