As we continue on with Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we spoke to local artist Eden Ariston about the deep connection between creativity, mental health, and self-discovery.
Eden Ariston has been drawing and painting since she was very small, growing up in a household where art was a constant presence.
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“I grew up with my mum always painting; she’s been a full-time artist since I was about 10, so obviously she’s been a huge influence on having that as a hobby initially.”
On her dad’s side, art was also part of her heritage, as he and his parents owned and operated art galleries in the Northern Territory.
“I grew up surrounded by art, but I never thought of it as a career,” Eden says. As a child, she envisioned herself becoming a pop star and pursued music with determination, playing gigs from the age of 11. “I really envisioned that for my life,” she reflects. However, during high school, Eden became convinced she had to pursue something more ‘noble,’ especially after her sister decided on studying law. Eden, in turn, decided she would become a doctor.
Her mental health struggles started to surface during high school, where she battled “wild” depression and anxiety. As she later discovered, her difficulties stemmed from C-PTSD and ADHD, diagnosis that made sense in hindsight. Despite this, Eden continued to follow a path of higher education. She enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing and Psychological Science but only lasted three days before an epiphany struck during a biology lecture. “Just because I’m good at it doesn’t mean I enjoy it,” she realized.
Unexpectedly, one of Eden’s new housemates at university was studying architecture, and this sparked a new interest.
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“I love to draw,” Eden thought, recalling how her mum had often said she would have pursued architecture if she’d had the opportunity. Though hesitant, Eden called her mother to share the news that she was switching to architecture. “She almost cried with joy.”
Eden continued her studies in architecture and construction management for three years but found the experience challenging. “I wasn’t a good uni student, I was partying a lot, struggling mentally being away from home, dealing with a long-distance relationship, making friends, and I was 17, so I couldn’t drive to see anyone.”
By the end of 2019, after a mental breakdown and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, Eden paused her studies and sought a new direction. She enrolled in an advanced diploma of music arts at Oxygen College for 2020/21. Around this time, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but the diagnosis felt off to her. “I’m pretty sure it was a misdiagnosis,” she reflects. “The therapist I see now is of the opinion that it’s not bipolar, it’s C-PTSD/ADHD, which is commonly misdiagnosed in women.”
Tragically, Eden faced a series of profound losses that deeply impacted her. “My grandfather passed away near the end of my music course, a shock aneurysm while chopping down a tree.” Then, two months later, her father died at 46 in a motorbike crash. “That tipped everything upside down.”
After leaving her job with a small boutique builder in Geelong, Eden took time to process her grief and found solace in painting. “All I could do was paint, so I sat at home and just did that,” she shares. Her journey into art began to take off in unexpected ways. After noticing a sign boasting ‘we don’t charge for venue hire’… Eden “had my first solo show in December.”
“Lots of artists here have a career first and then do a show, but I did the opposite.”
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Event management and creative planning excited Eden, and soon after, she had the opportunity to run a group show, which led to more group exhibitions and solo shows. Since then, she has been part of 15 group shows and has curated several of her own.
Though she is also a musician, Eden has put much of her musical career on hold. “I’ve put that on the backburner a little bit because you need to put so much into that and performing is quite taxing for me,” she admits. As a performer, she wants to be a singer who gives everything to her craft. “I’m going to practice my solo set and self-produced stuff for now,” she adds.
Throughout her artistic journey, Eden has grappled with symptoms of her ADHD. “I went from thinking, in school, I was just lazy or unmotivated, but now I’m doing something I love so much I’m actually organised,” she reflects. “When it comes to ADHD, the physical inability to get my shit together for some things; whereas now I have lists, schedules, planners, and I love doing it.” This change in mindset has helped her channel her energy into her art, a tangible expression of her creativity.
Eden’s mental health challenges have shaped her art in profound ways. She acknowledges that her personal experiences with grief and trauma have influenced her creativity, with her art serving as a way to release emotions that might otherwise be suppressed. “I think a lot of my desire and passion for creativity, I could boil down to storytelling,” she says. “My mental health is also a result of these stories within my life, so to me they’re the same thing.”
Through her work, Eden processes her family history and the generational struggles that have shaped her. “Through my songwriting and art, it’s my own stories, bringing up those things in order to feel okay because I can’t keep it all in.”
Eden’s creative journey is not just about the art itself; it’s about the healing and self-discovery that come with it. She notes that her mother inspired her to use art as a way to cope. “Mum says all the time she wouldn’t be alive if she didn’t paint, it’s how she regulates herself and comes to terms with things, and I’ve definitely taken that on myself.”
Eden’s art is an ongoing journey of self-expression, healing, and creative exploration – check out her work here.
