Collected Item: “Allen Vandever Oral History, 2022/08/12”
Title
Allen Vandever
Who conducted the interview? List all names, separated by comma.
Kit Heintzman
Who was interviewed? List all names, separated by commas.
Allen Vandever
Email Address(es) for all interviewers. Separated by comma.
kheintzman@gmail.com
Use one-word hashtags (separated by commas) to describe your oral history. For example: Where did it originate? How does this object make you feel? How does this object relate to the pandemic?
#abuse, #activist, #artist, #bereaved, #Chicago, #diabetes, #family, #fatherhood, #financing, #food, #Illinois, #inflation, #metaverse, #nonbinary, #nonprofit, #queer, #school, #smiling, #sports, #support, #survivor, #vaccination, #Vegas, #VR
What is the format of your recording?
Video
In what ZIP code is the primary residence of the interviewee? (enter 5-digit ZIP code; for example, 00544 or 94305)? In what city/town/village does the interviewee live? In what country does the interviewee live? All comma-separated.
USA, Illinois, Chicago
What is the gender of the interviewee? Be sure to allow interviewees to self-identify their gender in the pre-interview or interview. *Do not assign a gender identity to interviewees.*
Male, Non Binary
What is the age of the interviewee?
45 to 54
How does the interviewee describe their race or ethnicity? Be sure to allow interviewees to self-identify their race/ethnicity in the pre-interview or interview. *Do not assign a racial or ethnic identity to interviewees.*
Caucasian Human Northern european
Describe the oral history.
Some of the things we spoke about include:
- Running a nonprofit called Childhood Fractured; working with contemporary art, preventing childhood sexual abuse, and supporting survivors; having a gallery space as a free coffee shop.
- A series “Life Narrative Paintings”, where while painting would talk about experiences of childhood sexual abuse.
- Running support groups for survivors, discussions around positive sexuality as survivors; continuing the support group during the pandemic.
- Maladaptive coping mechanisms as a survivor, harming self and harming others.
- Losing access to old self-care practices when things shut down; adapting with new self-care practices.
- How embodiment impacts perceptions of threats; being a large male and not worrying about being a target for violence and crime.
- Building up social media presence during the pandemic; a softer, but larger reach.
- Art shows/fairs shutting down; impact on professional artists; art sales as primary source of income.
- 72-year-old uncle dying early in the pandemic; grieving without a funeral.
- Pandemic getting in the way of travel for work; minivacations during the pandemic.
- Comparing business opening and mask wearing in cities and smaller towns.
- Struggling financially, selling off possessions, downsizing the home.
- Reflecting on one’s art without focusing on sales.
- Having donated to food banks pre-pandemic and using their services mid-pandemic.
- Soft opening of galleries; sales.
- Restaurants closing down; becoming unaffordable when reopening.
- Inflation overlapping with shrinking income.
- Surprise medical bills; fighting with insurance companies.
- Recent positive experiences with a local clinic after many years of less positive healthcare experiences.
- Having diabetes; reversing diabetes with exercise and diet.
- Free state health insurance for low-income people being better than for-profit insurance.
- For profit pharmaceutical companies, eg. the profit from daily use of PrEP vs. a single vaccine against HIV.
- Growing up in a mostly white environment; observations about race and racism changing with time.
- Media’s focus on Trump, that focus as a distraction from other important issues.
- COVID and the exodus from urban settings; missing friends who moved away.
- Homeschooling pre-teen/teenage son.
- VR counseling.
- Art after world changing events.
Other cultural references include: Howard Brown Clinic, Donald Trump, BLM, King Spa Bathhouse
See also:
https://www.childhoodfractured.com/
https://www.allenvandever.com/
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/psychology-talk/encore-presentation-vK5ebPuB2Rd/
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/psychology-talk/healing-childhood-sexual-s5JOZKfG81Q/
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/awarenowtm-the/exclusive-interview-with-r0z9DuIfgdQ/
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-artist-next/artists-allen-vandever-and-PQ4_h2wlmYk/
- Running a nonprofit called Childhood Fractured; working with contemporary art, preventing childhood sexual abuse, and supporting survivors; having a gallery space as a free coffee shop.
- A series “Life Narrative Paintings”, where while painting would talk about experiences of childhood sexual abuse.
- Running support groups for survivors, discussions around positive sexuality as survivors; continuing the support group during the pandemic.
- Maladaptive coping mechanisms as a survivor, harming self and harming others.
- Losing access to old self-care practices when things shut down; adapting with new self-care practices.
- How embodiment impacts perceptions of threats; being a large male and not worrying about being a target for violence and crime.
- Building up social media presence during the pandemic; a softer, but larger reach.
- Art shows/fairs shutting down; impact on professional artists; art sales as primary source of income.
- 72-year-old uncle dying early in the pandemic; grieving without a funeral.
- Pandemic getting in the way of travel for work; minivacations during the pandemic.
- Comparing business opening and mask wearing in cities and smaller towns.
- Struggling financially, selling off possessions, downsizing the home.
- Reflecting on one’s art without focusing on sales.
- Having donated to food banks pre-pandemic and using their services mid-pandemic.
- Soft opening of galleries; sales.
- Restaurants closing down; becoming unaffordable when reopening.
- Inflation overlapping with shrinking income.
- Surprise medical bills; fighting with insurance companies.
- Recent positive experiences with a local clinic after many years of less positive healthcare experiences.
- Having diabetes; reversing diabetes with exercise and diet.
- Free state health insurance for low-income people being better than for-profit insurance.
- For profit pharmaceutical companies, eg. the profit from daily use of PrEP vs. a single vaccine against HIV.
- Growing up in a mostly white environment; observations about race and racism changing with time.
- Media’s focus on Trump, that focus as a distraction from other important issues.
- COVID and the exodus from urban settings; missing friends who moved away.
- Homeschooling pre-teen/teenage son.
- VR counseling.
- Art after world changing events.
Other cultural references include: Howard Brown Clinic, Donald Trump, BLM, King Spa Bathhouse
See also:
https://www.childhoodfractured.com/
https://www.allenvandever.com/
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/psychology-talk/encore-presentation-vK5ebPuB2Rd/
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/psychology-talk/healing-childhood-sexual-s5JOZKfG81Q/
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/awarenowtm-the/exclusive-interview-with-r0z9DuIfgdQ/
https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-artist-next/artists-allen-vandever-and-PQ4_h2wlmYk/
On what date did you record this oral history?
2022-08-12