If art is the highest form of hope, then the remarkable works contained within these pages attest to just that: the capacity of expression and craft to uplift, to console, and, perhaps most importantly, to illuminate a fierce courage in the wake of adversity. Presented in this issue is a collection of enduring hope, of unmatched artistry. Poets Anne Oleson, Alison Myers, and Alisha Waldrop share intimate snapshots of life, beautiful vignettes that explore our humanity; photographers Jen Evans and Gretchen Gales elucidate reality by abstracting it, injecting light and color into everyday scenes to make the ordinary extraordinary; singer-songwriter Laura Beth Johnson entwines spoken word poetry and music in an emotional reflection of the self; and so much more.
