I need to give a special thanks to my good friend Diane
Swan, who was sweet enough to lend me her work van (that she uses to deliver
and install her gorgeous cabinetry).
I met Diane while working on the Pittsboro Community Mural
Project, which Diane co- spearheaded with youth counselor/story teller Suzanne
Robinson in around 2008. Very true to this community oriented project’s
purpose, like a vertical watering hole of creativity, the mural brought
together at its surface Chatham County artists young and old, and there on the
scaffolding, and in classrooms, Chatham County bonds (East, West, North and
South, African American, Latina and Anglo, Junior High to Senior Citizen) were
formed that last to this day.
One of the many very special friendships that I personally formed there at
the mural was Diane, and over the years since then, she has become a stedfast
friend in so many ways.
Diane, and her partner Scotty Young, are some of the most
giving people that I have ever met, and have been a real blessing to me in my life in Chatham County.
Diane has actually lent me her wonderful red Chevy van for several
important occasions, when I need to deliver big celebrity Tyrius the (50ft)
Tire Worm to events, and my little Toyota camry just wont squeeze him. One example is Reuse Conex, the US’s
first National Conference and Expo, where Tyrius performed a series of asanas
(yoga poses), inspired by the idea of Reuse, in the hotel lobby of the North
Raleigh Marriot.
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| Photograph by William Denton |
She also lent me her van to deliver Tyrius to the Festival
for the Eno last year, where Tyrius joined Orange County Solid Waste’s
menagerie of other scrap animals by such noted sculptors as Bryant Holsenbeck,
and Helen Buskol and Janey
This old chevy van reminds me of my dear old love, Sophia,
now a home to wren’s at Bobby Tucker’s Offuski Farm. However, Diane’s van hosts a lux red interior, which really
gives Tyrius, and all his little cousins a boost of rockstar glamour when we
pack in and pull up.
PACKING STRATEGY
In years previous, packing this van with tyrius, my booth
tent, walls, pedestals and various sculptures has been a bit of a challenge,
because, well, the big guy kind of hogs a lot of the space!... Therefor, I
usually must resort to packing Tyrius, in three long sections, with various
tire sculpture, creating, in essence, a van packed with three giant tire
sausages. Opening the doors upon arrival is kind of akin to cracking open a can
of Vienna sausages!
Well, this year, since I didn’t have big Tyrius dominating
the space, I was able to be a little bit more orderly in my packing strategy,
and to honest, sorry big guy, this was kind of a relief.
My strategy was simple, pack all of the supporting materials
in the back, such as long bamboo tent poles etc., where they could easily be
pulled out.
Then through the side door, pack all of my merchandise,
right behind me in the drivers seat, so I could keep an eye on it all. Because
a lot of my cargo was delicate tropical plants this year, I didn’t want to
worry about things falling on them and crushing them.
I was even able to rig up a bungy cord to the seat belt, so
that that a tall drucenia behind the passenger’s seat would stay standing in
his ‘seat’. So this system proved effective n keeping me plants safe, and me
sane.
The next day, the van faithfully delivered us to West Point
on the Eno, where I found myself at home sweet home, under that shady tree down
by the river.
