April 2024 - California Leaf

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

#48 | APR. 2024

CAL I F O R N I A

T GL HE A IS S SU S E

G R AV E DABBER MONSTER TRUCK

GLASS ART BY

THE MOLTEN ART CLASSIC @MOLTENARTCLASSIC F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

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REHASHED | VENTURA

THE GLASS ISSUE

A GOLDEN STATE

COURTESY

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ELISSA NEWMEYER / ELNEWGLASS

32

CARRIE STRONG @CARRIESTRONGPHOTO

PG. 22-32

ELBO GLASS

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SHOP REVIEW | REDDING

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MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ

HALL OF FLOWERS

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COURTESY

MOTHERSHIP GLASS

LUCAS REILLY @MOTHERSHIP_GLASS ALEX REYNA @AREYSOCAL

#48

EDITOR’S NOTE NATIONAL NEWS REHASHED SHOP REVIEW BUDTENDER Q&A EDIBLE OF THE MONTH STRAIN OF THE MONTH THE MOLTEN ART CLASSIC MOTHERSHIP GLASS YUNK GLASS ELBO GLASS WINDSTAR X HICDOGG JP TORO ELISSA NEWMEYER CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY

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THE MOLTEN ART CLASSIC

[

APR. 2024

issue

THE GLASS ISSUE

CAL I F O R N I A

THE glass ISSUE

FEATURED ARTIST

elbo glass

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28 Elbo x Aquariust “Chappy” collab @elboglass @aquariust

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STORY by KATHERINE WOLF @KATADELLIC for LEAF NATION | PHOTO by SCOTT SOUTHERN @BORO.VISION

E S TA B L I S H E D 2 0 1 0

T H E E N L I G H T E N E D VO I C E

N O RT H W E S T L E A F / O R EG O N L E A F / A L AS KA L E A F / M A RY L A N D L E A F / CA L I F O R N I A L E A F / N O RT H E AS T L E A F / U TA H L E A F

A B O U T T H E C OV E R

Every year, the Leaf team looks to assemble a dazzling array of glass artists at the top of their game for our annual special. This year was no exception, and we are pleased to present the incredible work of all the artists that make up The Molten Art Classic. This stunning piece entitled “Grave Dabber Monster Truck” is the result of dozens of glass artists collaborating to create some truly one-of-a-kind pieces.

See more in our profile pgs. 22-23, and online at LeafMagazines.com.

COVER PHOTO BY ALEX REYNA @AREYSOCAL DESIGN BY DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

CONTRIBUTORS

WES ABNEY C E O & F O U N D E R wes@leafmagazines.com

MIKE RICKER O P E R AT I N G PA R T N E R ricker@leafmagazines.com | advertising opportunities TOM BOWERS C H I E F O P E R AT I N G O F F I C E R tom@leafmagazines.com DANIEL BERMAN C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R daniel@leafmagazines.com BOBBY BLACK STAT E C O N T E N T D I R E C T O R bobbyblack@leafmagazines.com MEGHAN RIDLEY C O PY E D I T O R meghan@leafmagazines.com

ASHLEY HIRCHERT S O C I A L M E D I A L E A D ashley@leafmagazines.com

ADHDDEAD, FEATURES BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES + PHOTOS AMANDA DAY, FEATURES MARIO DE LA CRUZ, PHOTOS MAX EARLY. FEATURES WYATT EARLY, FEATURES MATT JACKSON, FEATURES REX HILSINGER, PHOTOS JESSE RAMIREZ, DESIGN LUCAS REILLY, PHOTOS ALEX REYNA, PHOTOS MIKE RICKER, FEATURES + PHOTOS MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING SCOTT SOUTHERN, PHOTOS CARRIE STRONG, PHOTOS TOTO PHOTOGRAPHY, PHOTOS WINDHOME, PHOTOS KATHERINE WOLF, FEATURES

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ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Glass Issue of California Leaf!

Our longest consecutive issue here at Leaf Nation, we first started photographing glass in 2010 and released our first 420 Glass Issue in April of 2011. From the start as a Cannabis user, I was transfixed by glass art and how smoking weed could be accessorized or simplified depending on the piece being used. This was pre-dabs and bangers and electronic rigs, but there were still crazy bongs and pipes to be found at the local head shop … all labeled “for tobacco use only.”

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"SO MUCH Glass blowing was an underground art for decades and artists risked OF OUR more than stigma for choosing to turn borosilicate into bubblers. In RELATIONSHIP 2014, I interviewed Tommy Chong about Operation Pipe Dreams, WITH THE a DEA task force that raided glass blowers around the country and PLANT IS shut down his Tommy Chong glass company. He served nine months FACILITATED in federal prison for his role, and those in the legacy glass game still

BY GLASS." remember hundreds of doors being kicked down from Eugene, Oregon to Pensacola, Florida. Reminiscent of a communist country banning art and expression, the government targeted glass artists as a pathway to keep Cannabis illegal – a plan that ultimately failed.

The two forces at play were seeds and creativity, neither of which can be stifled for long. Cannabis prohibition failed, and in the last 15 years glass has gone from a somewhat sketchy genre to a legitimate art form that commands prices and attention similar to mainstream works. No longer just a pipe dream, the world of glassblowing has taken a legitimate place in the world of collectibles and art, and I believe both the marketplace and the consumer demand is still in its infancy.

So much of our relationship with the plant is facilitated by glass and it’s impossible to overlook the importance of a good piece. From function to art, simple and affordable to so expensive it’s scary to dab from, glass is how we experience the plant – and how Cannabis users can express themselves through the art they purchase. The pieces in this issue are a beautiful representation of the plant and the high that it provides us, which is why we’ve celebrated glass for the last 13 years.

I hope that our selection of high art inspires you to seek out more on social media and at your local glass shop, and to invest in an American-made piece for your next purchase. By supporting the artists that get us high, we complete the circle that feeds our culture, community and plants.

-Wes Abney

Have a strain, product, or news tip that the California Leaf staff needs to know about? Email bobbyblack@LeafMagazines.com!

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We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of California Leaf Magazine. We do not sell stories or coverage. We can offer design services and guidance on promoting your company’s medicinal, recreational, commercial or industrial Cannabis business, product or event within our magazine and on our website, leafmagazines.com. Email ricker@leafmagazines.com to start advertising with California Leaf!

WES

national news

health & science

8

NEW STUDY CONFIRMS CANNABIS HELPS RELIEVE DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS

W

hile many stoners have been studying the effects of Cannabis on depression, anxiety, sleep and pain for years, the inquisitive folks at the medical journal Pharmacopsychiatry have confirmed what we already suspected.

With at least 21 million Americans suffering from depression, it’s no surprise that big pharma has suppressed Cannabis legalization and efficacy data in pursuit of profits “The regular use of from pills since the beginning of Cannabis was found to the war on drugs. significantly reduce But unlike SSRIs and other the severity of users' drugs prescribed for depression, Cannabis doesn’t have the pesky depression and had no discernible side effects side effects that depression pills bring like nausea, headache, outside of dry mouth and increased appetite.” insomnia, nervousness, agitation, suicidal thoughts and sexual dysfunction. That’s how patients get stuck in a loop of pharmaceuticals – treating one symptom with another pill until there’s too many to count.

To study the effects of Cannabis, the participants selected had all failed to treat their depression with traditional pharmaceuticals and were instead given access to vaporize Cannabis flower over the course of 18 weeks. The regular use of Cannabis was found to significantly reduce the severity of users' depression and had no discernible side effects outside of dry mouth and increased appetite.

While the study organizers say more research is needed to confirm the effects of Cannabis on mental health and illness, those of us doing at home research have already concluded that Cannabis is safer than pharmaceuticals in treating depression, pain and many other ailments. politics

INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA’S FIGHT FOR CANNABIS FREEDOM

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he Health Subcommittee on Health Care and Judiciary Support has taken up the subject of Cannabis legalization at the behest of Gov. Josh Shapiro, who has repeatedly pushed legalization from the stump and through budgetary requests. The state has a somewhat limited medical Cannabis program that initially restricted patient access to only infused pills, oils, topical ointments, tinctures or liquids. A 2018 law change allowed patients to vaporize dry flower – but it’s still illegal for patients to smoke Cannabis or grow their own medicine.

With unnecessary burdens placed on patients and the war on drugs continuing through marijuana enforcement, the Joint Committee has been tasked with creating a Cannabis legalization framework that addresses social equity, criminal records and the right to bear arms, among other more common areas like testing, possession limits and regulations for businesses.

Many states have found pathways to legalization through initiatives such as Washington’s I-502 or California’s Prop 64, which were written by private groups with varying interests and concessions that got them onto the ballot and ultimately into law.

Pennsylvania has a unique opportunity to legalize via the legislative process, in which lawmakers can potentially craft a more nuanced and developed form of legalization that is based on successful parts of other state’s experiments. With two thirds of polled state residents in favor of legalizing, it’s safe to say that anticipation is high for a new law change.

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Quoted

global

“We’re putting people in a very vulnerable position where they have large amounts of cash. We’re encouraging criminals to break into businesses that deal in Cannabis. I am neither a user nor suggester of using, but the fact of the matter is every state that’s voted on it has made it legal, and I appreciate your work and whatever I can do to help you on there.”

-Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), addressing Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen last month during a House Appropriations Financial Services And General Government Subcommittee hearing on the conflict between federal and state marijuana policies harming legal Cannabis businesses.

LEGALIZATION

NY GOV. DECLARES STATE'S POT PROGRAM A "DISASTER"

A

lthough Cannabis plants are known to grow slowly, nothing prepared the consumers or industry of New York for the sluggish rollout of the legal marketplace.

Cannabis has been legal in the Empire State since 2021, when legislators passed “...there are the Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act. only 85 legal stores open, For citizens and tourists, the last few years have felt like legalization was open with over 1,000 and done, thanks to the proliferation of illegal storefront illegal dispensaries and delivery services competitors in operating from Times Square storefronts the city alone.” to tables in Central Park. This explosion of illegal players has created a booming black market that is not enforced or restricted. While individuals never deserve criminal charges or time for Cannabis possession, the lax prosecution of crime in New York has given the illegal market a head start – while licenses and applications for legal businesses remain mired in bureaucratic red tape.

The New York Times recently reported that of 7,000 applications for licenses to grow, process or sell Cannabis, only 109 have been approved this year. While a total of 500 licenses have been issued since November 2022, there are only 85 legal stores open, with over 1,000 illegal storefront competitors in the city alone.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared the rollout a "disaster" and has pressured state officials to clean up the mess and get legal Cannabis stores open. The dichotomy between the legal and illegal markets reached a fever pitch at a Cannabis Control Board meeting last month, when the governor directed a full review of the licensing process. Whether that will speed up the system for those companies desperately awaiting a chance in the legal market is sadly something only time will tell.

MOROCCO CELEBRATES FIRST LEGAL CANNABIS HARVEST

M

orocco’s recent shift towards legalization and cooperative growing has delivered huge yields – including a 2023 bumper harvest of 294 metric tons of plants grown. While recreational Cannabis is still illegal in the country, it has been grown and shared in the country for centuries. Over the last 200 years, Morocco has grown to become a large Cannabis exporter – and more recently in the ‘60s and ‘70s, became a hash-producing oasis supplying most of the hash smoked in Europe.

In an effort to protect local tribes and the livelihood of over a million people in regions that depend on Cannabis production for income, the government is working to license medical grows to supply the growing global market for legal Cannabis.

While this export of medical Cannabis and industrial hemp is good for the economy, it still leaves a gap in freedom to grow and smoke on a personal level. So don’t book a cannatourist trip yet to this North African country, but if you really desire a taste of Moroccan hash, just visit an Amsterdam coffee shop. And always remember to ask for hash with edges, not in a ball!

STORIES by WES ABNEY @BEARDEDLORAX/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by ADOBE STOCK & CREATIVE COMMONS

rehashed

mar. 13-14, 2024 | ventura county fairgrounds

Hall of Flowers

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rs Ventura 2024

"With tasty treats to satiate your senses and visual stunners that brought the welcome weirdness, this was the hot pink sauce on the sundae.”

The highly anticipated annual Hall of Flowers landed at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on March 13 and 14, delivering what the California Cannabis industry has come to know as the standard for business networking and stoney shenanigans.

Hundreds of brands were represented with colorful, immersive booths while heritage companies and newcomers to the scene reveled in the casual atmosphere. HOF brings value to anyone who wishes to attend – whether you are there to create new business alliances, or simply to slap high fives with those already established. And with cool ocean breezes washing over the expansive vibe, there was no denying the rich, SoCal scene that made every person in attendance feel special.

Simply by crossing the street to the beach, you could stand in the sand to watch the sun wander past the horizon, clearing your head before the legendary parties started poppin’.

The most regaled was the 2nd Annual Gelato After Dark affair with a carnivalesque flair that easily matched last year’s extravaganza. With tasty treats to satiate your senses and visual stunners that brought the welcome weirdness, this was the hot pink sauce on the sundae.

Always a fantastic foray into the heart of this exploding Cannabis culture, Hall of Flowers never disappoints. We can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store for next year!

HALLOFFLOWERS.COM | @HALL_OF_FLOWERS

STORY & PHOTOS by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ @CALIFORNIA LEAF See more photos from the event at LeafMagazines.com

SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA

EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC

COMING SOON

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CALIFORNIA CERTIFIED ORGANIC FARMER

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B R I GHT D I R E C T I V E

The genesis of this luminous operation began 11 years ago when the owner transitioned from consulting in the medical market to realizing his own destiny as a Cannabis entrepreneur. The directive was to implement his personal values into this burgeoning industry by leading with intention and integrity. In his years of being a collegiate tennis player, having strong mental health combined with physical discipline was vital to his success – so that practice became the ideology to building a bellwether company that influences the industry by proving that strong character is not a weakness to be preyed upon.

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H ARNES S ING NATURE

They say that positives attract, so partnering with famed Zookie strain breeder Rob Masterson came naturally – creating a special bond that continues to flourish with every seed planted and every plant harvested.

Having the massive advantage of capturing the spiritual, mineral-rich snowmelt from majestic Mount Shasta is what makes this so exceptional for their vertical flower brand of the same name. Like the mountain itself, inside the shop you’ll bask in the natural woods, limestone and granite – evoking the farmer’s market craft feel, tying you back to the natural roots of California.

ROLE MODELS

There are those who say and those who do. And this carbon-neutral company walks the walk when it comes to growing, delivering and selling Cannabis. Through their philanthropic work, they’ve helped plant trees in Brazil, conserve wildlife projects in Africa, and even had a part in providing desperately needed cooking stoves to families in Honduras. In fact, the concept was originally modeled after the philosophy of Patagonia – upholding a responsibility to build an altruistic company that is an entirely sustainable operation and reliant on alternative energy. Way to go guys! And thank you for staying true to the plant.

A GOLDEN STATE 6744 Lockheed Dr, Redding agoldenstate.com @agoldenstate 10AM-8PM Daily (530) 255-3170 “LIKE THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF, INSIDE THE SHOP YOU’LL BASK IN THE NATURAL WOODS, LIMESTONE AND GRANITE.”

S TA F F P I C K S FLOWER A Golden State - Night Sky -Daniel PHASES Vibration - Lucky Charm -Ashley PHASES Reverie - Gorilla Cookies -AJ

JOINTS A Golden State Lava Flower minis -Reno Garden Society Calm & Focus Infused -Daniel & AJ Time Machine 28-pack -Sierra

CARTS Jetty Durian & Banana Dream -Sierra & Reno Chemistry Cannatonic -Daniel & AJ Chemistry Pink Boost Goddess -Ashley

DABS Humboldt Terps Peach Panther -Reno ABX Garlic Sauce Badder -Sierra & Ashley Jetty Solventless Chem Punch -Daniel

EDIBLES Lost Farms Super Lemon Haze Gummies -AJ & Sierra Emerald Sky Peanut Butter Cups -Ashley Camino Recovery Gummies -Reno Care By Design Relax Gummies -Daniel

REVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ @CALIFORNIALEAFMAG | PHOTOS by ZAC GARCIA & A GOLDEN STATE STAFF See more photos at LeafMagazines.com

interview

CALIFORNIA LEAF BUDTENDER OF THE MONTH

BENJIE SANCHEZ YOU JUST TURNED 31. WERE THERE A FEW CLOSE CALLS IN YOUR 20S? There were a lot of close calls. The plant has truly helped me through it all. I drove my mom crazy with the ER visits. I’ve broken bones, been shot more than once, I’ve been kidnapped – been around the block. I now try to stay away from those things. It’s all public record.

HOW DOES YOUR MOTHER FEEL ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE NOW? She’s just happy that I’m doing what I love and that I’m helping people every day. There’s nothing more rewarding than when someone comes in with Parkinson’s and they need RSO and I’m able to help them with some Beard Bros – and I get to see the change in the patient. I feel like we’re truly healers.

"I FEEL LIKE WE’RE TRULY HEALERS."

YOU’RE A VERY OUTSPOKEN BUDTENDER, ALWAYS CANVASSING ON THE POSITIVE SIDE OF CANNABIS. WHY DO YOU FIT CATALYST SO WELL IN THE CATALYST ORGANIZATION? It’s like SAN BERNARDINO we’re a football team 506 S INLAND CENTER DR. and Elliot Lewis (Catalyst 9:00AM-9:30PM DAILY CEO) knows where to put (909) 375-0480 the players based on their strengths. I just follow his CATALYST-CANNABIS.COM lead. I look forward to doing @CATALYST.SANBERNARDINO bigger and greater things in this industry when the time is right. It’s easy to build vision when you have such a strong mentor.

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WHERE DO YOU FIND THE DRIVE IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE TO WANT TO ACHIEVE BEING YOUR BEST? I’ve been in rough places, and I don’t care to go back. I’ve been at rock bottom.

I’ve been to prison and lost it all. So, I just want to uplift and bring positivity to the industry one day, one customer at a time.

What my struggles have taught me is what I don’t want in life – and that’s as important as knowing what you do want. My goal every day is to be a good example to people and show them that this smile is real.

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WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU LISTENING TO CURRENTLY? I’m into ‘90s music like the Chili Peppers, Incubus and Wu Tang Clan, but I also like a lot of blues. I got it from my grandfather.

Music is the key to the soul.

H

AVING GROWN UP in a large family of athletes (his uncle is famed boxer Abel Sanchez), sports has always been an important discipline in his life.

His ethnic diversity of being Canadian, Native American and Hispanic is something he’s very proud of, which he expresses through fashion.

Follow him on Instagram @benjie_tokes.

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INTERVIEW by MIKE RICKER @RICKERDJ @CALIFORNIALEAFMAG | PHOTOS by MARIO DE LA CRUZ @TERPS_QUEST_REVIEWS Who’s your favorite budtender? Tell us why! Email nominations to ricker@leafmagazines.com

EDIBLe of the month

For decades, Cannabis has served as the safest contender to replace the ritual of the cocktail. The infused beverage market pushes hard in that direction, with companies racing to create the most flavorful and widely accepted analogues to a day-ending drink.

SPRING SPRITZ!

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PAMOS TROPICAL MAI TAI SPRITZ AFTER SAMPLING a few of their hemp-derived cocktail mixes, we have to say – Pamos deserves a spot in your sesh room fridge.

The team at Pamos crafts a number of different lines catering to different tastes and levels of consumption, starting with the session-weight microdose canned cocktails (2mg THC/2mg CBD per can), ramping up to the medium-dose version with 5mg THC, and leveling up to a 10mg version in a 12oz can. The canned cocktails come in a trio of flavors including Tropical Mai Tai Spritz, Long Island Iced Tea and Peach & Guava Bellini Spritz.

They also offer a pair of distilled non-alcoholic Cannabis spirits in 750ml bottles, in both a microdose (2mg THC) and low-dose (6mg THC) formulation, and have a growing library of canna-cocktail recipes on their website – where they also offer nationwide-shipping, since they’re a hemp-derived product line. Prices for the four-packs of canned cocktails range from $24 (2mg formulation) to $28 (10mg formulation), while the Pamos distilled spirits are $40 (microdose) and $45 (low-dose).

We filled a glass with ice and popped open a can of the Tropical Mai Tai Spritz, pouring the slightly fizzy, light orange elixir over the rocks, and garnishing with a slice of citrus. From the first sip, the experience was downright delightful. The glass chilled with infused tropical fruit effervescence, accented by just enough sweetness to stop short of being cloying. Hints of pineapple and citrus complemented snappy acidity and just a hint of hemp character. These would be a solid choice for a springtime soiree or a backyard barbecue.

Regardless of whether you’re looking to replace the traditional cocktail, or simply want to elevate your mood with a delicious, cannabinoid-enhanced beverage, the Pamos canned cocktails won’t steer you wrong.

“Hints of pineapple and citrus complemented snappy acidity and just a hint of hemp character. ”

PAMOS.COM @DRINKPAMOS 10mg THC 2mg CBD

APr. 2024

REVIEW & PHOTO by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/CALIFORNIA LEAF @CALIFORNIALEAFMAG

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piescream

strain of the month

SO MANY PEOPLE have jumped into the regulated market in the decade-plus since legal states started coming out of the basement, dispensary customers have trouble separating the heat from the branded boof.

When you see a new brand pop up on the shelf, how do you know what’s in the jar is going to be worth a chunk of your hard-earned paycheck? Thankfully for Snowtill’s emergence on the recreational market in March, their reputation for stellar flower and bulletproof genetic selection has simplified such a decision at the register.

Founders Joseph Snow and Nate Landau grew up separately in Israel and didn’t meet until 2015, where they clicked at Landau’s Prop 215 grow in Trinity County.

The seeds of Snowtill popped a year later, when they founded a small medical grow together, and transitioned that into consulting and research and development – biding their time until the right moment to start a facility licensed under Prop 64.

Snow utilizes organic methodologies in the grow room at their new San Francisco facility, where he says he favors heavy decomp to cover crop for his living soil.

“Our core mission has always been to cultivate the best Cannabis we can,” Snow said. “Organic cultivation, we’ve found, is the best engine for that goal.”

We had the chance to check out a few “THE CANDYstrains on a recent tour, and walked away SWEET NUGS impressed by everything we saw – including SHIMMER a sparkly, gassy Carbon Fiber and a cheesy, WITH FROST funk-laden cut called the Gouda.

AGAINST A It was hard to choose a favorite, DARK PURPLE but the Piescream loudly commanded AND GREEN attention. Bred by Mean Gene Mendocino, the Piescream comes from a CANVAS.” cross of Wedding Pie x (Cherry Limeade f5 x Gelato 33). Like everyone, we can’t seem to get away from the Gelato crosses … and we’re not mad about it.

The candy-sweet nugs shimmer with frost against a dark purple and green canvas, spiny with bright orange pistils and ripe with complex aromas of citrus, creamy rose petal and dank earthy funk.

It’s a pillowy, heady hitter – and absolutely delicious.

If you’re looking for a blend of flavor, aroma and head stash appeal, keep your eye out for this one.

SNOWTILL.COM | @SNOWTILLORGANICS 34% THC | 3.7% TERPENES (MYRCENE, PINENE, OCIMENE)

CULTIVATED BY

SNOWTILL

BRED BY MEAN GENE MENDOCINO REVIEW & PHOTO by TOM BOWERS @CANNABOMBTOM/CALIFORNIA LEAF HAVE A LEAD ON SOME SERIOUS FIRE? EMAIL BOBBYBLACK@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

ho t 22

t ho

THE GLASS ISSUE

FEATURE | THE MOLTEN ART CLASSIC

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G R AV E DABBER MONSTER TRUCK

heat APr. 2024

FAR MORE THAN JUST COOL, HEADY BONGS, THE PIECES CRAFTED BY THE MOLTEN ART CLASSIC CREW ARE SOME OF THE MOST ELABORATE & UNIQUE FUNCTIONAL GLASS SCULPTURES THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

GLASS ODYSSEY S PA C E S TAT I O N

SHIP WRECK 420 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

W

hat began nearly a decade ago as an excuse for a few glassblower buddies to get together has evolved into one of the world's most ambitious glass art collaboration projects: the Molten Art Classic.

FIRST ORGANIZED in 2015 by glassblowers Carlos Ali, Steve "Hops" Hoppenfeld and Adam "Hoobs" Whobrey, the project was initially called "The Ziggys Classic" – named after Ziggys Smoke Shop (Ali's glass gallery in Huntington Beach), which hosted the live glass blowing event to celebrate the shop's fifth anniversary.

Over the course of a week, six artists worked together to create a phenomenal, functional funny car called “Tow U.” The crew had so much fun that they decided to make it an annual event, and it's grown exponentially bigger ever since. In 2016, nine artists contributed to the creation of the “Ziggy’s Correctional Bus” piece. Then, in 2017, things really started getting serious: Before the event began, Hoobs and Hops spent two weeks constructing a preliminary framework upon which 16 other artists would then contribute their own unique elements. The result was a vaunted vessel weighing over 18 pounds and standing 29 inches tall that they dubbed “The Sea Cow Pirate Ship.”

By that time, Hoobs and his partners recognized they were onto something big. So in 2018, they rebranded their annual mega-collab as “The Molten Art Classic,” created

a website for it, brought in sponsors, and made arrangements to film a documentary and publish a book about the project. That July, their “Glass Odyssey Space Station” art piece became the largest glass art collaboration in the nation – weighing in at a whopping 50 pounds, standing 48 inches tall, and featuring over 3,000 hours of work from 27 different artists.

That was followed by another boat, “Shipwreck 420 Leagues Under the Sea” in 2019, and then the mean, green “Grave Dabber” monster truck in 2020 – featuring wheels that actually roll, made of rubber-coated glass with ball bearings and sandblasted tread (which later won first place for Best Collab at Glass Vegas’ 2022 World Series of Glass competition).

Sadly, due to Covid, the MAC was canceled in 2021 … but the group returned to Hoobs’ Classic 33 Studio in fall 2022 to create another badass borosilicate behemoth: the “Kiln Buster” Samurai Robot (over 2,500 hours of work, 33 inches tall, 45.5 pounds), which again won first place for Best Collab at Glass Vegas in 2023.

Due to the vast amount of time and resources necessary to produce one of these epic pieces (thousands of hours and tens of thousands of dollars), the MAC team has decided that going forward, they'll only have the bandwidth to produce their pieces biannually.

“Currently, our goal is to complete one more project this year, complete the filming and editing of a KILN short film about the project, and plan a B U S T E R nationwide museum tour of the entire S A M U R A I ROBOT decade-long body of work that will tentatively begin in 2025,” Hoobs tells us.

“After that, we will be transitioning into a new series of even bigger ideas that will span multiple years to accomplish each conceptual collaboration, with the goal of creating pieces that will truly stand the test of time as some of the greatest flameworked sculptures ever created.”

I think I speak for our entire community when I say we can’t wait to see what epic insanity MAC’s torches conjure up next. @MOLTENARTCLASSIC

STORY by BOBBY BLACK @THEBOBBYBLACK/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by ALEX REYNA @AREYSOCAL See more photos at LeafMagazines.com

FEATURED ARTIST

THE glass ISSUE

mothership glass MSG FILLA EGG Most of Mothership’s pieces are touched by several pairs of hands before they are finished. This Fab Egg has detailed sections of fire-fade and water-fade fillacello prep and UVfluorescent Illuminati glass.

FACETED DICHRO CUP TORUS

IN THE LUSH EXPANSES OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST,

where Earth’s creativity merges with cosmic wonder, Mothership Glass descends – a beacon of celestial artistry in the terrestrial realm of high-end glassmaking.

Birthed in the stellar forge of 2013 by the interstellar visionary Scott Deppe, their studio was not merely founded … it landed, propelled by a deep-seated passion for the cosmic dance of aesthetics and functionality. >>

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L a s t y e a r, Mothership introduced t h e To r u s N o v a , a n e v o l u t i o n o f t h e To r u s model with an integration of the joint into the top of the piece, passing through the recycler’s drain to enter the p e r c c h a m b e r.

This Faceted Dichro iteration has a removable mouthpiece and is intricately cold-worked.

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SKULL FKT This Fab K l e i n To r u s was made by Mothership’s C aptain Scott Depp e a n d i s adorned with a sculpted skull that features a matching skull pendant to complete the set.

The mission of Mothership Glass is no less than a galactic decree: to transcend the earthly confines of glasswork, elevating it into realms of extraordinary artistry that resonates with unparalleled quality, innovation and the soul of the cosmos.

From the moment of their celestial inception, Mothership Glass set its coordinates beyond the known, committed to crafting intricate, mesmerizing glass pieces that defy gravity in both function and beauty. This dedication has illuminated their path, guiding them to become pioneers on this planet.

At the core of their intergalactic voyage is a crew of artists and craftsmen, each a star navigator in their own right. Every creation that emerges from the Mothership is a constellation of countless hours, unmatched skill, and a profound communion with glass as the medium of the cosmos. Here, the boundaries of space and possibility are not just pushed but obliterated as they employ a spectrum of specialized techniques in flameworking, cold working, and glass sculpting to encapsulate stories not of this world.

Innovation courses through the veins of Mothership Glass like plasma. Scott Deppe, their commander, has charted courses into unexplored territories of glass, wielding techniques and functionalities once thought to reside only in the imaginations of beings from far-flung galaxies.

TERPS TORUS This pioneering spirit has not T h e To r u s i s among only set new orbits, but also ignited stars of inspiration across Mothership’s most recognizable the cosmic canvas of artists functional designs. worldwide.

This tiny example is just over Mothership Glass transcends its artistic feats; they are a nexus 5 i n c h e s t a l l and is made of in the universe, a gathering CFL-reactive space for entities drawn to the Te r p s c o l o r. art and alchemy of glass.

Their studio thrives as a cosmic hub where creativity, learning, and the sharing of interstellar ideas about art and the essence of hash converge in a nebula of innovation.

Their odyssey is one of eternal "INNOVATION exploration and discovery, navigating COURSES the infinite possibilities of glass art and THROUGH its place in the cosmos. For collectors, enthusiasts and fellow spacefarers, THE VEINS OF Mothership Glass stands as a beacon of MOTHERSHIP what glass art can achieve when infused GLASS LIKE with the essence of the universe – melding the timeless elegance of the galaxies with PLASMA." the revolutionary spirit of the void.

Welcome aboard the Mothership. They don’t just create glass … they forge artifacts of the cosmos, beckoning explorers and dreamers to join them in a journey that spans the stars.

BUCK GLASS X SCOTT DEPPE HOLOGRAM ANGLERFISH Piece is roughly 25” tall, with Hologram prep of detailed silver and goldfumed artwork

SCOTT DEPPE (2021) @BERMANPHOTOS

STORY by REX HILSINGER & LEAF NATION STAFF | PHOTOS by LUCAS REILLY mothershipglass.com | @mothership_glass | See more photos at LeafMagazines.com

THE GLASS ISSUE

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"INFINITE OFFERINGS" @BORO.VISION

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FEATURED ARTIST

COLLAB WITH NATEY BISKIND @NATEYLOVE

APr. 2024

yunk glass

YUNK GLASS DOESN’T JUST BLOW GLASS, HE BREATHES LIFE INTO IT.

"SELFMAINTENANCE"

@WINDHOME

COLLAB WITH PETER MULLER @MULLERGLASS B O R O S I L I C AT E G L A S S , M E TA L AND THREAD

"TORI DAIKEI"

Operating out of the Lone Star State, Josh Yunker has spent the last 15 years honing his craft. Originally taught to make spoon pipes on a production line style, afterwards he found himself spending any time outside of the nine-to-five grind out in his mom’s garage practicing glassblowing. After two years of moonlighting, he turned to the craft full time and started working on the style he’s become so well known for.

Alongside these animated pipes and rigs, his work with pendants, marbles and glassware are all in high demand when released online and sell out quickly.

Perhaps it’s because much of Yunker’s work seems to speak to both the adult and child brain simultaneously – impressing you with its contrasting use of black with clear glass, the skill in the shaping of the tiny appendages, and also making you feel as if you’re holding something that could come to life at any moment. It’s a style that is both super individualistic and yet calls back to the work of Osvaldo Cavandoli, Hayao Miyazaki or Disney Animation.

If “Beauty and the Beast” would have had a pipe in the castle, it would for sure have been a Yunk Glass piece voiced by Werner Herzog.

If you ask, Yunker will tell you his work is a distilled mixture of two prominent glass art styles: Sculpted and Venetian. Sculpted references a glass object’s ability to reference something familiar in our world.

"HARD TIMES" B O R O S I L I C AT E G L A S S AND UV RESIN

Venetian style often makes use of intricate and ornate techniques to exemplify and play with the language of glass. His aim is to “combine both philosophies by using the human form.”

This duality that your brian perceives when seeing his work is the artist’s intention, hoping to convey something “both sterile and personal, high-brow and low-brow, black and white.”

Yunker says his favorite kind of piece to create is something that allows him to work a new shape or style of piece into that of the human body, something that offers a challenge as to how much personality he can instill into the Venetian style. We asked Yunker what helped stoke the fire of inspiration and he said that he’s found the ability to take inspiration from seemingly everywhere – finding that much of it seems to spring out of everyday interactions with people and a desire to communicate with others. yunkglass.com @yunkglass

STORY by MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by @BORO.VISION & @WINDHOME

@BORO.VISION

@BORO.VISION

His work features cartoonish appendages or fully formed, tiny humanoids that look like they could move across the table and hand you a lighter. Like something out of an old TOOL music video, these faceless homunculi, seem both ready to spring to life and trapped in a moment of expression – prompting the artist to refer to them on his website as “Yunktionals.”

FEATURED ARTIST

THE glass ISSUE

elbo glass

HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN A DAB OUT OF A DINOSAUR?

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@BORO.VISION

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T E L E O C R AT E R

Elbo started out in the hot shop at Tyler School of Art and Architecture in his hometown of Philadelphia in 2005, where he mostly did furnace work with soft glass. It wasn’t until after he graduated in 2009 and was apprenticing for internationally renowned artist Zach Puchowitz that he began working with boro and making pipes. Elbo eventually relocated to Colorado in 2013, where he’s now the co-owner of Everdream Studio and blowing glass alongside some of the industry’s finest including WJC, Eusheen and N8 Miers.

He’s one of those artists where you can just look at a piece and immediately know, “That’s an Elbo.” He’s built a cult-like following of collectors with highly sculpted functional pieces in the shape of Raptors, Triceratops, “Recyclerdactyls” and more – and these dinosaur motifs that appear throughout his art are actually a love story.

“The woman that I fell in love with when I first started blowing glass made me these little glass dinosaurs on the torch,” Elbo tells me. “I was so focused on building my glass career that we ended up having a falling out. After that, I wanted to let her know I was still thinking about her in the studio, so I was making replicas of this Brontosaurus that she had made me.” He brought

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three of these replicas to a trade show just as side pieces to fill the table, but ended up getting an enormous amount of orders off the dino designs alone.

The rest is history.

Since then, Elbo has expanded his work into many other mediums such as plushies, vinyl figurines (like the butterfly stego collab below with Felt @feltusa) and even baseball cards – which, while not made with glass, are still inspired by his functional pipes. “I was going at them as if they were prints of my work. Like as a painter makes prints of their original canvas, I was trying to develop ‘prints’ of my glass and design them based off of actual pieces I’d made in the past.”

MYCELIUM T R I C E R AT O P S COLLAB WITH @DARBYHOLMGLASS

COLLAB WITH @COYLECONDENSER A N D @WJCGLASS

With this approach, Elbo has been one of the few to successfully cross over from the niche glass scene into mainstream pop culture, proven by his collabs with iconic brands such as The Hundreds, Felt and Topps.

His next venture is a flagship storefront in Denver – The Elbo Shop, which will be home to exclusive seasonal capsules of glass, clothing and his entire lineup of collectibles, as well as monthly events and heady hangouts.

“I’m really trying to cultivate a place for the glass community to come to where they can hang out,” he tells me. “Just like the streetwear world did with their brick-andmortars, that same vibe.”

Opening April 6th, stop by the shop if you’re in the Mile-High City.

LA REINA DE LA GA RT O COLLAB WITH @BANJOGLASS

STORY by KATHERINE WOLF @KATADELLIC for LEAF NATION | ELBOGLASS.US | @ELBOGLASS See more photos at LeafMagazines.com

THE SPIRIT ANIMAL SERIES CURRENTLY INCLUDES FOUR PIECES THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED SINCE LATE 2019.

“It all started with Koyaanisqatsi – a cow skull that referenced the Hopi prophecies of the world falling out of balance when mankind refused to live alongside nature,” says Windstar.

“When we first started making these, we had no idea that four years later we would have four “SIRIUS THE DOG STAR SPIRIT OF THE NORTH” master pieces – and SPIRIT ANIMAL #4 many more planned for the series. Each of them reflects our love for the animals depicted and their mythological influence on the societies around them. These functional works of art are truly show pieces, and their power is not just in the imagery they invoke, but also in the size of their presence.”

THE glass ISSUE

Hicdogg X Windstar

“SPIRIT, THE HORSE” SPIRIT ANIMAL #2 Spirit is the second in the series, and she was born out of our mutual love for horses and our respect for their impact on shaping the course of human history. The inspiration for Spirit’s decorative look comes from the Cheyenne people, who would decorate and parade their horses as their most cherished part of their family’s wealth. Spirit, as a work of glass, is meant to emulate the beauty, wealth and grace that the Cheyenne would show their horses – and to remind us of the continued importance of the horse in our spiritual journey in this world, always having respect for her strength and wisdom in allowing us to ride her. This piece is the tallest of the Spirit Animal series to date. It is also a functioning recycler, continuing on the tradition of matching both high-end artwork with high-quality functionality. This piece is owned by a private collector and can currently be viewed in the Torched Exhibit at the Flint Institute of Art in Flint, Michigan.

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“SCORPIUS THE ROCK LOBSTER” SPIRIT ANIMAL #3

FEATURED ARTISTS

@hicdogg | @windstar_glass

STORY by REX HILSINGER & LEAF NATION STAFF | PHOTOS by ALEX REYNA @AREYSOCAL See more photos and read the full interview at LeafMagazines.com

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“KOYAANISQATSI” SPIRIT ANIMAL #1, HELD BY WINDSTAR, LEFT, AND HICDOGG.

Scorpius was born from the imagination of Windstar’s then8-year-old daughter (who is a Scorpio). When we struggled with inspiration for an upcoming class, she suggested we make a scorpion in her honor – so we decided to run with the idea and dive deep into the world of scorpions. Like our previous pieces, we did a lot of research to find the essence of this desert arachnid. We were very impressed with and found a deep appreciation for this maternal creature. Known for being the most motherly of all the arachnids and also the most fierce, it was during the making of this scorpion that we discovered that each of these pieces had its own unique spirit. This is when we realized that they were all part of the Spirit Animal series. Scorpius is an impressive piece and truly emulates all the mystery, power and energy of its name. This piece is a fully functioning recycler and stands 12 inches tall – but height is not the most impressive part of this piece. Positioned at a 45-degree angle, it is poised to strike at the heart of any true functional aficionado and delivers a venomous hit.

This piece is currently available for viewing and purchase at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York.

jptoro

THE glass ISSUE

FEATURED ARTIST

& THE HIGHLY CONNECTED DISPENSARY

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JP Toro has long been celebrated for his heady and pioneering contributions to the world of glass art, especially within the Cannabis community.

His many creations, such as the Terp Slurper, have revolutionized how hash and concentrate enthusiasts experience their favorite strains, melding innovative function with unparalleled artistry.

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The family-owned team is currently embarking on a new journey in Ithaca, as they open a licensed storefront called The Highly Connected Dispensary in their home state of New York.

This exciting fusion of his glassblowing genius and passion for Cannabis aims to redefine the standard for Cannabis retail spaces. As the industry evolves and more states come online, figures like JP Toro are at the forefront – helping guide the way towards a more integrated, artistic and creative Cannabis experience.

In this exclusive Q&A, JP Toro and Wendy sit down with ADHDDEAD and share insights into their latest projects, vision for a unique dispensary experience, and the future of glass art in the Cannabis industry. >>

What inspired you to venture into the Cannabis retail sector?

Wendy: We had the opportunity to be among the first applicants under the NY CAURD program. Both JP and I were legacy growers since the ‘90s. A lot of our Sour Diesel was sold in NYC in the early 2000s, but we were raided in 2009. Who knew that years later, the hell we went through would pay off?

What unique features can customers expect from your dispensary that sets it apart from others in the market?

W: In addition to the inclusion of TORO Glass products in our inventory, our most unique feature is that JP knows Cannabis and hash. At The Highly Connected Dispensary, our primary objective is to curate the finest Cannabis and hash selections in New York. With our robust presence in the global Cannabis community, we are confident that we can create a worldclass showcase featuring top-tier brands, attracting Cannabis enthusiasts from near and far.

The products that we carry will be hand picked through thoughtful consideration and involvement from JP. Currently, there are a small handful of legit licensed grows to choose from, and we are excited to see what the newly licensed micros and changing growing protocols start to offer. Our goal is to help to bring the NY legal market up to RIGS, speed of where TUBES the legacy marAND ket is today!

TERP SLIDES How do you envision the interplay between your glass art and the Cannabis products you’ll be offering in your dispensary?

W: The dispensary will be a great opportunity to educate the public on the importance of good quality glass and function for the ultimate experience. We will be hosting lots of educational seminars and teaching sessions, guided by JP and other key players in the glass and Cannabis community. We also have plans to bring in featured artists to collaborate and do drops at the dispensary/gallery as well. Last but certainly not least, there will be a dedicated showroom for JP’s rare high-end glass.

How has the evolving Cannabis culture influenced your designs and the functional aspects of your glass pieces?

JP: It is very symbiotic. I have designed certain pieces based on the evolution

of Cannabis consumption as well as Cannabis consumption has been forged onward to some extent based on some of my designs. For example, when BHO was more of a thing, my homie JC and I worked on the titanium nail and glass dome design. Most pieces up to this point were a lot larger or hand pipes and bubblers more appropriate for flower.

The development of the dome led to the need for smaller “rigs” mostly with male joints. Then quartz became popularized thanks to Quave and most rigs at that point became females. In 2015, I started to work heavily with quartz and contributed to the evolution of the ‘banger’ by adding the flat top, the thicker bottom for heat retention, and incorporating airflow into the design.

As the emergence of higher quality solventless began to evolve, it required me to rethink how we consumed it.

I wanted to taste the product to the fullest and get the terpiest experience.

Thus the creation of the Terp Slurper!

By creating the bottom feeder, the aeration elevated the dabbing experience to a whole different level. The most recent ‘terp slide’ is a good example of inspiration drawn for me from piatella.

The Cannabis industry will constantly be moving forward and we will always be there to adapt and keep with the evolution.

"I WANTED TO TASTE THE PRODUCT TO THE FULLEST AND GET THE TERPIEST EXPERIENCE." JP TORO ON CREATING THE TERP SLURPER

How has broader legalization impacted your glass work?

JP: To be honest, prior to legalization were the ‘good old days.’ Before legalization, it was a scene of degenerates who spent their lives devoted to Cannabis and the love of it. While legalization has many positives, it undoubtedly shifted the scene. As always, I hope to keep doing me and doing it all for the true love of Cannabis. My glass art is an extension of my version of the quest. I absolutely love what I do on every level. When you do it for love and passion, everything else always follows.

This I strongly believe is the secret to our success. I’m constantly chasing the high to get to the ultimate experience.

When you get to do what you love every day, it’s not a job. Many will enter and leave our industry chasing the money. I will always chase the high, which is why I will still be relevant and around and hopefully leave an impactful legacy on the Cannabis game.

@jp_toroglass @toro_glass

STORY by ADHDDEAD @ADHDDEAD for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS COURTESY

the GLASS issue

Elissa Newmeyer Bends of color twist effortlessly into symbol-like shapes or stretch out into delicate geometric lattices that have a Legend of Zelda BOTW feel to their patterns – and just like that video game, it might take you a minute to puzzle out how to hit one of these sculptural pipes. Often a wonder of design as much as functional art, she exemplifies that kind of glass blower whose work looks at home on the shelf of a Danish mid-century modern cabinet, just as it does on a coffee table or in a glass display case.

Her style has been described as “inventive, playful and genre-pushing,” but Newmeyer describes it as simply “funky and fun.”

A born-and-raised Oklahoman, she still lives in the state where she’s blown glass now for 11 years. While she’s received some previous training from an old employer, she told us that most of what she’s accomplished in over a decade behind the torch has been self-taught, building on “an insatiable curiosity via trial and error.”

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FEATURED ARTIST

When asked if there’s a particular inspiration behind her vibrant and mesmerizing work, she said it’s not really any one thing or style, but the endless creativity of others that actually drives her to produce such stunning creations.

This hasn’t gone unnoticed, as last April, Newmeyer was tapped to be part of an exhibition at the Flint Institute of Arts in Michigan that focused on the historical significance of pipe-making, as well as the artists who have pushed the boundaries and changed the landscape of what we consider to be glass art and smoking accessories.

Though many of her pieces are dry pipes, she doesn’t have a particular favorite thing she likes to put into the kiln – telling us instead that it’s the sketch, the artwork itself, that really tends to drive what comes next. Looking at her Instagram feed, you can truly begin to see the truth in that … as she goes from creating pipes and bubblers to cups, jewelry, furniture, water bulbs, sunglasses, and recently even stained glass. Even the descriptions and titles of her work reflect more of a sculptural and artistic approach with names like “Third Eye Planet,” “Mid Modern Boom” and “What Punishments Of God Are Not Gifts?” Quotes from figures like Fred Rogers or Mark Nepo further provide glimpses into the journey spent constructing each one. Bottom line: Acquiring an Elnewglass item is like connecting with a piece of art that you want to display both when you’re smoking, and when you’re not.

When you’re looking for the most creative artists working in glass today, Elissa Newmeyer is a name that instantly comes to mind. Also known as Elnewglass, her art conjures up this futuristic yet ancient alien world where a ‘90s/Art Deco aesthetic is having a renaissance.

"ECHO" (2024)

elnewglass.com @elnewglass "JUPITER JAZZ" (2024)

ELISSA NEWMEYER “ELNEWGLASS”

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HER STYLE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS “INVENTIVE, PLAYFUL AND GENRE-PUSHING,” BUT NEWMEYER DESCRIBES IT AS SIMPLY “FUNKY AND FUN.” "THIRD EYE PLANET" (2024)

"ELECTRIC DREAM" (2023)

STORY by MATT JACKSON @ACTIONMATTJACKSON for LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by CARRIE STRONG @CARRIESTRONGPHOTO

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cannthropology

PRESENTS

The G odfather of G lass

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The glass master at work.

BOB’S BEGINNINGS When it comes to living legends of stoner culture, there are few figures whose flame burns brighter than that of the tie-dyedrenched, benevolently bearded teddy bear of a man named Bob Snodgrass.

Bob was born in 1946 in Ohio and seemed a relatively average American for the first 20 years of his life. After a tour in the Air Force in Missouri during the 1960s, he got married, had kids, and moved back to Ohio in 1970 to raise his family. During the week he worked a job at a machine shop, and on the weekends he made candles with his wife Marie to sell at flea markets and craft shows. It wasn’t until 1971, at the age of 25, that Bob and his wife decided to try marijuana – buying a $15 bag from a neighbor that was mostly stems and seeds, which only gave them a headache rather than a high. But weeks later, when a former schoolmate offered him a joint of skunk weed, he became a believer.

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Bob Snodgrass may not have invented the glass pipe, but the innovations he devised to enhance it spawned an industry and a subculture that forever changed how stoners interact with their herb.

INTRO TO GLASS One day, Bob was walking his dog in Akron when he came across a new lamp shop down the street with a clear glass pipe in the window. Intrigued, he decided to pop in.

“There was a fellow in there blowing glass,” Snodgrass told Puffco in 2019. “He wore a beret and was a beatnik kind of character … he introduced himself as Chuck Murphy.”

Chuck Murphy had been apprenticing under a scientific glassblower from Germany since he was 10 years old. And unlike Snodgrass, Murphy had already been smoking weed since the age of 13 when he was offered a joint at a jazz show. Murphy brought some home to share with his teacher, who enjoyed it so much that after smoking it, he fashioned a little tubular joint holder, creating the first “flare” pipe. Soon, the two were repurposing more scientific equipment into smoking devices, becoming two of the only few glassblowers in the world making Cannabis pipes – which they continued until Chuck set out on his own.

Little did he realize that now, at 23, he was about to take on a pupil of his own.

PASSING THE TORCH At the time, selling pot paraphernalia wasn’t exactly an easy thing to do in Ohio, so Murphy was looking for any sales opportunity he could get. Thankfully, Bob agreed to take some pipes with him on one of his candle sales trips – and returned with more orders than Chuck had ever had. With huge orders to fill, Murphy enlisted Bob to help him with the “cold work” (work on glass that hasn’t been heated) – scoring tubing into sections and fire-polishing the ends.

“He hooked a torch up … and he said, ‘I’m going to tell you the same thing my teacher told me as he first lit my torch,’” Snodgrass remembers fondly. “He said, ‘Fire burns, and glass cuts.’ That was my first lesson.”

As Murphy’s part-time assistant over the next several years, Snodgrass learned the art of glassblowing – eventually buying a torch of his own in 1974, honing his new craft, and even experimenting with innovations of his own.

RUNNING ON FUMES Much like the candle-making, glassblowing was still just a hobby for Snodgrass; he was still working full-time as a “tool and die” guy, grinding and heat-treating metals. One day, he brought home some copper filings, which he and Chuck Above: Early dragon steamroller pipe.

ON THE ROAD Bob and Chuck began going on sales trips together all across the Midwest each summer – selling pipes and marbles at festivals, fairs, flea markets, and, of course, to whatever headshops or underground boutiques they could find. They continued these trips throughout the late 1970s and into the ‘80s – that is, until 1986 when Bob’s wife decided she wanted in on the fun.

“When I got ready to leave in ’86, Marie says, ‘Oh, you’re not getting away on your own this year – we’re all going with you!’” he told the “Elev8 at 8” podcast in 2022.

Snodgrass converted an old 1940s school bus into a mobile home/glass studio and went on tour with his wife and youngest daughter full-time. At first, he would typically produce and sell just enough product at each stop to get them to their next destination. But that all changed in 1987 when Snodgrass stumbled upon the counterculture catalyst that would catapult his sales and fame into the stoner stratosphere – namely, the Grateful Dead.

it’s hard to imagine how the current landscape of glass pipes and flameworking would have evolved.”

SHAKEDOWN STREET “The first time I encountered the Grateful Dead scene, a friend told me he had tickets, and I should bring my bus so we could camp in the parking lot,” Snodgrass told Leafly in 2019. “He said I was going to sell glass like I’d never sold glass before.”

On Easter weekend of 1987, Bob and his family headed to Irvine Meadows in Southern California to experience their first Dead show. He set up his mobile studio in the vending area of the parking lot known as “Shakedown Street” (after the Dead song) and began selling pipes. To appeal to the Deadheads, he crafted a special pipe specifically for the event: a hammer-style pipe in the shape of a skull with a top hat (one of the band’s iconic images). The response from the fans was tremendous.

“We ended up working the next two days and nights straight in the parking lot trying to keep up with demand,” he recalled.

The Top Hat pipe quickly became one of his signature designs and a highly sought-after collectible.

Snodgrass had done more than tap into a receptive new sales market for his pieces, though – he had found his people.

“I was just blown away by the atmosphere,” he recalled. “When I got inside and the music started, I saw everybody just go off in a dancing frenzy. I thought, ‘That’s so tribal ... I want to be a part of it.’”

From then on, Snodgrass followed the Dead – becoming a permanent fixture on Shakedown Street and building a cult-like following of heads who looked forward to picking up a new “Snoddy” each year. What’s more, his glassblowing demos in the Dead lots attracted crowds of fascinated onlookers, some of whom would end up apprenticing under Bob in years to come.

Bob selling pipes and marbles out of his school bus studio at a Grateful Dead show.

University of Oregon student named Jason Harris – future founder of the world’s most successful glass smokeware company: Jerome Baker Designs.

“There was just some magical attraction to Bob,” Harris remembers. “He was the coolest dude I’d ever met. I just wanted to be like him instantly.”

In the decade that followed, Snodgrass helped transform Eugene into the functional glass art capital of the world – taking on nearly 30 apprentices and founding the Eugene Glass School in 1998.

“Under his pioneering flame and tutelage, the Eugene-Springfield glass scene in the 1990s became like Montmartre in the 1890s or Greenwich Village in the 1960s – a place where artists flocked, a hub where innovators rubbed shoulders and ideas spread like wildfire,” opines Eugene Weekly’s Alex Notman.

LIGHTING THE WAY Sadly, the Eugene Glass School closed this past fall … but not before teaching nearly 1,000 artists the many techniques that Snodgrass helped pioneer.

Moreover, many of Bob’s family members are now among the dozens of apprentices he’s trained at his hippie THE EUGENE SCENE compound by the Willamette River, However, as fun as ensuring his legacy will live on for the Dead tour was, generations to come.

Bob and his family “My oldest son blows glass; his son eventually grew weablows glass. My oldest daughter’s two ry of the road and sons both blow glass … My five-yearsought a new place old grandson Ryder, he’s even made a to put down roots. In marble,” Snodgrass told Leaf in 2019.

1990, at the recom“Without Bob and his amiable mendation of Bob’s Bob with former pupil Jason Harris of JBD. spirit, it is hard to imagine how the first apprentice, Hugh current landscape of glass pipes and flameworking Salkind (aka Hugh Glass), the Snodgrasses went to would have evolved,” attests stokedct.com. check out the small town of Eugene, Oregon. Falling We couldn’t agree more. Thanks for lighting the in love with the community’s weather, weed and thrivway for our culture, Bob. ing art scene, they deciding to settle there.

Once word got out that Snodgrass was in Eugene, aspiring glassblowers started making pilgrimages To read the full, unabridged version of this article, there to learn from him. One such admirer was a visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.

STO RY b y B O B BY B LAC K @ CAN N T H RO PO LO G Y fo r LEA F NAT IO N | P HOTOS COU RTE S Y O F S N OD G RAS S FA M I LY G LAS S / S N OD G RAS S . N E T

DRAGON STEAMROLLER PIPE PHOTO COURTESY WORLD OF CANNABIS MUSEUM

then attempted to fuse into some clear glass. But when their torch started running low on propane, the flame oxidized, causing the copper filings to vaporize and imbue the glass with a hint of color. The result was that as dark resin built up inside the pipe, colors would emerge that weren’t visible before. Thanks to his alchemical accident, Bob had invented the technique of “fuming” – creating what he called “color-changing glass.”

“It becomes dazzling when it’s done right,” he told Eugene Weekly in 2014. “It’s real magic.”

But fuming wasn’t the only innovation Snodgrass invented – he also created some of the most iconic pipe shapes we all know and love: the “spoon” – a simple design in which the bowl is pushed into the pipe rather than attached as a separate piece; the “hammer,” which looks similar to a gavel; the steamroller – a bong-like tube whose wind tunnel-like airflow produces massive shotgun-style hits; and the “sidecar,” which has a bowl set to the side that serves as a sort of kickstand – a style he got the idea for after he and Marie spent the night on a friend’s waterbed and their pipe kept tipping over when they put it down.

Snodgrass was also the first to make “marbles” – glass orbs with intricate art and patterns inside them.

“Without Bob and his amiable spirit,

SLY VEGAS

A signature “Snoddy” color-changing Top Hat Skull hammer pipe.

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38

SURE, YOU CAN SIT ON YOUR ASS ALL DAY and pile up the layers of blubber while filling your brain with useless information from the boob tube – but that only goes so far until it’s time to get outside and do shit. And the moment you cross that threshold from front door to sidewalk, the real-life video game begins. Be it driving down roads to licking the backs of toads, unforeseen hazards exist at every turn.

Think about it: There just aren’t too many places you can go where the Grim Reaper isn’t posted up with his sickle ready to punch the clock and get to work. Be it getting hit by lightning, tripping on a tree root that sends you off a cliff while snapping a selfie, or your building collapsing because some asshole didn’t stay up with city code for 40 years – the perils are abundant.

You never know when it’s your time to go. So, what’s the best option for navigating unpredictable physics while testing the limits of reason to help you feel accomplished in knowing that you lived a fun life? We all know it’s probably not the safest idea to bungee jump off the Rio Grande bridge in New Mexico or cruise a submarine for gold doubloons off the tip of the Bermuda Triangle, but we still long to create some relative excitement while maintaining the standard nine to five existence.

They say golf is a safe game, but last time I checked, they still haven’t begun requiring helmets on the course. And hiking is always a healthy way to get your blood pumping, but the more it flows, the more the mountain lions and wild boars want to eat your lunch.

Even Cannabis is dangerous – one drop will kill you.

If it was a bale falling out of an open window on a Boeing jet, that is.

APr. 2024

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