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A conversation between artist and neurodivergent advocate Dez, known as Loveartpix, based in Manchester (UK) and Picsart’s VP of Product Strategy, Innovation & Experience, Oli Mival.
Anything new is overwhelming. The more options you have — although it’s a positive — the more overwhelming it becomes. That’s been overwhelming at times when I’ve used the AI side of things and there are all these different design styles to choose from. I don’t even know a lot of the names — people think because I do art that I know the history of every artist. I don’t have a clue. I fell into this.
The reason I’ve stuck with Picsart is because it’s easy to navigate. I think it’s very simplistic in the way you can select things. But when something new is added and it’s too much in my face, that’s when it gets overwhelming.
You’ve talked about pattern and routine being important to how you work. How does that show up practically?
Once I get a pattern or routine to create, I stick to it. A lot of the pieces I create — if I’m working on a series for an exhibition, the layout is the same. I get the layout and then I’ll do it for hours and hours. I keep the same process.
With the sticker part of the platform, when I’m trying to process emotions, I find one word and I type that into the stickers. It brings up loads of options to look through. I’m a very visual person — I think a lot of neurodivergent people are. When a load of different images come up on the same subject, I can specify: that fits me more, or that fits me better. That pattern really works with how I think.
Have you ever come across technology that felt like it was designed with neurodivergent minds in mind?
Never once. Not ever. There’s nothing that’s ever really stood out to me where I thought — they’ve done that on purpose to support the neurodivergent mind.
The more complicated things are, the more I struggle. When things aren’t broken down in a simplistic way, when people just generalise, that’s when it gets complicated. It’s because then you start to feel like you’re wrong for not knowing it — that’s when masking layers come up. You have to just pretend that you know, and you wing a lot of stuff.
For me, to design it well it would have to be simplified — really, really simplified, where things are explained, and I think Picsart does that. You can do one end or the other and just select things quite easily.
You’re working on something exciting around AI avatars and exhibitions. Can you talk about that?
I struggle a lot with speaking to crowds. I get sensory overload — people get that mixed up with social anxiety, but it’s totally different. Sensory overload is too much, and then I get overwhelmed and have a meltdown.
So the idea is to create an avatar of myself, with my voice, that can present at exhibitions on my behalf. I’ll still be in the room, but my avatar will be on screen, speaking and presenting what the exhibition is about. There’ll also be a barcode people can scan to speak to me through the avatar.
To me, that’s just magic. I’ve never seen anybody do it — especially around Manchester. I think once people see it can be done, it opens the door for other people who struggle the same way. There are so many creatives out there who just don’t have the confidence to go out there. For awards, ceremonies, events — I hate going to them. They cause me massive overwhelm. I’m putting myself through it just so I can change it for other people, so they don’t have to. If we can create this, people can get the same outcomes, get respect from their peers, get their story out there — from the comfort of their own home.
What does meaningful neurodivergent representation in the creative industry look like to you?
Just being authentic — but it has to come from a place of authenticity, and from a person who is actually neurodivergent. Too often, the representation of neurodivergent people is through a neurotypical lens, and that’s where a lot of these problems persist.
It’s like me going to Spain and saying I understand Spanish culture. It doesn’t make sense. However, I think the collaboration between neurotypical and neurodivergent people helps both sides and understanding that makes the whole difference. Society isn’t currently focused around that — but if we adapt to it, we can all fit together in harmony.
If you could sit down with product designers and platform builders, what’s the one thing you’d want them to understand?
Engage with neurodivergent people — specifically. If you said to me, “Here’s this part of the app, what could we work on to make it better?” I could give you an answer to that. But broad, open questions are really hard for me because I need to go right down into the details. Each question is very specific, and I see things that way too.
It has to be very unique to the specific question. Some parts work well for me, some parts don’t. So it would have to be very much: sit down together, go through it together, and say — what works for you? That’s the only way you really get somewhere.
The Only Way You Really Get Somewhere
A reflection on the conversation by Oli
Dez said something towards the end of our conversation that I haven’t been able to shake. When I asked what he’d want product designers to understand, he didn’t give me a grand answer. He said: sit down with me, go through it together, and ask me what works. That’s it.
It sounds obvious. But it’s not what many of us in the tech industry do. We design for personas, not people. We run surveys, not conversations. And then we wonder why the experience doesn’t land for everyone.
The avatar project we’re exploring together is a perfect example. Nobody at Picsart sat in a room and said “let’s build a tool for neurodivergent artists who struggle with sensory overload at exhibitions.” Dez brought that to us because he lives it, and he could see what was possible before we could. That’s what happens when you actually engage with the people you’re building for.
I don’t think there’s a single design fix for neurodivergent creators, Dez told me that himself, everyone’s experience is different, everyone presents differently. But there is a fix for how we work: slow down, get specific, and listen properly. He’s been pretty patient in teaching me that.
Be sure to take note of Dez’s exhibitions this Summer, and follow him for more updates including the upcoming documentary on Instagram — @loveartpix
April 30th 2026 — The Hero Within Art Exhibition, Piccadilly Place, Manchester UK
May 14th 2026 — Neurodivergent Rehabilitation Exhibition, Spinningfields, Manchester UK
June 22nd 2026 — The Hero Within Art Exhibition, AirePark, Leeds 12:00–16:00 (running for 2 weeks) with workshops for children
