Back in the 1980’s, when I was trying to research my family genealogy, I could not find out anything on my paternal great-grandfather. My grandfather, James, was married to Mary Louisa McBroom, but no one in my family seemed to know what his father’s name was. I spent hours and hours, back then, at the local public library, going through old census records stored on microfiche. This was a tedious and mostly unproductive process. But, one day, I did find a census record that indicated his name was Phelix or sometimes spelled Felix. That was the only bit of information I had, until a distant cousin told me she heard he was an alcoholic who was sent to the Insane Asylum, in Norman, Oklahoma to keep from going to jail for some offense. When that facility sent me the records on Mary Louisa McBroom from her stay there from 1934 to 1943, they also found a few pages of records on Phelix from 1900. He was 50 years old when he was admitted, married with 8 children. According to the Lunacy Cases intake form, filled out on April 11, 1900, this was the first “attack” but symptoms of “having visions” started occurring “about a year” prior. When asked in question #9, “On what subject or in what way is derangement now manifested”, the doctor wrote, “religious and women". Although he had not shown a “disposition” to injure others and had never attempted suicide, he did, (according to question 12), have a disposition “to destroy clothing … when he becomes angry.” Apparently, Mr. Head was “very hard of hearing” and, (according to question #16), was “addicted to intemperance” or, in other words, was an alcoholic. The main cause of him being committed to the hospital (question #18) was, “being confined in jail and self-abuse” and according to Question #19, “he has never been treated for present trouble.” According to the records, he escaped on October 20, 1900. It seems like 6 months there was enough for him. I later found records showing he was arrested and put in jail in Texas for stealing mules.

Additional information about this artwork: This work of art is part of a traveling exhibit by Steve Head called, "Family Secrets". This powerful exhibit has been viewed by people from all around the world. Steve Head's exhibit has been featured on TV and in magazines. The Family Secrets exhibit even inspired a recent movie screenplay, entitled, "The Redemption of Mary Louisa McBroom". This movie project is still in development. Now - this same exhibit is on Spatial as a VR Art Gallery and can been seen and experienced by anyone with no geographical boundaries on their computer or with VR Headsets like Oculus.

50% of all proceeds from NFT sales from this collection will go into the Steve and Cindy Head Charitable Trust for the purpose of helping survivors of childhood trauma.