![[HAS HEART]](https://hasheart.us/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/hasheart-white-logo-1.png){kind=logo}
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.
[HAS HEART] is proud, honored, and excited to officially announce our apparel partnership with American military heritage brand, Alpha Industries.
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.
ArtPrize 2017 is underway at our home base of Grand Rapids, MI — marking our 6th annual HERO[series] exhibit and pop-up shop. Within the first week of it opening, it was selected as a Top-5 entry within the 2-Dimensional category as part of ArtPrize’s Juror-Selected “Short List.”
[HAS HEART] + Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room have collaborated for a special “Handpicked at the Roastery” pop-up shop featuring the design and artwork of U.S. Veterans from across the country from Sept 12-early November.
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!
For millions of Veterans, survival was more than just a “theme” but rather a life or death lifestyle, literally, that they had to adopt while deployed.
On the contrary, for creatives, survival has a much different connotation with much, much less severe consequences.
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…
Since that first project in 2011 when Tyler literally and figuratively became the creative arms and hands of a quadriplegic U.S. Marine, both he and Michael knew they had a new mission and duty to continue sharing Veterans stories through this powerful collaborative outlet.
Not long after their initial meeting, Hyacinthe met a local U.S. Marine who was paralyzed from the neck-down and lost his ability to speak due to injuries suffered in Iraq. Once he learned of the Marine’s love of t-shirts from his full-time nurse, Hyacinthe called Way and asked if he’d be interested in helping create a t-shirt design with the Marine…
