Steven Smith joins Dr. Anna Kennedy OBE in Manchester to invite one of its leading artists, Dez, to become an ambassador of Anna Kennedy Online.
https://annakennedyonline.com
In addition, this amazing artist has agreed to exhibit one of his incredible pieces at Autism & Art on May 22nd in London at the Fire Pit Gallery, generously donating the proceeds of the sale to the charity. Steven chats with the man everyone is talking about.
https://www.firepit.art
Dez, known professionally as Loveartpix, is a self-taught Audhd artist and advocate from Manchester, England.
Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in his twenties and receiving late diagnoses of Autism and ADHD in his forties, Dez has navigated a complex mental health journey, also undergoing therapy for Complex PTSD. Art became a lifeline during this time, helping him process heightened emotional states and giving voice to his experiences.
Since fully immersing himself in art around 2018, Dez has used his creative work as both personal therapy and a platform for advocacy. Through his distinctive pieces — often centered around Manchester life and neurodiversity — he promotes the therapeutic power of art as a daily coping strategy. Sharing his creations widely under the name Loveartpix, Dez aims to raise awareness about neurodivergence in a largely neurotypical society.
His work is featured across the Northwest of England, including Manchester, Blackpool, and Cumbria, as well as internationally at the Normandy Memorial Trust in France. A passionate supporter of community initiatives, Dez regularly donates art to charities, raising thousands of pounds at auction.
In 2023, he won his first Autism Hero Award, recognizing his contributions to neurodiversity advocacy. He also launched the UK’s first Neurodivergent Art Focus Group, piloted at HMP Manchester with outstanding success.
For the past 3 years, Dez has been filmed for a documentary chronicling his late-diagnosis journey and the role of art therapy in his life. In March 2025, Loveartpix launched his debut Art exhibition where he also shared his platform collaborating with other neurodivergent artists. ‘A Neurodivergent Art Exhibition’ by Loveartpix showcased in Spinningfields, Manchester.
At 45, Dez sees himself as only just beginning to truly understand his conditions. He considers creativity not just a passion, but a vital tool for self-regulation and connection — and he remains dedicated to sharing his journey to inspire and support others.
Anna Kennedy says “We are thrilled to have Dez as an ambassador. I have followed him over the past few years and watched his passion and confidence grow through his creativity and digital artwork, especially after winning the Autism Hero Awards in 2023. As a self-taught autistic artist creating wonderful digital pieces, he will be a great role model for our charity. Dez can also share how his artwork has helped him through personal struggles, inspiring other autistic individuals to do the same.”
Steven chats to Dez .
1. Hello, what does it mean to you to become a patron of Anna Kennedy Online?
Hi Steven,
Becoming a patron for Anna Kennedy Online (AKO) is such a privilege and an honour — not to sound too cliché! I have been involved with AKO for a few years through art donations, small projects, and also by winning the Autism Hero Award for Creative Arts and Media with them in 2023.
Since my late autism diagnosis in 2021 (at the age of 41), I have thrown myself into understanding my condition the best I can — not only to help myself, but to help others too, as I know there are so many people out there like me. Having been nominated for six awards in such a short time through my contributions in art donations and raising awareness, winning the AKO award was a major highlight for me.
Fast forward two years, and now being asked by Anna to be an ambassador just fills me with pride.
What made you start creating art?
I have always had a creative flare but really started to focus on it when I was going through my autism assessment. It was a very difficult and disruptive point in my life processing such an epochal event. Stuggling a lot at night, using the Picsart app on my phone really fitted in, being the least disorderly. Any art piece I create, I really submerge myself into the topic and it gives my erratic thoughts focus. Realising that the art I was creating resonated with many people I decided that I wanted to use it as a tool to promote understanding and awareness as much as possible.
What artists inspire you?
To be perfectly honest, I don’t really get inspiration from artists — probably more from people. I am a naturally creative person, so when I look at life, I feel inspired by topics that intrigue and affect me, or by things I am passionate about. I am then drawn to create around those themes.
Being a self-taught artist, and because I use art as a tool for self-help, I haven’t formally studied art; I simply use it to process my emotions. It’s something I turn to when I’m struggling or when I need to focus my thoughts. I don’t feel like a traditional artist in the usual sense.
That said, I do follow many artists and art profiles on social media, and there are so many amazing artists out there. One artist I really like is @deanevansart on Instagram. His work is so vibrant and thought-provoking. If you get the chance, definitely check out his profile!
If you had to take someone out in Manchester, what one place would you take them to?
If I had to take someone to Manchester, it would have to be the Nag’s Head pub. The Nag’s Head is a true Manchester landmark, and I’m proud to say that, among the 4,000 images of the beautiful city I call home, I have two of my pieces in their collection.
One is a tribute to highly decorated war hero Harry Billinge MBE LdH — the largest piece in the building. (I had the honour of meeting Harry before he passed away and still stay in touch with his family.) The other is one of my ‘Bees About Town’ collection, displayed in the front window.
What does love mean to you and how important is it in your life?
Love is many things and shows itself in many forms. Helping and supporting people to make things better is love — depending on your personal feelings.
For me, putting myself in harm’s way to help others is a huge form of love. Missing out on events with my son due to my condition, but then being happy just spending time with him afterward — even though I felt upset about missing the event — is love.
Knowing that I would put my life in front of my family’s without hesitation, and valuing their lives far more than my own, is love. Self-sacrifice is love. Pain is love. Seeing others happy is love.
I actually find this a difficult question to answer, as there are so many variables to what love means.
They say “Big boys don’t cry” — do you think this is true?
I think this is such a harmful quote from a bygone era that still has a massive negative impact on society today — especially on the male suicide rate.
Crying is a way to process emotions. It’s part of being human. We all do it, and I find it such a bizarre notion that somehow suppressing it makes you tougher or better at dealing with life.
Being able to express yourself and be open about your emotions is, in my opinion, a very strong thing and speaks volumes about a person’s character. Yes, there are times when you have to deal with situations that require mental and physical strength, and you have to push through and fight — but I am really against this phrase.
No, I definitely do not think this quote is true.
How important is it to you to inspire and help others who want to create?
Art for me is the tool to understanding and processing things I struggle with. I know the positive impact it has first hand from my own experience. Obviously art comes in many forms too. Last year I piloted the first of its kind neurodivergent art focus group for prisoners in HMP Manchester which was a huge success. Art was the tool I used to get the prisoners to explore how their condition affects them in the hope of supporting rehabilitation. Some of the prisoners used words and created poems, some preferred to paint, and others liked to draw. I then collated what was created by each individual and edited the final pieces on the Picsart app to create a unique collection – which I will be displaying at a later date. It’s well documented the power of creativity and art therapy so for me I try to promote this at every chance I get.
What would you like to achieve next?
On a personal level, I would like to achieve a sense of mental contentment and balance. For me, this would mean understanding my condition much more deeply. Although beginning to understand it has already helped me so much, I still struggle and fight daily. I want to continue striving to be a good parent and family member.
In my career, I have a lot of projects in the works, so I will continue to develop these and, hopefully, help many more people and bring about positive change. I guess my main goals are to be a good role model, help others, and continue turning what I go through into something positive — oh, and now, to be a good ambassador for AKO!
For more information https://loveartpix.co.uk/about/
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