STAN ALBA
Glassblowing Culture: Artist Highlight Stan Alba written by Arianna Willis @ari_sunshine_ Glass artist Stan Alba has been an influential part of the cannabis consumption culture in the Pacific Northwest and the Emerald Triangle for over twenty years. As a young cannabis enthusiast and deadhead he was blown away by how the experience of medicating could be altered by the functional glass art that was chosen for a session. Stan first fell in love with the art of glass smoking pipes when his friend showed him a Bob Snodgrass chillum in 1993. After smoking out of the chillum he went on a mission to find Bob Snodgrass and purchase a piece for himself. He became obsessed with the cannabis culture found in the parking lots of GratefulDead shows where Bob’s work was most commonly found. As a dedicated fan and cannabis lover Stan embarked on the hunt looking for Bob on the next Grateful Dead tour. He eventually found Bob in Seattle, Washington in 1994 after seeing his flier in the parking lot for a gallery show not far from the venue. Bob’s gallery show at that time consisted of only marbles, wine glasses, and jars where Stan was able to finally meet Bob and ask him how to acquire one of his highly sought after glass pipes. Bob then invited Stan to come to his campsite after the Grateful Dead show where he would be live glassblowing on a table outside. That night at the campsite watching Bob blow glass changed the direction of Stan’s life forever and Bob put Stan on waitlist to have a pipe made specially for him. Bob’s waitlist was long and it took almost a year for Stan’s first Snodgrass pipe to be made. 55 Beyond The Goddess June 2023
