Hope’s Lens is a biannual art journal featuring the work and stories of individuals experiencing poverty, homelessness, addiction, and mental illness under the direction of Klair Casteen. The mission is to employ and empower the marginalized through creativity, healing, and relationships.
It all began with the simple idea that we could help provide a means for our friends experiencing difficult times through the sharing and selling of artwork. It began out of the Hope Center, a day shelter in downtown Wilmington, in the summer of 2017. Since then, we have produced four editions, hosted four art shows, and created an Etsy site. We use art as a means of healing.
In 2019, we began using a space at Hope Recuperative Care to house the art and the artists for Hope’s Lens. Many guests of Hope Recuperative Care have tapped into their creativity by composing artwork as a way to recover from surgery and illness. This year, we curated more than 15 artists who used mediums such as painting with acrylics or watercolors, crafting jewelry using bike parts as a fundraiser for Switchin’ Gears, and even making art from gords. We are very excited for the future growth of Hope’s Lens and the experience of using art as therapy.