Artists' books

A group exhibition, organised and selected by the curator of the Riverside gallery, Mark DeNovellis. To coincide with the annual literature festival, this exhibition showcased contemporary artists' books – artwork in book form – from unique examples to limited edition works

Screening for glucose intolerance and development of a lifestyle education programme for prevention of Type 2 diabetes in a population with intellectual disabilities

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is believed to be higher among people with intellectual disability (ID) than in the general population. However, research on prevalence and prevention in this population is limited. Objectives: The objectives of this programme of work were to establish a programme of research that would significantly enhance the knowledge and understanding of impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and T2DM in people with ID; to test strategies for the early identification of IGR and T2DM in people with ID; and to develop a lifestyle education programme and educator training protocol to promote behaviour change in a population with ID and IGR (or at a high risk of T2DM/CVD). Setting: Leicestershire, UK. Participants: Adults with ID were recruited from community settings, including residential homes and family homes. Adults with mild to moderate ID who had an elevated body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 25 kg/m2 and/or IGR were invited to take part in the education programme. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome of the screening programme was the prevalence of screen-detected T2DM and IGR. The uptake, feasibility and acceptability of the intervention were assessed. Data sources: Participants were recruited from general practices, specialist ID services and clinics, and through direct contact. Results: A total of 930 people with ID were recruited to the screening programme: 58% were male, 80% were white and 68% were overweight or obese. The mean age of participants was 43.3 years (standard deviation 14.2 years). Bloods were obtained for 675 participants (73%). The prevalence of previously undiagnosed T2DM was 1.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.5% to 2%] and of IGR was 5% (95% CI 4% to 7%). Abnormal IGR was more common in those of non-white ethnicity; those with a first-degree family history of diabetes; those with increasing weight, waist circumference, BMI, diastolic blood pressure or triglycerides; and those with lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. We developed a lifestyle educational programme for people with ID, informed by findings from qualitative stakeholder interviews (health-care professionals, n = 14; people with ID, n = 7) and evidence reviews. Subsequently, 11 people with ID (and carers) participated in pilot education sessions (two groups) and five people attended education for the feasibility stage (one group). We found that it was feasible to collect primary outcome measures on physical activity and sedentary behaviour using wrist-worn accelerometers. We found that the programme was relatively costly, meaning that large changes in activity or diet (or a reduction in programme costs) would be necessary for the programme to be cost-effective. We also developed a quality development process for assessing intervention fidelity. Limitations: We were able to screen only around 30% of the population and involved only a small number in the piloting and feasibility work. Conclusions: The results from this programme of work have significantly enhanced the existing knowledge and understanding of T2DM and IGR in people with ID. We have developed a lifestyle education programme and educator training protocol to promote behaviour change in this population. Future work: Further work is needed to evaluate the STOP Diabetes intervention to identify cost-effective strategies for its implementation

Serena joy

Collaborative publication to celebrate World Book Night on 23 April 2016, with a tribute to Margaret Atwood's 'A Handmaids Tale'. Forty artists read 'The Handmaid's Tale' and then designed rubber stamp artwork to print as the Serena Joy artist's book/folio. 43 rubber stamps were sent in from: Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Poland, Sweden and all over the UK. The event and publication organiser was Sarah Bodman of Centre for Fine Print Research, University of the West of England (UWE)

Looking for Ophelia: an illustrated, visual and sensual exploration of the Hogsmill river

The Hogsmill, a tributary of the Thames and now one of London’s lost rivers was used as the rural setting for J.E Millais' painting Ophelia. Recent research by a local historian has revealed the exact location, co-incidentally very near to my own home, used by the artist who worked on location over a five month period. Poignantly, the painting is known for its depiction of the detailed flora of the river and the riverbank, stressing the patterns of growth and decay in a natural ecosystem. The dying figure of Ophelia as the vulnerable woman is a popular subject in pre-Raphaelite paintings, echoing the vulnerability of the local natural history of its setting, surrounded as it is now by suburban housing, increasing traffic and pollution. Nature is so evocative of the human condition. The paper will present a new illustrated work exploring the beauty and fragility of nature within suburban environments, bringing the overlooked and unnoticed to the attention of the audience both visually and sensually. The work will explore the landscape of the river, its topography and natural history, as well as echoing the themes of death and decay, with particular emphasis on illustrating the materiality of the setting through a haptic reading of the work. In the context of the multi disciplinary nature of contemporary illustration, working predominately with the form of the book, the use of material and physical structure to create haptic readings (Mosely 2014) evoking intimate and sensory experience of the content (Hara 2004) is a central theme. The shape of the book, like the topography of the landscape, its weight, the surface texture of its pages and surfaces, the way it reacts and moves on opening unconsciously aid our sensory understanding of its contents. Furthermore, the paper considers the role of the illustration as a form of both physical and visual communication

The Haptic Book

Much critical evaluation of artist's books has been based on the review models of art and literature, yet the artist's book is more often than not a physical object - an artefact. Its physical presence and materiality is integral to its reading which invites a haptic reading and evaluation of the book. Haptic communication is communicating by touch. Touch is often intimate, like the reading of a book, and can be used as an act of domination or friendship, depending on the context. Young children and old people use more touching than people in the middle years. We seem to lose our ability to interpret the world by touch as our ability to read the world visually begins to dominate, by learning to read, watching television and using computer technology. Yet we touch materials everyday, but rarely consider that we are unconsciously evaluating the world by touch. Conservators and curators of collections of material culture evaluate artefacts by their materiality, the way the object is made, its material and handling. The book is hand held, we can lift it, it can feel springy on opening, solid or fragile on closing. The shape of the book, its weight, the surface texture of its pages, the way it reacts and moves on opening unconsciously aid our sensory understanding of its contents. Should we consider critically evaluating an artists book by its tactile qualities and its physical handling in conjunction with its conceptual and visual qualities

Sustainability

Each artist /contributor wrote a short section related to either their work or experience in relation to sustainability of the illustrator. My contribution related to the student perspective

Looking for Ophelia

A limited edition artists / illustrators book which explores one of London's lesser known rivers, famous as the setting for Millais' painting of Ophelia. The work is a visual and material/sensual exploration of the river. A copy of 'Six Acre Field' was purchased by the Tate Britain in 2016 for its Artists Book Archiv