Rhiannon Dionysius

Project title: Navigating disclosure dilemmas and internalised stigma: impacts of invisible illness/disability on Australian art therapists  

Rhiannon Dionysius (she/they) is a practicing artist and emerging art therapist living and creating on Turrbal and Jagera country in Brisbane/Magan-djin. Since graduating from a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Griffith University, Rhiannon’s artistic practice has explored a variety of mediums including sculpture, painting, relational workshops, and community curatorial projects. Primarily working with hand-built ceramics, the slow and considered material process serves as a means for the artist to reflect on themes of health, illness, and interdependence. 

Creative expression has been a consistent presence in Rhiannon’s life since her teenage years, and it was observing and experiencing the positive effects of art therapy at an early age which inspired Rhiannon to study in the field.  
 
This research project emerged from the lived experience of the student-researcher. Rhiannon aimed to connect with established Australian art therapists to better understand how non-visible health conditions and disabilities might impact or inform professional practice experiences. Through gathering information about common challenges, such as disclosure dilemmas and the risk of experiencing stigma, Rhiannon hopes to bring greater awareness to an underrepresented popultion in the profession.  

Completing this research has challenged Rhiannon to expand their understanding of what it means to be a person with invisible illness and/or disability. Rhiannon is grateful for the time, trust, and vulnerability participants demonstrated throughout their interviews, which has allowed her to grow both personally and professionally.  

Throughout the research process, Rhiannon engaged with reflective artmaking as a supportive processing tool. After the completion of each interview, Rhiannon used response art in the form of quick pencil drawings to process and capture emotions. These sketches were then used as the basis for a series of ceramic wall hangings, which serve as a visual representation of key moments throughout the research process. 

Choosing to work primarily in ceramics, Rhiannon has created a variety of works for this exhibition which range from figurative sculpture to abstract illustration. Using clay allowed Rhiannon to work in gradual stages which facilitated a deep reflective practice. The material allows for a transition between loose, uncontrolled expression in wet clay to refined, fired objects – a transformative process which encourages changes in perspective over time. 

Back to top