Austin Owen’s Poster

Why I Created This Poster for AHERO

The AHERO Warrior Hook-Up poster design is always a collaborative effort, and for the 2022 poster Dave Glassman and I decided to explore something deeper in an attempt to illustrate the healing and connection that takes place at these events.

In my opinion, all of the men and women who attend the AHERO events are warriors. Our Veterans were warriors when they were active duty, and they are still fighting on as warriors now, as they try to navigate our current society, all the while carrying with them everything they endured while serving. And just as they served to keep us and our way of life safe, so, too, do America’s First Responders.

It is because of this that I decided to depict a group gathered around a campfire, sharing stories of their past and current battles. As the smoke rises up, the vision of a warrior fighting through a crowd of demons appears signifying not only the actual fighting and trauma our Veterans and First Responders have experienced, but also the personal struggle that continues on for them once the job is done.

There is no way I can fully understand the difficulties these men and women have endured, but I am hopeful that when they join AHERO’s circle of warriors, they begin to connect with others who share in their struggle and find a way to continue or even start healing. I will always be grateful for the opportunity I have been given to contribute something to the great strides AHERO is making to ensure a better quality of life for our brave Veterans and First Responders.