To view a larger image file, click here.

“PARADISE LOST”
ANONYMOUS CHILD

The anonymous child panel was created out of pure love and says it all. The confidentiality surrounding this child and her family prevents any details.

A precious life was cut short because of an AIDS-related condition, and a group of caring people wished to create this memorial, not even having known her.

“Paradise Lost” is a poem by Milton and Tracey Shepherd, one of the primary panel makers, decided that it was a really appropriate name for this panel.

To view a larger image file, click here.

The feelings were very mixed while making Adrian’s Quilt. Initially frustrating, trying to get some inspiration for ideas that were meaningful. Then exciting as friends joined in and contributed their ideas and designs. This then led to a creative sort of calm as it all came together.

We laughed and talked about Adrian and to Adrian and we’re sure he was laughing back at us and with us!

Finally seeing the panel unveiled and displayed was very emotional and healing – seeing something creative and tangible and knowing it was certainly a really worthwhile project in many, many ways!

Adrian always seemed a very special person, even when he was very young. He could talk and charm people of all ages and was really quite irrepressible and mischievous. He could make people laugh so easily and often. His talents were many, from dancing to creating lovely clothes – which became his career. He loved people and travelling – which he did a lot of. He was very sensitive and caring about people and their feelings and could be very wise and serious as well as humorous.

He certainly enriched our lives and still is by the many happy memories and lovely friends we know because of Adrian. Yes, you were very special!

Love, Mum and Dad

To view a larger image file, click here.

Dermont, Paul K. and Johnathon were all good friends of my brother (Robin Murie). Two of them were New Zealanders, all passed away in Sydney, Australia.

I believe that my brother would have created panels for each of them, had he been able. However, due to his deteriorating health, this was not possible.

When I created a panel for my brother, I felt it was important to create this other one for his friends, and sew them next to each other, so they would forever be joined in friendship and love. The Quilt has enabled this to happen.

I didn’t know these friends in a personal manner. Knowing their likes and dislikes would have enabled me to create a more personal panel for them. So what I have done is used candles with burning flames to symbolise Remembrance, Love, and yes, Loss. Like an eternal flame, they will never be extinguished.

What more can I say?

With love,
Nicki

To view a larger image file, click here.

“HOPE LOVE PEACE JOY”
Meagan’s panel for all

I am a 15-year-old at the time of creating this panel.

I wanted to do something for ALL those who live with HIV and AIDS.

To offer them Hope, Love, Peace and Joy. These four words I actually got from a Christmas card. And as Christmas is supposed to be a time of goodwill for humankind, I thought it really appropriate.

It’s also a panel dedicated to my Uncle Robin. I was born on Uncle Robin’s 18th birthday, and over 15 years we had double cakes and goodies whenever we could be together. Always phone calls if we couldn’t be together for other reasons.

Now my birthdays will never be the same, there will always be something, more importantly, someone, missing. I will always love and miss him and will live my life to be tolerant of all people, just the way he taught me to be.

Love and care for each other, always. Remember with Hope, Love, Peace and Joy we can live in a world free of prejudice and indifference.

Wouldn’t that be “Heaven”?

With my love,
Megan

To view a larger image file, click here.

I created this panel for my brother, Robin Thomas Murie, for many reasons. To help deal with anger directed at the extended family who weren’t there for him on his “coming out”, who wasn’t there to help and support him through all his AIDS-related conditions, but were all at his funeral. I couldn’t understand.

I wrote the ‘corny verse’ and read it at his funeral. I was trying to tell them he had the same ups and downs as the rest of us, he was never any different. Sure, he drove me crazy at times, but he was and will always be my baby brother; someone very special, someone I will always love unconditionally.

The colour blue, for one of his favourites.
The floral fabric in forget-me-nots, forget him I never will.
Flowers, how he loved flowers.
The little rainbow for hope, for his eternal peace.
The silver and blue braid, just to give him a little glitter because he loved a little glitter in his life.

He was certainly one of the world’s gentle people and I will miss him until we meet again.

Nicki Eddy
His ever loving sister
X X X

To view a larger image file, click here.

Patrick was born April 8, 1958, in Wanganui. He loved music from a very early age, fostered by his paternal grandfather, Rangitahi Rahuparae, and great-grandmother, Wiki Pumipi, singing to him as they nursed him while a baby. He moved to Hastings at the age of 2 with his family.

His interest in music grew, and at age 5 his Auntie Kura gave him a piano. He loved this and when it was time to take lessons his teacher felt he had a natural talent. He was already playing by ear and could play whatever she showed him. He learnt to read music enough for him and then switched to guitar – electric and acoustic. He then formed a band while at the high school called “Bare Footed Flunks”. He was also a secondary school rep in athletics for Hawkes Bay.

He continued to improve and then moved to Wellington and played a big part in forming bands down there, these being “Make”, “Xit” and “Exodus”. His playing became well known and in 1984 he auditioned and moved to Sydney to play for Tukitimu Trust in nightclubs. He continued to experience many forms of music, and came back to Hastings in 1987 and assisted with music schemes.

He also became well known as a lighting and sound expert and assisted at many big venues, notably Sesqui, The Hui Aranga, and the Ratana Music Hui, plus taking part in Maori Culture. He joined “Zig Zag” and travelled with them. He also toured with Davinius, Eddie Low and the Drifters. In between these tours, he went home to Ohakune and formed his own family band “Blue Steel” which did many Maori and Polynesian shows in the central and lower North Island.

His preferred styles of music emulated Stevie Ray Vaughan and Gary Moore, plus other greats like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

His work, his hobby, and, indeed, his whole life was dedicated to music. He enjoyed the pleasure it gave to others, often playing without any monetary reward. And this is how we remember Paddy, in the sharing of the great talent he had.

He died at Napier Hospital on November 21, 1990.

Written by his mother, Mrs Claire Robinson, Hastings.

To view a larger image file, click here.

SHARING THE CHALLENGE

A Memorial Fundraiser for FREDDIE MERCURY
Created to travel alongside The Freddie Mercury Memorial Quilt (see Panel below this one on this block).

This Quilt was sewn as a fundraiser whereby the community was asked to donate a sum of money towards The Quilt Project and for that, they could write a tribute to Freddie Mercury in one of the 144 squares.

So the makers of this Quilt are all those wonderful people who gave both their special thoughts about Freddie and their money to such a terrific cause.

There were some people who thought it was a bit tasteless, but the majority were really responsive and supportive.

The panel was taken to The Bar/Staircase, Vulcan Lane, QE II Square, and Downtown. While out and about, it gave us a great chance to spread the word, both for The Quilt Project and HIV education.

It was a lot of hard work but we felt truly rewarded afterwards with the tremendous support.

Written by Nicki Eddy on behalf of Warren Butler and all the others who contributed.

To view a larger image file, click here.

This Quilt was made to honour the man and his music.

Freddie’s Quilt was made just before Christmas 1991, only a couple of weeks after his death.

Warren Butler was a real fan of Freddie’s and came up with the idea of doing a fundraiser using Freddie as the ‘draw card’. This Quilt was made along with one divided into 144 squares (Sharing The Challenge – see Panel above this one on this block). Both were taken throughout Auckland and in exchange for a $5 or more donation, people could write into a square their reflections about Freddie and his music.

Warren raced about to 2nd hand shops and record shops looking for a record cover to put on the Quilt. In a state of exhaustion, he finally found one, and a really appropriate one it was too, “I Was Born to Love You”. That’s how Freddie felt about his adoring fans and how his fans felt about him.

Freddie was the lead singer of “Queen” and for 20 years remained popular. Songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” will, no doubt, live on forever.

We decided to keep the Quilt plain and simple. Bryce inscribed the music symbols and lettering. Megan filled in the colouring and helped to sew.

Freddie and his music will live on in our hearts for a very long time and those of us that remain will continue to see “The Show Must Go On” in the fight against AIDS. That Freddie told a stunned world he was HIV positive the day before he died shows this epidemic still has a stigma of fear.

This Quilt was made with love and lots of happy memories.

Love, Nicki, Warren, Bryce and Megan