SafeNest and local artist Scott Bauer, today unveiled a custom mural at SafeNest’s confidential shelter for families impacted by domestic violence. The mural titled “Hope” is displayed in the main dining hall and reflects Bauer’s unique style of geometric word art.
“We can’t thank Scott enough for his time and creativity on this project”, said Liz Ortenberger, SafeNest CEO. “This mural has brought so much joy to our families and will continue to inspire hope now and for years to come.”
“SafeNest is a charity I believe in, and I wanted to contribute to their efforts by sharing my skills as an artist to create something that would uplift and inspire residents in their daily activities. I chose the word ‘Hope’ because I knew it was one thing that everyone who comes through these doors has in common,” Bauer said.
Bauer also wanted to create something that would engage tenants to become active participants in its creation. He accomplished this by placing blank panels on each side where residents can pen their thoughts on what hope means to them and send messages of hope to future residents.
“This interactivity makes the entire space more personal and even more meaningful to the people who reside there. As time goes by, the things people write on this wall will make this space even more inspirational and powerful,” Bauer said.
This mural is part of a much larger endeavor called the “Art of Inspiration Project” which is a traveling show consisting of more than fifty of Bauer’s abstract paintings containing inspirational words. According to Bauer, the intent is to challenge viewers to think about values and concepts that unite people as a species, in contrast to “divisive superficial rhetoric found on social media sites and mainstream news outlets.”
“Words like Faith, Hope, Love, Charity, and Kindness are universal values across humanity. It is all too easy to forget that we humans have more things that unite us as a species than there are that divide us,” Bauer said.
