Contents:
- Editor's welcome
- D-Day veteran from Rochdale celebrates his 100th birthday
- 25 years of Rochdale Connections Trust
- Striking stained glass window restored and reinstalled in Rochdale Town Hall
- Carl Abraham
- Dell Road reopens after major works to save route from collapse
- £100k donated by RKT Trust
- Civic honours bestowed on 12 for outstanding contributions
- MysonPages conquers Yorkshire Three Peaks
- Chocolate chip stollen
- Wardle Scarecrow Festival
- Rochdale sweeps up at In Bloom awards
- Milnrow Balti crowned North West Restaurant of the Year at Britain’s top Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards
- Self-taught autistic artist shortlisted for award »
- Chef David Hayden and wife Rachael run The Gallows in Milnrow, winners this summer of Come Dine With Me The Professionals.
- GEM Appeal Strawberry Sparkle Lunch
- Keeping financial control during the cost-of-living crisis
- Tickled pink! Best window displays for Cancer Research UK
- Hairdressing trend - Champagne pop
- No fault, no blame
- Gardening tips for winter
- Together we can tame the ill wind
- Memory lane
Winter 2022Self-taught autistic artist shortlisted for award
LoveArtPix, from Middleton, creates art on his phone using free app, Picsart
Artist Dez – known as LoveArtPix – has been creating art for four years using the free phone app to help him cope with daily life and give him focus.
Now from having public art unveiled by mayors and high sheriffs, and raising thousands of pounds for charities, Dez, 43, has been shortlisted for the Rising Star/ Emerging Talent award in this year’s ‘This is Manchester’ awards.
Dez was originally diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was in his 20s, but has since been diagnosed with autism, and is in the process of being diagnosed with ADHD.
He said: “I use art as my own personal therapy to express my emotions when they become too overpowering. Art helps me to focus and to channel my erratic thoughts. This has become a positive pattern that I use daily as a life skill and coping strategy which I feel many others could benefit from.
“My autistic diagnosis has changed my life in so many ways and everything finally makes sense in relation to how and why I see the world in the way I do.”
Earlier this summer, Dez was commissioned by Northern to create a 30-metre mural at Manchester Victoria station to bring some colour to the bridge to platforms 4, 5 and 6
The mural was unveiled in August by the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester and depicts the words I LOVE MCR VICTORIA in bright yellow letters, surrounded by 22 Manchester bees, one for each panel on the overbridge.
His work also features on the columns of the memorial to commemorate the victims of the Manchester arena bombing in 2017.
Dez’s artwork can also be seen at Oxford Road Station and the Nag’s Head pub on Jackson’s Row, as well as Blackpool, around Cumbria and even in France, at the Normandy Memorial Trust.
Dez plans to get his name out there and continue raising awareness for autism. He added:
“Art has really changed my life and I have met some amazing inspirational people who have been very supportive and continue to help me with my endeavours to spread awareness of neurodivergent conditions.
“Since I am self-taught, this is a huge achievement for me.”
Winners are due to be announced at a ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester on 3 November.