BLOG – 50 STATES 

50 STATES PROJECT EXHIBIT @SCA

[HAS HEART] is proud to showcase the first, of hopefully many, art museum exhibits of the 50 States: Veterans + Artists United working tour. The Saugatuck Center for the Arts has invited [HAS HEART] to premier the work-in-progress tour from October 22 – December 22, 2021.

COLORING PAGES

While the majority of us across the country (and world) are staying home to do our parts to widen the curve and reduce the spread of COVID-19, we wanted to help relieve some stress and provide a creative outlet by coloring Veterans’ meaningful designs from the 50 States: Veterans + Artists United tour.

AIRSTREAM X [HAS HEART]

After living nearly two years on the road in one, [HAS HEART] is proud to partner with Airstream for some exclusive “50 States” tour inspired designs. Proceeds from your purchase will help [HAS HEART] complete our nationwide mission to give a Veteran their creative voice in all fifty states in the U.S.

NEW! STICKER DECALS

[HAS HEART] is excited to launch the “50 States: Veterans + Artists United” project designs from each state in sticker decal format with the help and support of New York-based Sticker Mule. Each of the Veteran and artist designs are now available in custom die-cut vinyl stickers that are durable and protected from scratches, water, and sunlight.

We Need a Tow [Vehicle]

With only ELEVEN states (Tennessee, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan) left to complete our nationwide mission, we need your help to secure a vehicle that will get us and our Airstream to where we need to go in order to partner the next Veteran with a graphic designer to help us share their meaningful story.

FUNDING NEEDS TO FINISH

With the support of many hands, we’ve been on the road for 545 days, driven 39,095 miles, visited 36 states, completed 38 projects, have worked with 46 Veterans and 117 creatives, and launched 14 projects with 24 more currently preparing to launch. Now, 18 months later, our initial funds have been fully utilized and deployed, causing us to pause the upcoming tour projects in order to raise the finances needed to complete the rest of our nationwide mission.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 15-FL

From Charleston, SC, we continued our way south through Georgia into St. Augustine, FL. We pulled into Anastasia State Park right along the Atlantic coast and set-up camp for two nights within a sandy jungle — easily our favorite campsite thus far on the tour. Noel also became a big fan of this set-up because from every vantage point she could spy on birds up-close and even spotted those infamous little Florida lizards for the first time in her cat life.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 14-SC

Downtown Charleston was covered in our first taste of Southern-styled charm that included ivy-covered walls, cobblestone streets, weathered paint finishes, decorative rod-iron railings, oh, and a Pineapple Fountain. This fountain wasn’t the only pineapple we saw. We began noticing on homes, gates, mailboxes, and more. But why?

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 13-NC

To break up the long drive from Delaware, we spent a night in Cabela’s parking lot in Garner, NC. The next morning while we were getting ready to drive the last three hours to Charlotte, we got a knock on our door. As much as you can prepare for nights spent in parking lots by calling ahead and speaking to management to ensure that they allow overnight parking, you still kind of brace yourself for a knock on the door by some sort of official.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 12-DE

To be honest, we arrived into Delaware the day before the project and then left the day after the project. It’s been our shortest stay in any state, but that’s meant to be a diss on Delaware. I’m sure there’s things to do and see, we just didn’t have the time. The little time we did have was spent on some much-needed Fall cleaning, including a drawer that Noel quickly filled, as any cat does.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 11-VA

Visiting Arlington on Veterans Day was particularly special because it is the final resting place of all kinds of people with all sorts of service experiences. You go in knowing this but nothing can possibly prepare you for its size and scale. You hear and read statistics but you aren’t often faced with a visual of it all.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 10-MD

After finishing the DMV and Delaware state projects, we ended up back in Maryland but this time, along the Atlantic ocean. It was mid-November and surprisingly, a beautiful time to visit Assateague Island and National Seashore.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 09-NJ

Right on the border of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we found our little end-of-summer sanctuary. It was mid-September, the warm days were fleeting, and I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to my favorite season. With some spare time before the state project, we drove through rural New Jersey to get to the wilderness of the Delaware Water Gap.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 08-NY

The element of a road trip for this “50 States: Artists + Veterans United” tour was crucial for us because we were determined to piece together the diversity of this country, both socially and geographically. New York City is a place that, although very relevant in the country’s culture and media, feels far away to most living in the United States.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 07-CT

We began our time in Connecticut nestled near a beautiful field of sunflowers. Those are words I can’t say I’ve ever expected to type out, but it’s true and we have photo-evidence to prove it.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 06-PA

Did you guys know that Pennsylvania is super hilly? Well, we did not. I remember driving to the Warwick Hills campground in Warwick, Pennsylvania, that was located just 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia, and being surprised by the winding roads and huge hills that turned into rolling hills when we were almost to Warwick.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 05-RI

Tyler and I have often noted how different this experience would be without Noel. When we shared the tour with our families, one of their responses was wondering what we were going to do with “the cat.”

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 04-MA

We stopped at a Walmart in Plymouth for the night where I, um, well I had a moment. The next day was my birthday and it was the first time spending it away from my family. I found myself crying in bed while blowing up said balloons. The next day I was able to look back on the hilarity of it, crying in a Walmart parking lot… 

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 03-NH

After spending a couple nights in a holding pattern in parking lots at a Cabela’s in Maine then a Walmart in New Hampshire, we finally packed up the car with drinks and snacks for the road and a hour or so drive later, we found ourselves already in Portsmouth – 68 miles later! We didn’t even get a chance to start eating our Peanut Butter m&m’s. Sad, I know.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 02-ME

After leaving Vermont, we headed east and rolled into White Mountain National Forest near Gilead, Maine. We stopped along the Wild River and immediately became aware of our surroundings: birds singing, not another person or car in sight, the freshest air we’ve ever smelled, the cool shade of the trees with sun occasionally poking through, and the peaceful sound of the flowing water.

OUR JOURNEY: STATE 01-VT

After over a year of planning, countless emails, pitches, grant applications, conference calls, and meetings, the day to hook up the Airstream and hit the road arrived. Our journey to our first state project in Vermont included a pit stop at Niagara Falls to kickstart our new nomadic life on the road.

AUSTIN, TX LECTURE EVENT

As a part of the Texas state project of the “50 States: Artists + Veterans United” tour hosted by USAA in partnership with AIGA Austin, HAS HEART will share how the mediums of art, design, and fashion are uniting the military, creative, and civilian communities.

AIGA DESIGN PARTNERSHIP

Years in the making, a partnership with AIGA and its 70+ chapters made up of over 25,000 creative-minded members is the key for the future of the HERO[series]. As a small nonprofit organization, [HAS HEART] is the connection point for a cross-cultural exchange between a Veteran and a designer. Having the largest organization for design means the doors are opening wide for more Veterans to share their stories.

OUR JOURNEY: [HAS HEART] HALLOWEEN

One day while we stayed in a Target parking lot between state stops, Kendra bought a faux pumpkin along with some acrylic paints and brushes to bring a little Fall feeling to our Airstream — [HAS HEART] edition, of course!

OUR JOURNEY: A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

As amazing as it is living and working on the road, it can be quite exhausting. Living in an Airstream makes you think about things you may have taken for granted previously: location to sleep/where to park the trailer, water consumption, water waste, electricity, waste disposal – aka the stinky stuff. One thing we don’t have to worry about anymore is if we’ll be getting a good night’s sleep.

OUR JOURNEY: PLANNING THE IMPOSSIBLE

Planning and executing a fifty-state tour doesn’t just happen overnight. This concept was brewing for almost two years and required a handful of life changes to prepare for this dramatic lifestyle change. And even then, it came together last minute with a few miracles and a handful of incredible people making it possible along the way.

ALPHA INDUSTRIES x [HAS HEART]

[HAS HEART] is proud, honored, and excited to officially announce our apparel partnership with American military heritage brand, Alpha Industries.

ABOUT US: KENDRA + TYLER

When Tyler approached me about the 50 States: Veterans + Artists United tour, I was a little hesitant. The thought of leaving my family for two years while living in a 200 square-foot box obviously was intimidating.

50 STATES: TOUR SCHEDULE

We’re taking our HERO[series] concept on the road to partner a Veteran with a graphic designer in all 50 states with the shared mission to tell their story through the mediums of art, design, and fashion. Find the state project nearest you… We’ll see you on the road!

OUR STORY – PART IV: 50 STATES

After five years of annual HERO[series] design projects, [HAS HEART] has been able to refine the Veteran and artist collaboration process into a streamlined, efficient two-day design process — making it easily repeatable over and over again in order to impact more Veterans, engage more creatives, and reach more civilians…