April 2024 - Northeast Leaf

#42 | APR. 2024

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

TH E @ MO M OL LT TE EN NA AR RT T CL CL AS AS SI SIC C

G A LA RT S B S Y

NORTHEAST

THE GLASS ISSUE F RE E / L E A F M AGA Z I N E S . COM

INDEPENDENT CANNABIS JOURNALISM SINCE 2010

hellavated.com

INTRODUCING

EXTREMELY TASTY & POTENT Whole bud flower is infused with a proprietary process that combined diamonds, natural botanical terpenes and pure kief all contained within the pre-roll to produce a potent flavor explosion and high THC content for that desired Lift off or couch lock without the mess and burn of a traditional pre-roll.

This product has not been analyzed or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is limited information on the side effects of using this product, and there may be associated health risks. Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding may pose potential harms. It is against the law to drive or operate machinery when under the influence of this product. KEEP THIS PRODUCT AWAY FROM CHILDREN. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. The impairment effects of Edibles may be delayed by two hours or more. In case of accidental ingestion, contact poison control hotline 1-800-222-1222 or 9-1-1. This product may be illegal outside of MA. Please Consume Responsibly. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older. Keep out of the reach of children. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product.

ADVERTISE WITH THE LEAF! support exclusive cannabis journalism! in print since 2010!

EMAIL MICHAEL@LEAFMAGAZINES.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION & RATES!

2024 marketing opportunities with Leaf Magazines

APR. 2024

NIK DIMITRIJEVIC

THE GLASS ISSUE

GLASS ART COLLECTOR

JP TORO

26

ELISSA NEWMEYER / ELNEWGLASS

32

CARRIE STRONG @CARRIESTRONGPHOTO

PG. 22-35

09 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 33 34 36 38

16

34

EDITOR’S NOTE NATIONAL NEWS SHOP REVIEW CONCENTRATE OF THE MONTH STRAIN OF THE MONTH THE MOLTEN ART CLASSIC MOTHERSHIP GLASS JP TORO GLASS ELBO GLASS YUNK GLASS ELISSA NEWMEYER HICDOGG X WINDSTAR NIK DIMITRIJEVIC CANNTHROPOLOGY STONEY BALONEY

PHOTO BY MICHAEL WILSON

SHOP REVIEW | MAINE

PHOTO BY GREG MALCOLM @MARYLAND.CONNOISSEUR

MOTHERSHIP GLASS

LUCAS REILLY @MOTHERSHIP_GLASS ALEX REYNA @AREYSOCAL

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

22

THE MOLTEN ART CLASSIC

#42

SEAWEED CO.

COURTESY

high, northeast!

6

APRIL 2024

issue

[

N O RT H E AS T

Like it Loud?

Scan to enter for a chance to win tickets and other fresh swag.

Proud sponsor of MGM Music Hall and Citizens House of Blues Boston.

This Thisproduct productname nameand andaccompanying accompanyingstatements statementsare arenot notintended intendedtotorepresent representa amedical medicalorortherapeutic therapeuticclaim. claim.These Thesestatements statementshave havenot notbeen beenevaluated evaluatedbybythe theFood Foodand andDrug DrugAdministration.

Administration.This Thisproduct productisisnot notintended intendedtotodiagnose, diagnose,treat, treat,cure cureororprevent preventany anydisease. disease.

PLEASE PLEASECONSUME CONSUMERESPONSIBLY. RESPONSIBLY.This Thisproduct productmay maycause causeimpairment impairmentand andmay maybebehabit habitforming. forming.There Theremay maybebehealth healthrisks risksassociated associatedwith withconsumption consumptionofofthis thisproduct. product.For Foruse useonly onlybybyadults adults2121years yearsofofage ageororolder. older.Keep Keepout outofofthe thereach reachofofchildren. children.

the GLASS issue

FEATURED ARTIST

elbo glass

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

8

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

APR. 2024

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 “Shipwreck 420 Leagues Under the Sea,” is the result of dozens of glass artists collaborating to create 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

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 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 AMANDA DAY C O N T E N T D I R E C T O R amanda@leafmagazines.com MIKE GIANAKOS O N L I N E E D I T O R mikeg@leafmagazines.com MEGHAN RIDLEY C O PY E D I T O R meghan@leafmagazines.com

PAIGE RICHARDS ADVERTISING SALES paige@leafmagazines.com

We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Northeast 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 paige@leafmagazines.com to start advertising with Northeast Leaf!

CONNECT WITH THE LEAF! Exclusive Cannabis Journalism NORTHEAST LEAF MAG

@NORTHEAST LEAFMAG

# N O RT H E AS T L E A F

ABNEY

Editor’s Note Thanks for picking up The Glass Issue of Northeast 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.”

9

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

PLANT IS Reminiscent of a communist country banning art and expression, the FACILITATED government targeted glass artists as a pathway to keep Cannabis

BY GLASS." 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.

@NELEAFMAG

ISSUU.COM/NWLEAF READ PAST ISSUES IN OUR FREE ONLINE ARCHIVE

-Wes Abney APr. 2024

leafmagazines.com

MICHAEL CZERHONIAK ADVERTISING SALES michael@leafmagazines.com

CONTRIBUTORS WES ABNEY, NATIONAL NEWS ADHDDEAD, REVIEWS DANIEL BERMAN, PHOTOS BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION TOM BOWERS, FEATURES AMANDA DAY, PRODUCTION MAX EARLY, FEATURES REX HILSINGER, FEATURES MATT JACKSON, FEATURES JAKE KERN, FEATURES GREG MALCOLM, PHOTOS LEXI PADUSSIS, SALES LUCAS REILLY, PHOTOS ALEX REYNA, PHOTOS MIKE RICKER, FEATURES BRIAN SANNER, REVIEWS + PHOTOS SCOTT SOUTHERN, PHOTOS TOTO PHOTOGRAPHY, PHOTOS JAMIE VICTOR, DESIGN WINDHOME, PHOTOS KATHERINE WOLF, FEATURES

WES

the glass issue

FEATURED ARTIST

Hicdogg X Windstar

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

10

33 Scorpius “The Rock Lobster” Spirit Animal #3 @windstar_glass @hicdogg

apR. 2024

STORY by REX HILSINGER & LEAF NATION STAFF | PHOTO by ALEX REYNA @AREYSOCAL

Made in the USA

Sourced from the 420 Gods!

FREE sticker, FREE rolling tips, & FREE rolling papers, plus FREE shipping

with every wood grinder or rolling tray purchased!

Grinders made in Canada

®

EXCLUSIVE CULTIVARS FROM CALIFORNIA’S CANNABIS CAPITAL SEEDS:

FEMINIZED, REGULAR, AUTOFLOWER, PHOTOPERIOD THC AND CBD

CLONES: STRAIN LICENSE AGREEMENTS AVAILABLE FROM OUR 2022 UNPRECEDENTED 10K PLANT PHENOTYPE MEGA-HUNTS!

ONLINE SEED SALES NOW AVAILABLE, ORDER NOW BEFORE WE’RE SOLD OUT! W W W. H U M B OL D T S E E D C OM PA N Y.C OM

All Things Cannabis For All People beardedlorax rickerdj aj.og maaryjwhite

PODCAST

leaflifepodcast

265 FREQUENCY HEALING #

THIS MONTH: #264 TRADITIONAL VS. RECREATIONAL #266 ARCADE GAMES #267 DATING FOR WOMEN THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

LISTEN EVERYWHERE leafmagazines.com

@leaflifepodcast4185

Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 or older. This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgment.

Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of reach of children.

JOIN THE ORIGINAL GRASSROOTS CANNABIS ACTIVIST ORGANIZATION IN MASSACHUSETTS, 31 YEARS ON THE GROUND AND STILL GROWING TOGETHER!

NATIONAL NEWS

14

health & science

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.

Quoted

“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 INSIDE PENNSYLVANIA’S FIGHT politics

FOR CANNABIS FREEDOM

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

T

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.

APR. 2024

global

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 WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by ADOBE STOCK & CREATIVE COMMONS

shop review

MAINE

Opened in 2020, Seaweed Co. is one of the first recreational dispensaries in Portland, Maine – offering high quality Cannabis, decadent edibles and a vast assortment of concentrates. apR. 2024

PHOTO BY MICHAEL WILSON

PHOTO BY LAUREN LEAR

SEAWEEDCO.

PHOTO BY LAUREN LEAR

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

PHOTO BY TRENT BELL

16

MAINE’S FINEST

Located in the greater Portland area of Maine, Seaweed Co. is conveniently close to the Maine Mall and other well-known Portland spots. Arriving at their Running Hill Road address, I was welcomed by the striking appearance of the store – featuring natural wood siding and smooth lines that echo classic New England architecture. These carefully curated vibes continue upon entering the store, where you’ll find a bright, open-concept design showcasing a selection of thoughtfully chosen products displayed on locally crafted, Maine-made wooden shelving.

HIG HLY EDUC ATED

Passionate, knowledgeable and friendly … three words that undoubtedly describe the fine folks that comprise the staff at Seaweed Co. From the greeter at the entrance to the budtender helping to guide my selections, down to the employee finalizing the transaction, each one demonstrated a love for their work and took pride in helping customers to the right product – all while providing education about the offerings. My visit included a captivating discussion with a budtender about our preference for sativa-dominant strains, the available varieties and the reasons behind our inclination towards certain cultivars over others. So if you have some 185 RUNNING HILL ROAD, canna-questions in need of answers, swinging by and chatting up this staff is a SOUTH PORTLAND, ME great place to start.

10AM-8PM MON-SAT A VAS T VARIET Y

10AM-6PM SUN (207) 819-4114 SEAWEEDMAINE.COM @SEAWEEDCO.ME

With a wide range of products available, it’s highly likely you’ll find something that appeals to you. Whether it’s one of Seaweed Co.’s signature items or a carefully chosen product from vendors like “IF YOU HAVE SOME Firefly Organics, Gele, Jar Co. or Stoner CANNA-QUESTIONS IN & Co., the selection is definitely diverse.

NEED OF ANSWERS, For those interested in non-THC products, SWINGING BY AND Seaweed Co. provides top-quality CBD CHATTING UP THIS STAFF IS A GREAT items crafted in Maine, such as bath soak PLACE TO START.” satchels, facial serums, edibles and even a CBD autoflower home-grow kit.

Additionally, if you’re looking for a new pipe, rolling tray or any other smoking accessory, their variety of products should have your next sesh firing on all cylinders.

S EA YOU THERE

Reflecting on my visit to Seaweed Co., I vividly recall the smile that graced my face as I left the building. The experience here was unique compared to other dispensaries; it felt like entering a quaint seaside shop, only this one sold Cannabis. It embodies a comfortable environment where guests are welcomed to relax in the sitting area or leisurely peruse the shop’s offerings. However, what truly stood out to me was their commitment to educating customers. The flower case displayed strains organized by the dominant terpene – a detail I had never encountered before and one that resonated with me, as terpenes significantly influence my Cannabis selection.

STORY by BRIAN SANNER @CALYXS_AND_COLAS for NORTHEAST LEAF @NORTHEASTLEAFMAG See more photos at LeafMagazines.com

concentrate of the month LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

18

BURNY TERPS X HIDDEN FOREST FARMS

SHISKAFLAMBERRY BURNY TERPS’ latest offering, processed by the gifted hands at Hidden Forest Farms has struck gold—or more aptly, struck honey—with this delectable 70-149u cold cure hash rosin.

Like a hive that works in perfect harmony to create something greater than the sum of its parts, the teamwork between these two top Maine brands is what makes this particular wash so special.

As Hunter from Hidden Forest Farms told me, “We were really excited to work with Burny. Not only is he a great grower, but a good person and friend of ours. Any opportunity to collaborate with a homie is a win in our book and the all washes came out excellent. Credit to the growers and breeders!”

This delicious debut floated onto the scene during last month’s Farm to Patient Experience in Maine. The flower comes courtesy of Burny Terps small batch, organic, indoor, no-till garden. The rosin is a blend of Honey Flambé from Rocky Mountain High 719 Genetics and Shiskaberry from Kraken Seeds.

Burny, the owner and operator described how he arrived at this specific combo: “An OG homie of mine gifted me the seeds and had been raving about the shish aka kish from back in the day and how it was really the truth. It’s funny because at first, I wasn’t super impressed with how the shish was growing in comparison to some of the other strains in the room. However, by harvest day I was shocked by how unique the profile was and couldn’t stop thinking about her. The Honey Flambé was just a stand out in the garden from the super orange type terps and the way she sits so pretty caked in trichs, straight resin rails a really beautiful plant.”

The jar has a unique smell, reminiscent of a blue Squeeze-it drink from the 90s left out in the hot summer sun that gives way to a powerful, nose-filling scent of fresh stone fruit, and melons drizzled with citrus juice and nectar.

Upon enjoying this delicacy, you’ll notice a @BURNYTERPS pleasing sweet honey inhale, before a wonder@HIDDENFOREST_FARMS fully complex, fruit-forward exhale that tastes like blowing orange-honey flavored smoke through a melon stuffed with blueberries and fresh-cut bananas. This one leaves a mouth coating of lip-smacking berry flavor that lingers on the back of your tongue just as the immediate euphoric head rush starts to kick in.

ShiskaFlamberry is a great daytime mix that will leave you abuzz with energy, creativity, and focus. I found this rosin to be particularly helpful for dealing with ADHD symptoms and provided mood boosting productivity. Dabbing this will leave you refreshed and rejuvenated feeling like you just spent a perfect sunny day in the garden.

COLD CURE HASH ROSIN

This April, the buzz is real, and it’s not just the bees.

ShishkaFlamberry is a special concoction bursting with so much sweet flavor and aroma it’s like spring has sprung directly into your dab rig.

“The rosin is a blend of Honey Flambé from Rocky Mountain High 719 Genetics and Shiskaberry from Kraken Seeds.”

apR. 2024

REVIEW by ADHDDEAD @ADHDDEAD for NORTHEAST LEAF | PHOTOS by BRIAN SANNER @CALYXS_AND_COLAS

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM STRAIN OF THE MONTH

NORTHEAST

20

apr. 2024

GAS FAC

WE’RE NOT IN SPOOKY SEASON, BUT GAS FACE #10 – AFFECTIONATELY DUBBED “UNDERTOW OG” FROM GAIA FARMS IN MAINE – IS A FRIGHTENINGLY GOOD EXPRESSION OF ONE OF THE HOTTEST STAINS OUT RIGHT NOW. THIS POWER-PACKED HYBRID IS A CROSS BETWEEN FACE MINTS (FACE OFF OG X KUSH MINTS) AND (BISCOTTI X SHERB), BOASTING A HIGHTHC PERCENTAGE (25%+) AND THE HEAVY HITTING GAS THAT KUSH LOVERS CHASE.

CULTIVATED BY GAIA FARMS BRED BY SEED JUNKY

“ H E RM U S K Y N OT B A C E O , F L O ES T H U S A P OAT A B O AT FO U W E R F V E N U O F F D AT I O L UEL N .”

CE #10

BRED BY the legends at Seed Junky, Gas Face placed second at the 2023 Emerald Cup (Indoor Flower) and is the latest in a line of awardwinning genetics that include strains such as Animal Cookies, Jealousy and Jungle Cake. The seeds are notoriously difficult to come by, so while most other brands are growing a readily available cut, Gas Face #10 is exclusive to Gaia Farms. It was hunted, selected and brought to life through the care of Owner/Operator Justin Claudino, who spoke to me about finding this gasoline tinged gem.

“Nobody else has this cut, we popped and hunted these from seed,” he tells me. “I don’t say this lightly, but all 12 we grew could have been winners in someone else’s garden.

We ultimately had to narrow it down to our favorite expression. We love this strain so much, we still keep a few other selections from that hunt in the garden.”

The cultivation of Gas Face #10 involves a careful and patient approach. Each plant is grown in rich soil under LEDs, nurtured until it reaches full maturity at about 68 days. This specific duration of growth ensures that the strain develops its full potential in both flavor and potency.

While this phenotype was more challenging to grow than some of the others they hunted – requiring more attention and a slightly altered diet – its killer taste and effect could not be denied.

This version of the strain is Faceoff OG dominant, with musky, herbaceous notes that float above a powerful foundation of fuel. The thick smoke of Gas Face #10 will leave you in a happy, sedated, heavily stoned state while reaching for your favorite snack. This one is a great choice for a night in, ordering takeout and watching your favorite (scary?) movie.

While some sequels are disappointing and derivative, the team at Gaia Farms has scored an updated version of a modern classic.

In response to why he felt this strain was so popular right now, Justin gave credit to its predecessors.

“It’s simply reminiscent of all of what we love about old-school classic OGs, but with modern-day OG bag appeal and structure,” he said. “It has all that without losing the same powerful gas from back in the day. It’s our version of a redefined OG.” @gaia_farms @undertowcannabis_

REVIEW by ADHDDEAD @ADHDDEAD for NORTHEAST LEAF | PHOTOS by BRIAN SANNER @CALYXS_AND_COLAS

ho t 22

t ho

the glass issue

FEATURE | THE MOLTEN ART CLASSIC

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

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 short film about the project, and plan a nationwide museum tour of the entire 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

KILN BUSTER SAMURAI ROBOT

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

the glass issue

FEATURED ARTIST

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. >>

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

24

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.

MAR. 2024

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

jptoro

the glass issue

FEATURED ARTIST

& THE HIGHLY CONNECTED DISPENSARY

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

26

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.

apR. 2024

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 ARTIST

the glass issue

FEATURED ARTIST

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

@BORO.VISION

28

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

apR. 2024

HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN A DAB OUT OF A DINOSAUR? 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.”

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

@PHOTOBYTOTO

@BORO.VISION

elbo glass

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

Medical Cannabis Dispensary BROOKLYN • HUDSON VALLEY • STATEN ISLAND

Cannabis Dispensaries

EVERYDAY DISCOUNTS • WEEKLY DEALS LOYALTY PROGRAM

NOW OPEN

Atlantic City: MED & REC

Now selling whole flower!

NEW PATIENTS 25% OFF WEEKLY PRODUCT SPECIALS DISCOUNTS FOR SENIORS & MORE

Find your location and menu here bestores.com

@be.stores •

@be.stores.now

We carry New York patient-favorite brands including:

Please Consume Responsibly. Cannabis products should be kept out of the reach of children.

Gloucester Township: MED

SCAN HERE To Select Location mpxnj.com

We carry New Jersey’s favorite brands including:

This product contains cannabis. For use only by adults 21 years of age or older unless it has been recommended by an authorized physician to a registered medical cannabis patient. Keep out of the reach of children. There may be health risks associated with the consumption of this product, including for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning on becoming pregnant. Do not drive a motor vehicle or operate heavy machinery while using this product. MPX NJ is licensed by the State of New Jersey.

the glass issue

30

"INFINITE OFFERINGS" @BORO.VISION

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

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.”

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.”

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

32

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.

HER STYLE HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS “INVENTIVE, PLAYFUL AND GENRE-PUSHING,” BUT NEWMEYER DESCRIBES IT AS SIMPLY “FUNKY AND FUN.”

"ECHO" (2024) "FUNK DA FEELING" (2023)

"ELECTRIC DREAM" (2023)

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

apR. 2024

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

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.

33

“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

leafMAGAZINES.com

“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.

the glass issue

PROFILE | GLASS COLLECTOR NIK DIMITRIJEVIC

34

LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

ROOR ART BY EUSHEEN X YOSHI KONDO DISK X MAH X ROOR GERMANY

In A Glass Of Its Own THE IMAGE OF GLASS IN THE EYE OF THE PUBLIC IS EVER EVOLVING.

From heady glass collectors hoarding some of the nicest pieces in existence, to TV shows on Netflix like “Blown Away” that showcase a variety of glassblowers and their skills, there are a number of ways in which heady glass continues to make room for itself in the art world.

Glass and Cannabis proponent Nik Dimitrijevic gave us an inside look at his insane collection and a glimpse into how he sees the world of glass and its place in modern culture. With a six-figure collection, showcasing his pieces to the masses is his approach to shifting the perceptions surrounding the artform, whether it’s a bong, marble or anything in between.

apR. 2024

NIK

grew up in Northern Virginia and upon turning 18 in 2011, he bought his first pipe – a Sovereignty bong. Up to that point he only smoked blunts and bowls, but he instantly fell in love with his first piece.

Fast forward to 2021, he came into a little bit of money and wanted to spend some of it on something special. After following some glass pages on Instagram, he tried to buy a couple pieces from Illusionz Glass Gallery in Colorado. He went to their website and made two insane heady glass purchases – one for $30,000 and one for $60,000. Right after the transaction went through he was contacted to let him know that they couldn’t actually sell him the pipe for “that cheap.” Illusionz had some of their glass on consignment from collectors, and the owner wanted more for the pipe after the sale went through. Nik was extremely bummed out and confused, but determined to get some heady glass in his collection.

Nik decided to go back to where he bought his Sovereignty 10 years prior, Glass Stache in Alexandria, Virginia. The store owners had a couple pieces that were technically not for sale,

but Nik had a special relationship with them and talked them into selling him a Burtoni flamingo and a Eusheen x Yoshinori Kondo collaboration.

At the time, he didn’t even realize how heady the artists’ glass he was buying was. The Kondo collab was the first functional pipe he had ever put a marble on.

From here, Thomas Rose, commonly known as @glassgamestrong on IG, was introduced to Nik by the owner of Glass Stache. Thomas is known for being able to source pretty much any high-end piece of glass art under the sun, and Nik ended up scooping a bunch of different pieces with his help.

Some of the coolest pipes in Nik’s collection were acquired with the help of Thomas, including the Joe Peters x Banjo Ganesha on the cover of this magazine.

Being familiar with Roor, Nik asked Thomas to help him secure a heady Roor pipe and less than a week later, he had some options on the table for him – most notably a Eusheen x Yoshinori Kondo x Roor x Disk Glass collaboration from a shop in Canada. It had never even been water tested, let alone smoked out of. After taking it to a local glass show, Nik brought the pipe out and while sitting there not thinking about it, let a random stranger take the first rip off his historic pipe. He looks back at the situation and laughs, realizing how bright eyed and bushy tailed he was, being new to the glass game.

“I don’t need to smoke out of these pieces, I just need to look at them when I’m high because they’re so fuckin’ dope,” says Nik. “It’s crazy that humans can create these beautiful pieces of functional art that people can smoke out of. That concept to me was insane.”

As Cannabis products have continued to evolve in their quality and forms, so has the glass used to smoke them. If we have the best hash rosin available to the public, why wouldn’t we want to smoke that hash out of the best and most artistic pipe possible? Nik attributes that sentiment to being part of the reason people are so interested in high-end glass art.

MOLECULE ART BY WJ C G L A S S X N8 MIERS

“As things got better for weed itself, you can see the progression of glass and the newer designs like Eusheen’s redisculators. These are basically the same concept of an old school recycler, but people have gotten so creative in how they’re able to figure out the physics,” explains Nik. At the end of the day, the glass world is now turning more heads than it is raising eyebrows – and that is a testament to the artists and their dedication to their craft.

Glass artists can spend days on days working on pieces, and some of them don’t even make it out of the kiln – while other artists collaborate all around the world, sending sections of glass internationally to make one-of-akind pieces. Thankfully we have collectors like Nik canvasing the globe for the finest expressions of this artform, bringing them together and giving us the chance to ponder just how profound a pipe can be. Shoutout to Kyle from Glass House Gallery in DC for hosting us for this photoshoot and a legendary sesh!

CHESS SET ART BY KURT B

STORY by WYATT EARLY @ERRLYWYATT/LEAF NATION | PHOTOS by GREG MALCOLM @MARYLAND.CONNOISSEUR | FOLLOW @DMV_GLASS_COLLECTOR

cannthropology

PRESENTS

The G odfather of G lass

36

leafmagazines.com

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.

APR. 2024

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.

STONEY BALONEY LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

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

FOLLOW @RICKERDJ // GET THE AUDIO VERSION & EVERY EPISODE AT LEAFMAGAZINES.COM

HOPEDALE

NOW AT YOUR LOCAL DISPENSARY 5PK PRE ROLLS - GLASS TIP PRE ROLLS INFUSED GLASS TIP PRE ROLLS

CAROLINESCANNABIS.COM

UXBRIDGE