Apr. 2023 - Alaska Leaf

GLASS BY ALASKAN ARTIST DOMINIC GARCIA

THE GLASS ISSUE

THE 2022 ALASKA LEAF BOWL WAS LIT...

SO WHO’S READY FOR ROUND 3?

AWARDS CEREMONY & FREE EXPO COMING THIS SUMMER!

ACCEPTING ENTRIES

APRIL 1 - MAY 15, 2023 AT GREEN JAR - WASILLA

GENERAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

14 grams of flower, 7 grams of oil, 7 units of pre-rolls/carts/edibles/ topicals

$420 per entry, with $20 from each entry going to supporting a nonprofit TBA. All fees to be paid in full at time of dropoff.

Accepting entries starting April 1, 2023. Deadline for entry is May 15th, 2023.

2023 ALASKA LEAF BOWL CATEGORIES

Enter based on the category that best represents your flower’s flavor/ terpene profile ... or put it in the Open Category for the ultimate head-to-head competition for a Leaf Bowl award!

FLOWER

FLAVOR PROFILES:

• FUEL, OGS & CHEM

• EXOTIC FRUIT

• CITRUS & SAPS

• PURPS & DESSERTS

• OPEN CATEGORY COMPETITION

• CBD-RICH (1:1 OR BETTER - NO HEMP)

PRE-ROLLS

INFUSED/ENHANCED

TRADITIONAL

CONCENTRATES & EXTRACTS

FECO/RSO:

• HIGH THC

• HIGH ALTERNATIVE CANNABINOIDS

HYDROCARBON:

• PULL ‘N’ SNAP & SHATTER

• DIAMONDS & SAUCE

• BUDDERS & BADDERS

• CRUMBLES & SUGAR

SOLVENTLESS:

• FULL-MELT

• ROSIN

• TRADITIONAL HASH/BUBBLE HASH

CO2

CARTRIDGES:

• CO2

• DISTILLATE

• ALTERNATIVE CANNABINOID (CBD, CBG, CBN, ETC.)

• LIVE RESIN

• GENERAL HYDROCARBON

• SOLVENTLESS

INFUSED PRODUCTS

EDIBLES:

• BAKED GOODS

• CANDY

• DRINKABLES

• TINCTURES/CAPSULES/TABLETS

• GUMMIES

• OTHER TREATS

• ALTERNATIVE CANNABINOID TOPICALS:

• CREAMS/LOTIONS

• SPRAYS

• BEAUTY/SKINCARE

• TRANSDERMALS

EXPO BOOTHS & LIMITED SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE!

Pg. 32 | Check out Leaf Nation contributor Katherine Wolf’s profile of the innovative glass artist Swan Glass.

WES ABNEY CEO & FOUNDER wes@leafmagazines.com

MIKE RICKER OPERATING PARTNER + AD SALES ricker@leafmagazines.com

TOM BOWERS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER tom@leafmagazines.com

DANIEL BERMAN CREATIVE DIRECTOR daniel@leafmagazines.com

MEGHAN RIDLEY COPY EDITOR meghan@leafmagazines.com

ABOUT THE COVER

On the cover of Alaska Leaf’s always awaited Glass Issue is the stunning work of Kenai Peninsula glass artist Dominic Garcia @dominicgarciaglassart. "Cannabis helps with my creativity, or at least I feel like I have more creativity when I smoke," Garcia tells Leaf Editor Wes Abney. "It helps me be a little more loose in my approach to things, and Cannabis helps with inspiration. Working with glass,whateverIcanthink oftotryorachieve, I just go for it and see what happens. I’ve made so many different things." Read more in our profile on pg. 24, andstopbyoursiteatLeafMagazines.com to see more glass art and each of our six magazine’s unique covers photographs.

COVER & INTERIOR PHOTOS

BY O'HARA SHIPE @SHIPESHOTS

CONTRIBUTORS

OSCAR AVELLANEDA-CRUZ, PHOTOS

DANIEL BERMAN, PHOTOS

BOBBY BLACK, DESIGN + FEATURES

JOSHUA BOULET, ILLUSTRATION

TOM BOWERS, FEATURES

AMANDA DAY, FEATURES

EARLY, PRODUCTION

STEVE ELLIOTT, NATIONAL NEWS

MATT JACKSON, FEATURES

MIKE RICKER, FEATURES

MEGHAN RIDLEY, EDITING

O'HARA SHIPE, FEATURES + PHOTOS

DAN VINKOVETSKY, FEATURES

NATE WILLIAMS, FEATURES

WES ABNEY

Editor’s Note

Thanks for picking up The Glass Issue of the Leaf!

Glass holds a special place within Cannabis culture, as it both defines our movement through artistic expression, and provides the tools necessary to consume our plant. Without glass pipes, bongs and dab rigs, we’d be stuck smoking joints and out of apples in a return to prelegalization shenanigans.

Today, glass pieces regularly sell for five to six figures – and a single piece has the power to define a stoner’s personality the way a cool car or shoes can. This representation of Cannabis culture is unique to consuming our favorite plant, as I’ve yet to see custom beer steins being brought to bars by drinkers, or heady pipes bejeweled for smoking illegal street drugs. With many of the highs outside of Cannabis being a function of necessity, and oftentimes addiction, it explains the lack of investment into accoutrement.

BRUCE WOLF, PHOTOS

KATHERINE WOLF, FEATURES

LAURIE WOLF, RECIPES

JAMIE ZILL, PHOTOS

We are creators of targeted, independent Cannabis journalism. Please email us to discuss advertising in the next issue of Alaska 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 at www.LeafMagazines.com. Email ricker@leafmagazines.com to get started advertising with Alaska Leaf!

CONNECT WITH ALASKA LEAF

Only with Cannabis is the method of smoking equally as important as the flower or dabs themselves. From hitting a Hitoki Laser Bong full of tasty flower to taking timed and temperature controlled rosin dabs from a custom rig with perfect percolation and a terp slurper banger that’ll blast you to the moon and back, picking the right tools can transform an average sesh into an expression of art and elation. As Dale Carnegie poignantly said – “The essence of all art is to have pleasure in giving pleasure” – and this can be no better applied than to the artists who make glass to get us high.

It’s through the beautiful amalgamation of fire and borosilicate that an artist shapes both how we smoke and how we perceive the act of smoking, and this issue of the Leaf is dedicated to celebrating the artists and art that shape the visual arm of our industry. I hope that this issue inspires our readers to find a new appreciation for high end glass, to follow new glassblowers on social media, and to consider investing in a piece of artistry for their daily smoking habits.

-Wes Abney

THE ENLIGHTENED VOICE

NORTHWEST LEAF / OREGON LEAF / ALASKA LEAF / MARYLAND LEAF / CALIFORNIA LEAF / NORTHEAST LEAF

“PICKING THE RIGHT TOOLS CAN TRANSFORM AN AVERAGE SESH INTO AN EXPRESSION OF ART AND ELATION.”

ORGANIC CERTIFICATION FOR CANNABIS EXPANDS INTO CANADATHE

NEWS IN BRIEF

POT COMPANIES SUE NYC REGULATORS

he first Canadian marijuana farm has received organic certification, courtesy of Sun+Earth Certified in British Columbia. Sun+Earth Certified is a nonprofit third-party certification for regenerative organic Cannabis. Sea Dog Farm has existed since 2017 in Central Saanich, B.C. – at the south end of Vancouver Island, near the provincial capital of Victoria. In addition to holding a micro-cultivation Cannabis license, the five-acre family farm grows fruits, vegetables, berries, herbs and cut flowers. Sea Dog Farm uses no-till, regenerative organic practices.

T

A COALITION that includes some of New York’s medical marijuana companies sued state Cannabis regulators in March in an effort to open up licensing to all retail dispensary applicants immediately.

The lawsuit, filed in state court in Albany, claims that state Cannabis regulators exceeded their legal authority when they opened the initial application pool in August only to people with past pot convictions or their relatives, instead of to everyone. The lawsuit names as defendants the state’s Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis Management, as well as top officials, reports AP.

east coast N.H. HOUSE APPROVES LEGALIZATION WITH NO REGULATIONS

Cannabis industry leaders, experts and advocates founded Sun+Earth in 2019. The group promotes regenerative organic agriculture, farmer and farm worker protections, and community engagement. There are now more than 70 Sun+Earth Certified Cannabis farms in California, Michigan, Oregon and Washington.

The state’s equity program, which offered first dibs to individuals with past pot convictions or their relatives, was an attempt to create opportunities for those who have been most adversely affected by pot policing, which resulted in Black and Latino people being arrested at disproportionately higher rates.

OKLAHOMA VOTERS REJECT LEGALIZATION

A

ustralian researchers have found plant-derived Cannabis oils with balanced ratios of THC and CBD to be generally safe and effective for patients with neurological diseases. These findings are based on observational trial data in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, reports NORML.

The study examined the sustained use of marijuana extracts in 157 patients with treatment-resistant neurological, musculoskeletal, autoimmune or anti-inflammatory disorders. Under Australian law, physicians may only authorize medical Cannabis to patients unresponsive to conventional prescription treatments.

Investigators reported patients age 65 or older and/or those suffering from neurological disorders, received the greatest benefits from Cannabis therapy. Conditions helped included Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy and multiple sclerosis.

Their findings are consistent with those of several other studies reporting quality of life benefits among older patients consuming marijuana.

HEALTH & SCIENCE STUDY SAYS CANNABIS OILS SAFE & EFFECTIVEOKLAHOMA VOTERS in March soundly rejected a ballot measure that would have legalized adult-use Cannabis for people over the age of 21. It was a setback for advocates who have seen the conservative state warmly embrace access to the herb for medicinal purposes. Across “Tokelahoma,” 2,890 licenses have been approved for medical marijuana businesses. Oklahoma City, the state capital, is home to more than 400 dispensaries. But in a state where 10% of residents have a medical marijuana card, 62% of Oklahoma voters rejected the proposal to legalize adult use.

states have legalized

THE IMPLEMENTATION of adult-use Cannabis sales in Canada didn’t result in any increase in traffic injury-related hospitalizations, according to data published in the journal Addiction – where investigators assessed rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations in the years before and immediately following legalization.

“Overall, there is no clear evidence that RCL [Recreational Cannabis Laws] had any effect on rates of ED visits and hospitalizations for either motor vehicle or pedestrian/cyclist injury across Canada,” authors concluded.

The findings agree with those of a 2021 Canadian study. That one “found no evidence that the implementation of the Cannabis Act was associated with significant changes in postlegalization patterns of all drivers’ traffic-injury ED visits or, more specifically, youth-driver traffic-injury ED presentations.”

T

he New Hampshire House of Representatives has approved another bill to legalize marijuana in the state. But there’s a big difference this time: This one contains no regulations or limitations on Cannabis.

About a month after the House passed a comprehensive legalization, taxation and regulation measure sponsored by bipartisan leaders, on March 16 members took up the simpler legislation to remove marijuana from the state’s list of banned substances.

“When bills get complicated and they get long and they get confused, people vote against them,” said GOP Rep. Kevin Verville. “This is the shortest, easiest way to affect the change that the majority of our constituents want – and that is the legalization of Cannabis.”

THE SOUTH

A

Quoted

“When bills get complicated and they get long and they get confused, people vote against them,” said GOP Rep. Kevin Verville.“It simply doesn’t make sense to base an employment decision on that kind of unreliable outcome and test.”

$102.9m

STORIES by STEVE ELLIOTT, AUTHOR OF THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF

employees – about 20% of its workforce – were laid off last month by Leafly, the Cannabis guide and classification website.

old marijuana possession tickets were dismissed last month in Madison, Wis., where Cannabis use & possession remain illegal.

in untaxed Cannabis products were seized in Los Angeles County in March, in one of the biggest raids on black-market pot in recent history.

$1.3m

MMJ BILL PASSES KENTUCKY PANEL FOR THE FIRST TIMEbill that would make medical marijuana legal has been passed by the Kentucky Senate for the first time ever. Senate Bill 47 passed March 16 with a 26-11 vote. Medicinal Cannabis would not become available until 2025, should Gov. Beshear approve it – so that the state would have time to regulate it.

-WA State Sen. Karen Keiser (D), lead sponsor of SB 5123, which would protect most job candidates from discrimination for using marijuana outside of the workplace.

RING YOUR BELL

ON JUNE 28, 1997 – in one of the weirdest moments in boxing history – Mike Tyson took a bite out of Evander Holyfield ’s ear in the third round of their heavyweight rematch. Twenty-six years later, Cold Creek Extracts has memorialized Holyfield’s nibbled-on ear in the form of Mike Bites. These THC-infused gummies hit as hard as the champ himself, and even come in the shape of a bitten ear for extra oomph.

Although Mike Bites also come in sour apple and black raspberry flavors, we opted to test drive a pack of watermelon. With a big “indica” sticker on the front of the package, we had high hopes for a great night of sleep and were not disappointed. As expected, we found ourselves enjoying deep waves of muscle relaxation within the first 30 minutes of ingesting. The body high was met with a knockout punch of a head high at about the 60-minute mark. While the two separate highs coalesced well, we did find ourselves a little unsteady on our feet when we finally got up from the couch –think punch-drunk boxer. With that in mind, definitely make sure you’re near your bed when you indulge in these bad boys.

The only place where the gummy let us down a bit was in the flavor, but that’s to be expected when dealing with a subtle one like watermelon. While we didn’t get much of that sweet, somewhat earthy profile, we did get a classic weedy taste – a bonus for the majority of stoners. And with two other flavor and effect matchups available, there’s a Mike Bite for everyone.

THE BODY HIGH WAS MET WITH A KNOCKOUT PUNCH OF A HEAD HIGH AT ABOUT THE 60-MINUTE MARK.

Bottom line: These watermelon Mike Bites are sleep-inducing heavy hitters that knocked us out for a full eight hours. Expect a one-two punch of deep mind and body relaxation.

COLDCREEKEXTRACTS.COM @AK_COLDCREEKEXTRACTS INDICA | 10MG PER GUMMY 100MG PER PACKAGE

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!

WWW.HUMBOLDTSEEDCOMPANY.COM

GOOD ALASKA

SHOUTING “Get me to the Dablicator” in your best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression will definitely turn heads at any dispensary, as well as initiate the delivery of precision-dosed dabs that will blast you into space like a missile shot from Skynet.

Using technology to make dabbing better is a lot safer than the concept behind “Terminator” – where the robots were supposed to help humanity and not go ‘super apocalypse’ on everyone. Luckily weed makes everyone more chill, including humanoid robots, which might explain why there was no “Terminator 4” with Arnold involved. As Governor of California at that time, he had to be smoking the good stuff. Why play a superhuman when as governor you are actually in control of the state that invented the concept of medical Cannabis?

Thankfully, the technology behind the Dablicator is both genius and non-sentient, putting the dabber in control when it comes to dosing the perfect glob. The applicator looks like a fancy, metal-tipped pen filled with delicious golden oil, and it acts like one with each twist of the clicker on the bottom – where one click pushes a small amount of oil out of the tip (safe to touch to a banger or dab rig), depositing the dab without any mess or additional tools.

As an all-inone container, the Dablicator acts as a perfect tool and dab holder –releasing delicious oil precisely for the perfect dab. The Durban Poison hails from South Africa and is a true sativa, with earthy and spicy notes that ooze into a sugary-orange-kush as the oil slowly emerges from the applicator. First inhales from a low-temp dab are bright and syrupy and tingle the palate, before exhaling with a kiss of skunky funk that adds a great dynamic to this high-terpene concentrate.

Effects hit the mind first, with a warming cerebral buzz that feels like putting on a hat with the spinning propeller on top. With the mind slowing while thoughts go whimsical, the body high creeps in within a few minutes and is amplified by a second dab – loosening joints and muscles as a sativa-fueled energy takes over. Perfect for spring cleaning or outdoor adventures, the terpy Durban Poison in the Dablicator is easy to slip into a backpack or pocket, ensuring that wherever the sativa buzz takes you … there will be more dabs ready at the destination.

REVIEW by AK LEAF STAFF @AKLEAFMAG | PHOTO by DANIEL BERMAN @BERMANPHOTOS

"EARTHY AND SPICY NOTES OOZE INTO A SUGARYORANGE-KUSH AS THE OIL SLOWLY EMERGES FROM THE APPLICATOR."

FESTIVE FLAVORS

People tend to be intimidated by phyllo dough. No need. If you keep the sheets of pastry covered with a slightly damp cloth, they will be fine. Also, if a sheet tears, no worries – just place it in the pan and keep working. When sprayed or brushed with olive oil, it will all bake evenly. Allow the phyllo to defrost in the fridge and then come to room temp, still wrapped, before working.

STONEY SPANAKOPITA SERVES 12 | 5MG THC/SERVING

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

½ cup scallions, chopped

¼ cup fresh dill, chopped

2 ½ pounds spinach, fresh or frozen

(squeezed of all moisture)

2 cups ricotta

1 cup soft tofu

1 cup feta cheese

3 eggs, lightly beaten

16 sheets phyllo dough

1/3 cup olive oil, in a mister or use a pastry brush

4 tablespoons canna-oil, 60mg THC

Olive oil spray

16 sheets phyllo dough

The easy recipes below were infused with the delightful strain Life Coach from Noble Farms in Eagle Creek, OR. I’m never disappointed with the flavor or effect. An indica dominant strain, I find it’s surprisingly good for getting stuff done … and the kind of funny, musky-citrus taste is quite enjoyable. As the season changes, remember: “Spring is nature’s way of saying “Let’s Party!” - Robin Williams

1. Heat oven to 340.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the parsley, scallions and dill, and stir to mix. Stir in the spinach and again mix well. Allow to cool fully.

3. When cool, add the ricotta, tofu, feta and eggs, and mix well.

4. Spray a 9x13 baking pan. Open the package of phyllo dough and cover the top with a slightly damp dishtowel. Lift the towel and remove the first sheet. Lay on the bottom of the sprayed baking dish. Combine the two oils, warm slightly and lightly brush the sheets with the oils. Continue this process until you have used 8 sheets of phyllo. Be sure to cover between sheets.

5. Place the spinach mixture over the eight sheets of dough. Use a spatula or spoon to make the spinach even.

6. Cover the spinach mixture with 8 more layers of phyllo, following the same procedure.

7. Bake the phyllo until golden brown, somewhere between 50 and 60 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into serving pieces with a serrated knife.

PAN SEARED CHICKEN W/ SPRING BOUNTY

SERVES 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 teaspoons canna oil

4-5 ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

2 leeks, trimmed, washed well and chopped

2 lbs fresh fava beans, shelled yield is 1½ cups

4 artichoke hearts, quartered

8 scallions, trimmed

3 cloves minced garlic

dash of salt

pepper

1/3 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cook the chicken over high heat for 3-4 minutes, turn and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove to a plate.

2. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the canna oil to the pan. Add the leeks and the fava beans and sauté for 5-6 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts, scallions, garlic, salt and pepper.

This dish is easy and flavorful. Sometimes I add cooked pasta to the final sauté, and there would be nothing wrong with adding some crisp bits of bacon or sausage.

3. Return the chicken breasts to the pan, along with any drippings and the stock. Heat and divide among four dinner plates. Sprinkle with the parsley.

CHEWY GRANOLA BARS

24 SERVINGS, 5MG THC PER SERVING

coconut oil spray

4-5 cups quick cook oatmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2/3 cup canna-butter, melted, 120mg THC

2/3 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 cup mix of coconut, chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans and raisins (up to you!)

1. Heat oven to 325. Spray a 9x13 sheet pan with coconut oil.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients. Mix well.

3. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Make it as even as possible.

4. Bake until golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Granola bars are, for the most part, crunchy or chewy. Since chewy is my jam, this bar rocks texture and flavor … and it gets you high. There are many options for the additions – I tried it with dried cranberries and ginger, which I liked, but this combo is my favorite so far. I may even drizzle a few pieces with canna-chocolate...

Open 7 days a week 8am - 11pm

4901 E. Blue Lupine Dr. Ste. E Wasilla, AK 99654

907-631-3800

MARIJUANA HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING.

Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with the consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. #10008

CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGEMENT. DO NOT

WEmay have missed Pi Day, but that couldn’t stop us from indulging in the decadent Lemon Meringue Pie (LMP) bud from Pakalolo Supply Co. Although we definitely missed the buttery, sugary goodness of dessert pie, the less fattening weed version was a welcomed change of pace. Of course, it didn’t stop us from DoorDashing – but hey, at least we tried to resist.

Nicknamed Super Lemon Haze’s stonier sister, LMP is a slow-hitting sativa that builds nicely with each toke. Made from a potent cross of Lemon Skunk and Cookies and Cream, this bud has fragrant notes of diesel and citrus that are only intensified when you crack it open. In fact, although we could pick up hints of lemon when we took a whiff of the jar, when we put it in our grinder our whole house filled with the scent of zesty citrus.

A relatively large bud that’s packed with orange pistils, this LMP is less frosty than we were expecting given the intensity of the high we experienced. However, less frost meant that we weren’t left with sticky fingers after packing a bowl and that’s always a plus – especially when your dog is a weed hound.

When sampling LMP we used both a pipe and a bong, and had a slightly different experience with both. Toking with our pipe, the smoke took on a distinctly diesel flavor and had us coughing for a good minute or two. Consuming from our bong seemed to temper the harshness of the smoke and brought out more of the limonene terps, making for a more pleasant experience. If you’re newer to Cannabis, we’d highly recommend trying LMP with a good-sized bong first.

Admittedly, it took us a few hits to feel the effects of LMP … but once they showed up, they really took hold! Initially, the high started as a tingling headband before making its way to the back of our head and down our spine. Once we reached a nice body high, the happy, talkative aspects of LMP began to bubble to the surface. Before we knew it, we had blown through a whole season of Netflix’s Sex/Love and were debating the benefits of journaling. Our ultimate consensus: Journaling is like trying this bud – you should definitely do it.

EFFECT: SATIVA DOMINANT HYBRID | PROFILE: LEMON, SWEET, DIESEL

Meringue Pie Meringue Pie

A potent cross of Lemon Skunk and Cookies and Cream, this bud has fragrant notes of diesel and citrus that are only intensified when you crack it open.

DOMINIC GARCIA

Dominic Garcia’s journey with glass began with a glass bead torch gifted by his mother for Christmas 1998. A fateful accident left him immoble for a year, which became the perfect opportunity to begin his love affair with glassblowing. By 1999, Garcia was working with borosilicate and making pipes in California, and has spent the last 23 years working with glass art and pipes as he’s traveled around the world. Today he works from home on the Kenai, making glass that inspires him … whether it sells or not.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WORKING WITH GLASS? When I was in junior high I collected beads of all types and started making clay beads, and I was always inspired by African trade beads made from glass. My mom got me a glass bead making torch for Christmas in 1998, but I didn’t start using it until I broke my leg. I had to move back home and I brought my bead stuff with me and it was a blessing in disguise. Because I broke my leg, I learned how to make glass beads and got really good at it – so when I moved back to California, I immediately got into glass blowing.

DID YOU START MAKING PIPES IN CALIFORNIA?

I started working with borosilicate glass around 1999 … making pipes and messing around with techniques – doing a little bit of pipe making and some artwork projects as well. I love making pipes, and I love not making pipes. They are really fun to make and I love that people get to use them to smoke with.

WHAT DRIVES YOU AS AN ARTIST TO CREATE NEW THINGS? Working with glass, whatever I can think of to try or achieve – I just go for it and see what happens. I’ve made so many different things: cups, seashells, sex toys, narwhals, beer tap handles … I even take broken pieces and scraps and make them into succulent planters. Cannabis helps with my creativity, or at least I feel like I have more creativity when I smoke. It helps me be a little more loose in my approach to things, and it helps with inspiration.

DO YOU LIKE SMOKING FROM YOUR OWN ARTWORK? Yes! It’s fun to use my pieces because the ones that don’t work out or have a flaw, I work to save for my use, even though I wouldn’t sell them. With glassblowing it’s not what you make the first time, it’s what you can fix – and being creative about how you fix a mistake is where a lot of the tricks are.

HOW CAN PEOPLE BUY A PIECE FROM YOU? I don’t sell my work at stores and I’m not a production glass worker. I make what I like to make and if people appreciate the art, then we can connect. I’m happy to sit and focus on my work and let buyers come through social media or word of mouth. I like to experiment and play with glass to make new pieces of art constantly, and to make a creative, functional and fun product to the best of my ability!

@DOMINICGARCIAGLASSART

“Working with glass, whatever I can think of to try or achieve – I just go for it and see what happens.”

YOSHI KONDO

Yoshinori Kondo, known as Yoshi, grew up in the port city of Osaka, Japan before moving to Arizona for middle school at 15. By age 19, he was fleeing the states with two open warrants for his arrest – one for a car chase in Tucson after a paranoid mushroom trip comedown, and the other for a minor Cannabis possession charge along the highways of California.

AT 48, Kondo is now one of the most beloved glass artists in America with a cult-like following for his pieces … all without having stepped foot on U.S. soil since 1997. But let’s back up a bit, shall we?

It’s 10:00 a.m. in Seattle when Kondo’s face appears in a tiny box in the top corner of my phone screen. He looks a little sleepy, but after all, it is nearly 3:00 a.m. in Japan as we begin our FaceTime interview. “My life has been one crazy story. Like I’ve been in a movie,” Kondo laughs as he reminisces on his unconventional journey back home to Japan –one that ultimately led him to the art of glassblowing.

“I was so stupid and so young. After my arrests, I didn’t want to go to jail. So instead of trying to fight at trial, I decided to pack up everything and take off,” he tells us. Five years later, Kondo thought he’d try his luck at getting back into the U.S. through Washington D.C. by way of Amsterdam. Unfortunately, he didn’t exactly fly under the radar.

“As soon as they scanned my passport, the flag went up and they handcuffed me. I stayed in jail for three nights, then went to court,” recalls Kondo. “They let me out because I said I’d come to try to handle the cases and work with a lawyer. Instead, I left again. But getting off the airplane back in Amsterdam, two officers were already waiting for me.”

After failed attempts to get into Amsterdam and then London, he decided to return to Japan voluntarily rather than be deported. By 2001, Kondo had a job at a clothing store in downtown Tokyo making handmade jewelry out of hemp rope. He was looking for something to put on the end of the ropes for decoration, and after noticing a guest artist in the shop selling pendants made with borosilicate glass, Kondo was inspired to try making his own.

He wanted to use boro, too – but lived in a small apartment in the city, which meant no way to handle that type of material and no space for the necessary equipment. Plus, Kondo didn’t have the time or resources to learn from a professional and there was only one glassblowing studio around that cost nearly $3,000 for classes. Instead, he figured out how to make non-functional beads for his necklaces and chains out of soft glass on his kitchen grill.

Surprisingly, the makeshift grill setup was a success. Fast forward to 2008, and Kondo had made such a name for himself from his marbles that he was able to move to rural Chiba and expand his capabilities. Things were going well enough, but in his typical fashion, Kondo was itching for a greater adventure.

“I was actually able to make some money from selling the soft glass beads, so I could finally move to a spacious area and get my hands on blowing boro. But I wanted to be able to truly make a living off my art and show my work everywhere in the world,” he explains. “I like to smoke weed, so I wanted to make more pipes and bongs. Unfortunately, the demand for that was not in Japan at all at that time.” Between the limited local market for functional glass pieces and his inability to travel, Kondo knew one thing: He’d need to set up an international sales pipeline to take the next step as a glass artist. What he didn’t know quite yet was how he would do it.

So, perhaps it was fate that led Kondo to participate in a show at You-Yuusya Gallery, where American marble master Josh Sable traveled to Japan for the event, stumbled upon his work, and knew there would be a market for it in the states. “Sable was truly my angel at that time. He helped me set up a network for overseas distribution, and that changed my life. Still even now, he is my top priority whenever he comes to Japan,” Kondo says. And Sable certainly isn’t the only one hopping on a plane to see Kondo these days.

Since that You-Yuusya show, his work has garnered the global recognition it deserves in exhibitions from Tokyo to Toronto and Vancouver to New York City. There are even dedicated trade groups and fan forums online, where heady collectors are willing to pay top prices for one of his elusive pieces.

Even with thousands of miles of travel required, it’s no wonder why a slew of highly sought-after artists have jumped at the chance to go to Japan and collaborate with Kondo.

“I can’t even express how appreciative I am that there are American artists who want to come out here to work with me since I can’t travel there,” he expresses. When asked if he ever thought this could be his reality as a fugitive over 20 years ago, Kondo had this to say: “When I left Japan for Arizona, I never thought I’d come back home. But you never know what’s going to happen in your life. I fucked up, and I cannot fix that, but I am happy now.”

“I wanted to be able to truly make a living off my art and show my work everywhere in the world.”

SNIC BARNES COLLAB

CHADD LACY & ADRIENNE DISALVO

Chadd and Adrienne started their professional journeys in academia, both earning Bachelors of Fine Art before moving on to further their careers. While Chadd taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art, Adrienne began as a master goldsmith in the same city. It was here in Ohio that their paths joined, but it wasn’t until moving to Florida together that their respective careers in glass grew. Chadd’s work in pipe culture seemed to take off shortly after opening his first studio in the Sunshine State, and Adrienne applied much of her knowledge and skill with metalworking to hone her main craft of carved cameo glass. Today, they live and work in West Palm Beach, making glass pipes and art together. Chadd’s work follows whimsical and nautical themes incorporating marine life, and Adrienne’s work portrays anatomy while focusing on the idea of Memento Mori. Their creations feature Adrienne’s elegant spin of death and decay on Chadd’s marine life, and their carved cameo collaborations can be found in various private and public collections around the world.

Where do you find inspiration for your unique collaborative efforts? Adrienne’s main inspiration comes from her personal medical experiences. Pulling from X-rays of her own skeleton and old anatomical engraved prints, she shows the inside of Chadd’s creatures in imaginative ways. Chadd’s inspiration comes mainly from sea life and ocean themes. Old prints of nautical scenes and animals are among his favorite places to draw ideas from.

Does Cannabis play a role in your artistic creativity? Initially most of our pieces were about form over function, where the Cannabis aspect takes a backseat. Increasingly over the years though, the function of pieces and the culture’s thirst for new accessories has fueled a whole range of inspiration directly related to how Cannabis interacts with the work we make.

What is the significance of the aquatic themes represented in your pieces? Much of the impetus for our work started from ‘Moby Dick.’ The prints within the book, the imagery in the writing, and the concept of the white whale were the starting point. As time went on, our work evolved to encompass more sea life, and to embody a beauty that wasn’t just about the epic story of the white whale. Living in South Florida, the ocean has become a huge part of our lives. We spend significant time in the water, snorkeling and looking at sea life, taking in inspiration that fuels our work.

Where can people find your glass art online and in-person, and how can people purchase your works? Much of our work is available through our network of resellers around the country and the world. We work with galleries and smoke shops in almost every state, as well as selling jewelry and accessories on our own websites. CHADDLACY.COM

“...the ocean has become a huge part of our lives. We spend significant time in the water, snorkeling and looking at sea life, taking in inspiration that fuels our work.”

MICRO WHALE

MUNCHIES WHALE

DUSTIN REVERE

Dustin Revere spent years learning the secrets of glass and metal. Now he spends his days sharing what he’s learned with the world. Born the son of a father who was a master goldsmith and a mother who was a weaver, Revere was immersed in art from day one. “I grew up in a free-thinking environment,” he said. “Art was really important.”

His father started the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in the Bay Area of San Francisco when Revere was just a toddler. “I grew up watching him create this jewelry school,” he shared. This had a significant impact on the development of Revere as an artist, and by high school he was creating functional art –sneaking bong designs into the kiln in his ceramics class and selling them at Grateful Dead shows.

“I was really fascinated by the gray/black market economy that surrounded Shakedown Street,” Revere said. “As an artisan, and as a psychonaut, and someone who was experimenting – I was fascinated.”

It wasn’t long before he moved from ceramics to glass, and his path unfolded. A decade later, he founded Revere Glass – a multi-discipline school and educational hub that pioneered the concept of training both functional and classical glassblowing and crafting.

A devotee of all manner of glass and metal manipulation and fabrication, his school and YouTube channel – On the Torch – has had a tremendous impact on the industry.

“When you’re staring at the flame, you don’t have space in your mind for anything else, so you end up meditating without even realizing it,” he said.

Rich Villa x Revere Glass “Recycler.”

“Turtle Shell Murrine Ring”

Alderson x Revere Glass “Hummingbird Recycler.”

Pyro x Revere Glass “Triple Penetration Recycler.”

Blowing at Burning Man.

“When you’re staring at the flame, you don’t have space in your mind for anything else, so you end up meditating without even realizing it.”

Tendai Designs x Revere Glass “Face Pendant Necklace.”

SOLVENTLESS EXTRACTS USING PURE, ALASKAN GLACIER WATER FOR EXTRACTION

WARNING Marijuana has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming and addictive. Marijuana impairs concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under its influence. There are health risks associated with consumption of marijuana. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana should not be used by women who are pregnant or breast feeding.

SWAN GLASS

Swan Glass is spinning some serious heat out of Seattle! Born and raised in the Emerald City, Aaron Swanson started blowing glass at Sammamish High School and was always interested in crafting and glass as an art, long before he started making pipes. Now when he’s not holed up making headies at Pipe Place Market, he works part-time at the Seattle Glassblowing Studio and teaches lampworking classes at Pratt Fine Arts Center.

SWAN SAYS his style is all about, “Capturing the best colors of the glass and utilizing flowing, curving shapes influenced by ornamental filigree scrollwork.” You can see this highly detailed technique showing out on his collab with Walmot Glass, another Seattle-based artist known for his bloopers and recyclers. The filigree scrollwork is done using glass with silver-reducing properties, which change the color of the surface once blown. Then, Swan sketches out the design by hand, carefully carving away with a diamond-tipped Dremel to reveal contrasting colors.

With a few styles up his sleeve, Swan calls the design on this orange and blue Hydrant Blooper his “lace pattern.” This complex method layers colors together, pulling them into a twisted latticino cane that is used to build up the wall of the piece. With rich color palettes inspired by the Pacific Northwest, intricate designs unique to each piece and function that absolutely shreds, you don’t want to sleep on Swan Glass!

You can see more of his work or reach out about customs at @swanglass. We also gotta show love to Jamie Zill, a badass female photographer who took these shots and is also based in Seatown.

@WALMOTGLASS COLLAB

@SWANGLASS

“With rich color palettes inspired by the Pacific Northwest, intricate designs unique to each piece and function that absolutely shreds, you don’t want to sleep on Swan Glass!”

THE TERPINATOR

Fans of the classic sci-fi films will immediately recognize this badass bust of the T-100 Terminator robot skeleton dubbed “The Terpinator” – a three-way collab between Carsten Carlile (Bend, Ore.), Joshua “JOP” Opdenaker (Philadelphia) and Adam “Hoobs” Whobrey (Huntington Beach, Calif.), who came up with the concept.

@HOOBSGLASS @CARSTENGLASS10 @J_OPDENAKER_JOP

“I picked the idea for us,” says Hoobs. “I’ve been exploring a robot theme body of work recently and had always wanted to try the Terminator. Jop, Carsten and I have all done a lot of skull and mechanical style pieces previously, so the idea was a natural blend of all our styles.”

This killer collab was specifically created for last year’s Champs Glass Games in Chicago.

“We were allowed to make as much of the piece as we wanted before arriving in Chicago,” Hoobs explains. “The rules stated we just needed to leave two days of work to complete live during the trade show.”

The trio first got together at Hoobs’ Classic 33 Studio in Huntington Beach in April 2022, where they spent several weeks designing and sculpting out about 90% of the piece. They divided their labor into three main sections: JOP was in charge of the chest area, Carsten was in charge of the mechanical base, and Hoobs was in charge of the head and shoulders.

“It was a very complex build,” says Hoobs. “Every component was going to need to be scaled perfectly for it to work, and all the components were being made at the same time, so we had to hope that they would all fit together in the end.”

Luckily for them, they did … and in the end, their 400-plus hours of hard work paid off: The Terpinator won 1st Place in the People’s Choice category at Champs.

“It was an honor to be chosen,” Hoobs tells the Leaf. “We definitely treated it as more of an exposition than a competition, but it’s always nice to bring home the victory.”

ADAM “HOOBS” WHOBREY | CARSTEN CARLILE | JOSHUA “JOP” OPDENAKER

“It was a very complex build. Every component was going to need to be scaled perfectly for it to work,” says Hoobs.

ANCHORAGE TO HOMER

June 1st-Aug 31st

Monday – Friday

Departs Anchorage

Arctic & International – 724 W. International - Garrett’s Tesoro

Cooper Landing Wild- man’s 300pm

Soldotna Chamber of Commerce 500pm

All times are approx. Stage Line Summer Schedule

HOMER TO ANCHORAGE

June 1st-Aug 31st

Monday – Friday Departs Homer 830am 1242 Ocean Dr

Soldotna Chamber of Commerce 1015am

Cooper Landing Wildman’s 1115am

VISITING ALASKA

Locally owned and operated by a lifelong Alaskan, Stage Line offers passenger transportation, freight, parcel, and courier service, between Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula. Our schedule includes, Anchorage to Homer, Cooper Landing, Soldotna, Kasilof, Ninilchik, Anchor Point. Homer to Seward, Soldotna, Cooper Landing. And any points in between! MP flag stops available! Private party charters available! Reasonable rates, saves time and money for travelling or your shipping needs.

One of the top 10 most scenic highways.

SEWARD TO HOMER

June 1st – August 31st

Mon Wed Fri

Departs Seward 100pm call ahead for pick up point

Cooper Landing Wild- man’s 200pm

Soldotna 300pm

All times are approx

HOMER TO SEWARD

June 1st - August 31st

Mon Wed Fri

Departs Homer 1242 Ocean Dr 900am

Soldotna Chamber of Commerce 1030am

Cooper Landing Wildman’s 1130

The Stage Line PO Box 353 Anchor Point, AK

The Stage Line 1242 Ocean Dr Homer, Ak 724 W International Anchorage, Ak Staging points only 907-868-3914 907-235-2252

E-mail: stage.line@yahoo.com www.stagelineinhomer.com

“Why fly? When you can enjoy the most beautiful ride on earth”

The Origin of 420

This month, stoners around the world will be celebrating our high holiday – April 20th, or 4/20. But how exactly did 420 become the official number of Cannabis? Over the years, there have been several myths circulated: that it was some police code related to weed, or that it’s the number of chemical compounds in the plant … but the truth is, the ultimate marijuana meme was actually started over 50 years ago by a group of teenagers in Marin County, California known as The Waldos.

MEET THE WALDOS

The story of 420 begins in 1970 at San Rafael High School with a group of five stoner buddies – Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz and Mark Gravitch – who, due to their penchant for hanging out at a particular wall, came to be known as “The Waldos.”

“In the middle of campus, there’s a wall in the lunch quadrant right against the main building,” explains Waldo Dave. “We would meet there almost daily, hang out, do impressions of people walking by, and try to crack each other up.”

Eventually, these “comedic desperados” grew bored hanging out at school and decided to start venturing out on weekly expeditions they called ‘safaris.’ They’d all pile into Waldo Steve’s green ‘66 Impala (a.k.a. the Safari Mobile), crank up some Santana or Bob Dylan on the eighttrack, fire up a few joints, and hit the road in search of adventure. When it came to a Waldo Safari, there were only two rules: They had to be going somewhere new and they had to be stoned. These escapades included jumping in the painter’s nets beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, infiltrating Hamilton Air Force Base, and showing up unannounced at a holography lab in Silicon Valley. But it was one safari in particular involving a treasure map that first planted the seed for the term “420.”

STONER SAFARI

In the fall of 1971, a classmate named Bill McNulty approached them with an intriguing offer: He claimed that his brother-in-law, a Coast Guard Reservist stationed in Point Reyes, had planted a clandestine patch of weed somewhere on the Peninsula but had grown paranoid about getting busted. He abandoned it, but drew up a map so that someone else could harvest it – a map that McNulty was now giving them.

A treasure map leading to a secret weed garden? Naturally, this was an offer The Waldos couldn’t refuse. They made a plan to embark on their expedition that very day after school. Classes ended at 3:00 p.m., but Waldo Jeff and Waldo Larry had football practice afterward, so they all met at the statue of French chemist Louis Pasteur near the school’s entrance at 4:20 pm, got high, then headed out to hunt for the weed. They

didn’t find it, but they kept searching for weeks – each day reminding each other about their afterschool plans with a new code they’d developed:

“We’d see each other in the hallways during the day, and we’d smile and say, “Four twenty, Louis,” Waldo Steve explains.

COVERT CANNABIS CODE

After several weeks, The Waldos abandoned their search, but not the terminology; dropping the “Louis,” they now had their own covert code for Cannabis: 420.

“We realized we had a secret code we could use to talk about weed in front of our parents, cops, teachers … whoever.”

At a time when a single joint could get you a decade in prison, a secret code for weed was a useful thing indeed – especially considering that Waldo Jeff’s dad was one of the highest-ranking narcotics agents in Northern California!

The Waldos’ “Safari Mobile.”

The Waldos (Mark, Larry, Dave, Jeff, and Steve) in front of the Louis Pasteur statue at their alma mater, San Rafael High School.

“His dad used to bring home samples from the busts he made and kept them in his trunk,” says Waldo Dave. “Jeff would get his keys, get some of the weed, and we’d smoke it. One time, his dad caught us … but he never did figure out what 420 meant.”

THE DEAD CONNECTION

Unlike Jeff’s dad, Waldo Mark’s dad was a real estate broker – and as it turned out, one of his biggest clients was The Grateful Dead.

“The Grateful Dead had a big organization based in San Rafael,” says Waldo Steve. “They needed office space, rehearsal space, places to store equipment … Mark’s dad found them all those places.”

Mark’s dad wasn’t The Waldos’ only connection to the Dead, though – Waldo Dave’s brother Patrick also happened to be good friends with bassist Phil Lesh. Thanks to these relationships, the Waldos got to hang out with the Dead quite a bit.

“I was backstage a lot of the time with these guys like Phil and David Crosby – getting high and using the term 420, and they were all chuckling at it and thought it was cool.”

Before long, 420 was spreading through the Deadhead community like wildfire.

HIGH TIMES

The Cannabis code also trickled down to the next generation of students at San Rafael High, who began holding their own celebrations on April 20th –including one at the top of Mt. Tamalpais. In December 1990, a flier for that gathering (one that explained, albeit incorrectly, the meaning of 420) was making the rounds at a Dead show parking lot in Oakland when it found its way into the hands of High Times news editor Steve Bloom. Bloom was so intrigued that he published the flier’s text in the May 1991 issue.

In the years that followed, 420 made several more appearances in the magazine and was even adopted by the HT staff, who began making it a point to take a smoke break at 4:20 each day and holding private celebrations on April 20th.

By this time, The Waldos were seeing 420 everywhere: carved into trees, spray-painted onto walls, and in a multitude of merchandise and media. At first, they were reluctant to claim ownership of it due to Cannabis’ illegality. But eventually, as Cannabis became more accepted, they decided to come forward and take credit for the phenomenon they’d started. So in the spring of 1998, Waldo Larry called High Times editor-in-chief Steve Hager, who agreed to fly out to San Rafael to investigate. After meeting The Waldos and seeing their evidence, Hager was convinced.

“He went back and wrote his article [“420 or Fight,” December 1998], and then he went on ABC News and proclaimed us the creators of 420,” Waldo Dave remembers. “And that was the beginning of everything.”

PROOF VS. PRETENDERS

Soon media outlets from around the country began covering the Waldos: A front-page article in the LA Times, an investigation by the Huffington Post … hundreds of interviews and articles were published about 420 and its originators. Of course, the media attention also brought a cadre of would-be usurpers out of the woodwork – claiming that they, not the Waldos, had created 420.

“All these people saying, ‘Oh, we started this’ – they’re full of shit,” Waldo Dave states. “None of them have a shred of proof to their claim.”

So what proof do The Waldos have? Quite a bit, actually: copies of their school newspaper and several postmarked letters from the early 1970s, all containing references to 420, and a tie-dyestyle batik flag emblazoned with “420” and a pot leaf made by their friend Patty back in 1972 (along with school records to verify its origin). They keep all this evidence inside the vault at Wells Fargo’s world headquarters in San Francisco, located at – if you can believe it – 420 Montgomery Street.

To verify the authenticity of their narrative, they even hired a private detective to track down the guy who allegedly planted the patch and drew the treasure map. In 2016, after six years of searching, they finally found him –former Coast Guard reservist Gary Newman, who signed a notarized affadavit confirming the whole story and even granted them access to his military records to prove he was indeed stationed at Point Reyes at the time.

CULTURAL IMPACT

Since being acknowledged as the rightful originators of 420, The Waldos have started their own company and licensed some 420-related merchandise of their own, including a line of glowing 420 watches and a “420 Waldos 1971” vape cartridge (with Oakland-based Chemistry) – donating proceeds from both to the Drug Policy Alliance. On April 20, 2018, they partnered with neighboring Lagunitas Brewing to release The Waldos Special Ale – a seasonal triple IPA billed as “the dankest and hoppiest beer ever brewed” and packaged with a little comic that tells their story. And in 2021, they enlisted legendary poster artist Stanley Mouse to create a limited edition NFT/poster de picting them as skeletons cruising along the Point Reyes Peninsula in their Safari Mobile searching for that lost weed patch.

From television and movie references (like the scoreboard in “Dazed and Confused,” the clocks in “Pulp Fiction,” and the many contestant bids on “The Price is Right”) and stolen mile marker signs to actual legalizations bills and countless celebrations going on every day and every year around the globe, 420 has become ubiquitously and irrevocably synonymous with Cannabis – and we owe it all to 420’s founding fathers: The Waldos.

Thanks, fellas … and happy 4/20, everyone!

To read the full, unabridged version of this story and listen to the interview on our podcast, visit worldofcannabis.museum/cannthropology.

The Waldos abandoned their search for the weed patch, but not the new terminology; they now had their own clandestine code for Cannabis: 420.

Waldos Mark (front right), Larry (middle) and Dave (back right) take a break from playing frisbee to smoke a joint, (Dominican College, circa 1972-1973).

Original flyer for the 4/20 gathering on Mt. Tamalpais that explains the meaning on 420.

First article about The Waldos was published in HT’s Dec ‘98 edition (also a Glass Issue!)

420 Waldos NFT by poster art legend Stanley Mouse. The original 420 flag (1972).

YOU’VE WALKED INTO A ROOM and seen mounted animals peering downward with glazed eyes, yes? Maybe it was a hawk with flared wings and a curved beak, frozen in a statuesque moment. Or a snarling bear, mid-growl, caught in a pose when the hair spiked from the back and the drool dripped over the fangs.

This fantastic plaque is a feast for human curiosity, reminding us that although this beast would rip and mangle our bodies if mistakenly confronted in the woods, evolution has befitted us with the advantage of being properly armed in the wild.

Keeping surveillance from atop the fireplace, the emotion captured from the creature’s expression brings a chill that challenges your love for beauty with fear. It informs you that although it may have been a savage battle, the one with the shotgun walked away unscathed. For a moment, your imagination lands you in the woods where the wind swishes through the evergreens to create the only sound other than your breath and moving feet. Then you hear a fast-approaching, bloodthirsty monster with the scream of a thousand banshees…

The cubes rattle while a swallow of scotch lightly burns down your throat. Arrogance and vulnerability intersect in this moment, a parallel to the juxtaposition in this room – that of the feared predator on showroom display amongst the high cedar ceilings and soothing, lapping flames.

The thought enters your periphery that there is something noble about retaining that pose ad-infinitum over the dreadful alternative of exile to the cold dark earth in a beautiful box … where your existence is quantified by a weathered headstone that marks the day the worms and fungi began to slowly feed upon your bones.

I personally see this choice as a no-brainer.

There’s only one thing I ask: Please place a smile on my face, a joint in my mouth, and a lighter in my hand. Just in case I ever come back to life.