The feeling of happiness is often amplified when its predecessor is sadness and loss. Those emotions are exactly what Phil Butterworth has experienced over the past two days, as the collaborative art project he’s a part of, Blazin’ Lily Gals, was stolen Wednesday evening, along with thousands of dollars worth of equipment and a white cube truck.
Most of it, however, was found a day later — thanks to a cry for help on social media.
“We went and parked the van and all of our stuff at our friend’s shop, just by Chinook Centre, and we came to pick it up yesterday so we could go work on it and get it ready,” Butterworth said. “And when we went to go pick it up, it was missing.”
The art project is the baby of six Calgarians who have put in thousands of dollars and hours. The Blazin’ Lily Gals have had their art on display at Beakerhead, Calgary Stampede Sneak-a-Peek, and Burning Man over the past two years.
The art is an interactive pyrotechnics exhibit that allows people to shoot 15-foot flames out of a large welded steel flower. It has taken up the majority of Butterworth and his counterparts’ time over the past couple years.
“This project has taken thousands of hours, really our entire lives for two years,” he said. “Two or three times a week, on weekends… we really don’t go out and celebrate anymore, spend time with family.
“Our lives have been this for two years straight.”
With so much time put into the project, Butterworth couldn’t emphasize enough how devastated he and his friends were by the loss.
Luckily, however, the members of Blazin’ Lily Gals did not have to grieve for long.
“We contacted every media outlet and made a big post on Facebook and Reddit last night, and this morning at 9 a.m., a Reddit user spotted the truck, took a photo and sent it to us, and then immediately called the police themselves,” Butterworth said.
“Luckily the irreplaceable pieces — these flowers — are actually still here, so we have something to work with now.”
“The rest of the stuff can be replaced. We can re-make the electronics, we can re-buy the generators, but this stuff was irreplaceable. We’re just really happy we got it back.”
Butterworth estimates approximately $7,000 worth of equipment was not reacquired with the art and truck. He’s hoping to replace it with insurance money as well as leftover money from art grants they have received.
Butterworth says he’s extremely relieved to have the flowers and truck back.
“Having it found so quickly just by throwing it out on the internet and Reddit and Facebook and other social media things is unbelievable.”
“To have less than a day from us posting it as stolen to someone finding it is incredible. It just shows you how powerful social media is,” Buttterworth said.
Blazin’ Lily Gals is hoping to replace any stolen or damaged equipment from their exhibit as soon as possible so they can display it at Burning Man later this summer.
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