Cannabis and the Arts

Cannabis

Artsand the Communities & Creativity

Peanut butter and jelly, cheese and crackers, cannabis and the arts. It’s no secret that cannabis use and the arts – whether visual or musical – tend to go together. Woodstock is the prime example of the beginnings. Multiple researchers have even studied the effects of cannabis on the brain in artists– and while there is conflicting research – artists in general who use it, say cannabis helps them to relax when producing art or performing. People who use it in consumption of the arts say they have a deeper appreciation or understanding of the lyrics, the music, or the art they’re looking at – but the connection goes beyond just use.

In Western Massachusetts communities who’ve embraced the influx of locally-owned and operated adult-use cannabis stores and grows, there is a renaissance of sorts happening. In places like Holyoke, a place where dilapidated paper mills and other condemned

industrial buildings were crumbling not long ago, suddenly, Dwight Street has become a vibrant new scene.

Canna Provisions could’ve picked anywhere else in Western Mass to open another store, but instead, Meg Sanders and Erik Williams chose a 150-yearold paper mill on that very street– and opened in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, nonetheless, during July of 2020.

“We believe in this community and Holyoke, and have seen across the country how cannabis companies can be a positive and driving factor in bettering municipalities wherever they exist,” said Canna Provisions COO, Erik Williams. “From creating jobs and careers for locals, as well as embolden[ing] hyper local initiatives in the community to spread more joy and spirit of collaboration in our shared community.”

And nothing was needed more than a little bit of joy several months into a seemingly unending pandemic last year. During their time in Colorado, Sanders and Williams had seen cannabis give a boost to the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at a time when the orchestra was in danger of not having enough money to rent their symphony hall. Classically Cannabis: A High Note Series brought live, award-winning musicians to cannabis lovers, all while raising money to support their work. Last summer, a friend of Sanders’, who teaches at a music school in Vermont, called her and told her how many out-of-work musicians were dying for a chance to play – so together, they brought a septet to Dwight Street for an hour of live Beethoven, to celebrate what would be the composer’s 250th birthday. The live performance brought neighboring local businesses together for the event, symphony-caliber musicians together to play, and brought together the community, in a way that was safe during a time everyone was missing the arts.

“It was moving on many levels…Seeing seven world-renowned, classically trained musicians gathering together outside … and performing timeless mu-

sic before an audience for the first time in over seven months at that time,” Williams said. “Seeing how deeply their passion and love for performing their art runs was clear to everyone there – and those who watched on social media. We were honored to provide that opportunity for them and to donate to their causes.”

The former paper mill at 380 Dwight, where Canna Provisions stands now, was once a community space where artists gathered for years, so it was far from the first time it served as a showcase venue, albeit this time, in the parking lot. Still, in addition to ensuring they are hiring Holyoke locals and helping enhance the community’s growth and vibrance, they want to go beyond that and really support local artists.

“Every business that considers itself good community members and stewards of collaboration have a duty to support local artists, in my opinion, and that rings particularly true in cannabis,” Williams said. “Art, on its own, bolsters and betters the soul of communities and neighborhoods, and the enrichment to a local community from a vibrant and healthy landscape of local art and artists makes us all better people by connecting us to our shared humanness.”

So, when Canna Provisions’ latest product line, Smash Hits, was in development, they knew they wanted something representative of the inspiration behind the line. Greg “ChemDog” Krzanowski, Director of Cultivation, is the founder of the “ChemDog” strain, which he discovered at a Grateful Dead concert decades ago. His work overall, Smash Hits in particular, is heavily influenced by music, so the packaging needed to be too.

ChemDog reached out to local artist Nate Duval for his help to make the vision for Smash Hits come to life.

“Since the counterculture days of the 60s, which is the same era of art and design that originally captivated me many years back, [especially] Family

“It was moving on many levels… Seeing seven world-renowned, classically trained musicians gathering together outside… and performing timeless music before an audience for the first time in over seven months at that time,” Williams said.

THCA: 13.6% Δ9-THC: 0.3% CBD: 0.0% CBDA: 0.0% CBGA: 0.2% CBG: 0.1%

CBCA: 0.1%

SCAN FOR CANNABINOID & TERPENE PROFILES

HYBRID

PACKAGED ON 3/22/21

PINCH

TO OPEN

BATCH #: Zookies 2.3.21b B1 TESTED ON: 03/07/21

PRODUCED & PACKAGED BY CaNNA PROVISIONS, INC. MC281970 (413) 650-2500 info@cannaprovisionsgroup.com www.cannaprovisionsgroup.com net wt. 0.125oz. (3.5g)

BATCH METRC ID NUMBER: 1A40A030004651000000148 This product has been tested for contaminants and there were no adverse findings.

3.5 g SH34

PINCH

TO OPEN This product has not been analyzed or approved by the 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.

Dog and the old Fillmore rock posters, there just has always seemed to be a visual side of the culture that was highly expressive and creative and that’s one that has always been an influence in the art I like and create,” Duval explained.

Each Smash Hit variety, which ChemDog describes as “craft cannabis,” is made in small batches. Duval, also a self-described, “Deadhead,” has created concert posters for Phish and Grateful Dead, making him the perfect guy for the job.

“I just gave myself the confines of making it all look like, a really cool, old, record label, and tried to let the aesthetics of that style of art lead the way, while letting attributes of each strain possibly tip me in a certain direction for the theme, colors or imagery of each label,” Duval explained. “The goal was to give myself a playground that I could make a lot of different labels that all looked different, but related, and I think we have done just that.”

Duval mainly designs packaging labels for beer and games, so this wasn’t a huge departure from his regular work, but it was his first cannabis project, so getting to see his work in the store for the first time was memorable.

“It was cool seeing them grouped together and seeing that lofty goal of, ‘same but different’ really click together,” Duval said. “I especially liked how they have used the art as decor in and around the store. Seeing …the logos I designed and the large-scale labels, like an old record label, really was the vision I had all along. Seeing it come to life exactly as I had hoped was a nice feeling.”

Duval’s work isn’t the only art in the store. While they’ll continue to work together as new Smash Hits are developed, Canna Provisions is also committed to boosting the profiles of other local artists. For about the first year it was open, the Holyoke store was displaying metal sculptures made by local artist Kamil Peters. One whole wall of the store was dedicated to his work, some was sold through the store and Canna Provisions even bought a few pieces to keep on display there. The store is still doubling as a gallery and there are plans for a local graffiti artist to create a mural in the space that will pay homage to the Latinx community of Holyoke. Canna Provisions is also hoping to partner with the city and

“Doing well by doing good is part of our ethos as a company at Canna Provisions,” Williams said.