MUSE & ARTIST

 Eden is an artist, muse, and co-founder of Muses Escape. Her dreamy, moody, romantic aesthetic is utterly unique and bewitching -- taking you on a magical, mysterious journey.  Eden shares with us her creative journey and some of her favorite books, artists, and films and recent wanderings. 

Where are you now?

I’m in a yurt at El Cósmico in Marfa, TX watching my lover play with our dog while I answer the riddles of fair and lovely dressmakers!

You have such a gorgeous moodily romantic aesthetic and world -- was this always the case or something you discovered and developed over time?

First off, thank you! Have I always been moody? Yes. Has it always been lovely and romantic? No. There was once a time in my youth where my darker side manifested itself in things like getting kicked out of Catholic school. 

Can you share a bit of your creative journey?

Sure! I always knew I’d be an artist in some capacity. After running away at 16 and graduating high school at 18, I was promptly signed to a modeling agency in LA where I lived for 8 months before getting signed to another agency in Japan where I worked for 3 months at a time.

I didn’t like the work, but I needed money to put myself through art school. Eventually I had the opportunity to leave the agency and model in different parts of the world. During this time I was able to find my niche in the alt-modeling world, discover my love for set design, form working relationships with renowned photographers, and pose for painters that I idolized. 

Then in 2018 I attended an artist residency in an 18th century cathedral in upstate New York where I met photographer Celina Odeh. We ended up collaborating on a very intimate art project-turned-book dedicated to finding catharsis in the aftermath of my late partner of 4 years’ suicide. The book, The Stages of Rot, was picked up by Manhattan bookstore Dashwood Books and proceeds from the profits went to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. 

Celina ended up teaching me almost everything I know about shooting film and defined a good amount of my art in the following years. In 2019 I nailed down a gig doing character design for my role in a Smashing Pumpkins music video. After this, I decided I wanted to make music videos on Super 8 film. Later in 2019, I started Muses Escape with my dear friend and polymath Syrie Moskowitz. Muses is a creative retreat and production company for women and femme-identifying folks. 

 Most recently I’m enjoying being deeply in love and newly engaged.

What do you love the most about what you do?  What has been the most challenging?

I love making imaginary worlds and getting to hide in them for a while -- and I’d say the hardest part is having to be vulnerable in the process.

What are some of your sources of creative renewal and inspiration -- favorite artists, photographers, muses?

I mostly draw inspiration for anything I create from books, music, old movies, and video games. I love post-apocalyptic/dystopian fantasy, high fantasy, dark fantasy, magical realism, anything grim, dark, and mythical fiction -- mostly in the form of books. 

My favorite author, Cormac McCarthy, has been a constant source of inspiration because I can go back and re-read anything of his and appreciate it like terrifying poetry. 

I love directors like Akira Kurosawa, Andrzej Zulawski, Wim Wenders, Ingmar Bergman, and Andrei Tarkovsky among many others. I love the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion and playing Dark Souls on my Switch. Surprisingly, (or maybe not so much) I don’t so much rely on other photographers or models for inspiration. 

You've traveled all over the world making art, is there a particular corner of the world that has your heart?

I always thought my favorite place in the world was Japan, but that was before I went to South Korea, namely the Bukhansan mountains. I’d love to live there for a year. Everyone is so kind in a familial way, the food is my hands-down favorite, and the whole place has more of a Ghibli feel than anywhere else.

I love the spirit and creative magic behind The Muses -- can you share a bit more about this group and your role in it?  When is your next event? 

The Muses, of which I am a co-founder along with my dear friend and fellow artist Syrie Moskowitz, is a collective designed to empower the aesthetics of femininity in all its forms. We create opportunities for women in the form of curated workshops abroad in the most gorgeous and inspiring locations. We bring in professors to give classes and lectures, regional and local private chefs, and instructors based on the theme of each gathering. We want to enable creative souls around the world to meet, collaborate, and inspire one other. Our next (sold out) trip is a week-long visual arts workshop at our favorite ancient seaside castle in the Scottish Highlands.

Any advice to make the everyday a little bit more magical? 

Run around outside, eat what makes you happy, maintain your freedom. 

Where can we find more of your books/art/poetry? What's coming up next for you?

Lately, a good percentage of my work has been creating music videos for various artists on Super 8 film -- a couple just came out for Marissa Nadler and Heather Woods Broderick -- and one is being released next month for composer Dustin O’Halloran. All can be found on my website under “8mm”

I believe Dashwood is sold out of The Stages of Rot but I’m working on some more cool things to hold you in your hands soon.

The Muses just got back from a 30-person photography and writing retreat on a blustering little island off the Bristol Channel in the UK.  We’re soon headed to a Scottish castle in March and then a French estate in July. We’re waitlist only until 2024 but please sign up for our newsletter if you're an artist in any capacity who’d like to apply for a future escape!

 Follow along Eden's journey on IG @edensheaven  or edensheaven.com

Eden wears the Mirabelle Dress in Dark Floral Mist