Alli Broderick: ‘Art Saved My Life’

The next time you take a stroll through Access Gallery or the Denver Art Society, keep an eye out for the work of Alli Broderick, also known as Enchanted Dichotomy.

Originally from Britain, Broderick came to America in 1988 when they were 18 years old and pursued an acting career in Los Angeles. Sick of the Hollywood toxicity, they decided to leave and moved to Denver in 2001. That’s also when they discovered their true passion for art. 

“We just make art,” they explain. “We just create and don’t really think about it. It’s sort of inspired and created from what’s inside. Have you ever been so focused on something, and when you look up or walk outside, it’s dark? You’re like, ‘Whoa!’ We are so passionate about art that we can just disappear into it. Then we look down at this thing that we made, and it’s like, ‘How did that happen?’ We’re almost surprised that our hands made this, and all the elements came together.”

Although Broderick claims that they have not found their niche in the art world, they have dabbled in all mediums including painting and sculpting. According to their Instagram bio, they like to express what the world around us and inside us evokes.

“Sometimes, we’ll get an image in our head of something that is happening out in the world or inside of us, and a piece will just sort of suddenly appear,” they say. “We may not always connect the dots right away, and it could be years later, but you’ll be like, ‘Shit, that’s what this piece is connected to!’ It can be an event that’s happening in the world that’s heartbreaking, like what’s been going on in recent weeks, and we don’t know how to deal with it. So, we do a piece inspired by that to cope. It could also be something in our own mental health journey that we can’t talk about. So, it comes out in a piece.”

For Broderick, art is much more than just a hobby—It’s a therapeutic outlet that saved their life. 

“Quite simply, we’re alive because of art,” they say. “It’s kept us from taking our life.”

Eleven years ago, Broderick was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID), a mental illness characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states. Previously called multiple personality disorder, it is usually a reaction to trauma as a way to help one avoid bad memories. This is why Broderick often refers to themself as “we.”

They also suffer from a severe eating disorder and have attempted to take their own life several times. Through art, Broderick found a shining light at the end of the tunnel.

“Instead of being forced to speak the trauma, we made the trauma,” they say. “We started making pieces rather than being able to speak it.”

A lot of Broderick’s works are focused on mental health themes, which they say is “incredibly healing.” 

“I have a piece that’s just called ‘Pain,’” they explain. “He’s sort of trying to break through the abyss of life’s pain, and his head is all fractured. All the fractures and scars that you take with you. If we can manifest what’s going on inside of us in a piece of art, and somebody else happens to see it, and they realize it’s worth it to keep going, I think that’s really important. Instead of being ashamed of your own story or work, realize that one thing could stop somebody else from taking their life. You are giving them a glimmer of hope. That’s very moving to me.”

In the past, mental health has been seen as a stigmatized issue, and it is often pushed aside or swept under the rug. Unfortunately, there are still instances of that happening today.

“Doctors can be assholes,” Broderick states. “I can only speak from my own experience, but I have a very taboo diagnosis that some doctors think doesn’t exist. The reason they think that, in my humble opinion, is because there isn’t a pill for it. There isn’t a pill they can give me and shut me up. That’s how I feel about it. The stigma is still there because they cannot sweep me under a rug. They try to, and I think mental health is always going to be an issue, and it’s always going to be stigmatized because there’s no quick answer for it. There’s no clean answer. 

“Again, I’m trying to stick to what I know with my own experiences,” they continue. “My biggest journey and battle have been with an eating disorder, which is massive in the LGBTQ community, especially in the nonbinary/trans community. It’s huge in that population, and it’s so underserved because people are afraid to get treatment. I feel like until change occurs in those areas, it’s always going to be that way. We’re shamed for so many things in the world, especially mental health.”

Moving forward, Broderick hopes to continue making art, stay physically and mentally healthy, and live their authentic truth. 

In addition to art, they keep their health and well-being in check by seeing a “kickass psychologist.”

“She’s absolutely amazing,” Broderick exclaims. “I had some very, very scary health issues with my eating disorder, and I was sort of forced to meet her. I feel very fortunate to work with her. She doesn’t let me off the hook with anything, which is great.”

Broderick also hopes to continue working with Access Gallery, a gallery and program for artists with disabilities, and the Denver Art Society, a nonprofit that offers a wide variety of art classes for both beginners and established artists who want to discover new ways of artistic expression.

“It’s great to be around so many wonderful people,” they say. “I feel like I’m finally finding my niche in the world.”

Stay up-to-date and connect with Broderick by following them on Instagram @enchanted_dichotomy. 

Featured image courtesy of Alli Broderick