Apparently, there’s a huge spike in Google searches for the phrase “Is there a men’s day” right on March 8 every. single. year. Pathetic! You don’t have to be a woman to know that we are exorbitantly taxed for their existence. If the men of the world are feeling under appreciated, tough Boy Scout cookies. We’re going to celebrate women by exploring some of the coolest women in cannabis art.
The cannabis industry is full of women and their ideas, expectations, and creativity, but it’s also severely lacking in women at the executive level. This also includes (or excludes) many people of color and queer people— they are just under represented in the upper echelons of the current cannabis administration.
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For this reason, recognizing and uplifting women who may not be in board rooms, but are making enormous impacts on cannabis culture, is crucial this month and every month. Cannabis Artists are incredibly important to the normalization of both medical and recreational use of the plant. They interpret the feelings, moods, and sensations of cannabis use and the people who use it.
Here are two amazing cannabis artists to check out:
Lisa S. (A.k.a. The Visine Queen) is an artist and event creator making a splash on the East Coast. She wasn’t always into cannabis, but when she gave it a chance a decade ago, it became her go-to for hang outs and unwinding. Lisa’s art has a graphic vibe that has a pop art feel and attracts people to her events—to ultimately socialize with cannabis. She told The Fresh Toast, “In seven years of doing art I have created many canvases, stickers, sculptures, prints and participated in many public art events celebrating women and cannabis culture.”
Her work has a specific normalizing and barrier breaking vibe, and she says among her most popular works are “Stickers that celebrate the visuals of Women of Color enjoying cannabis.” Cannabis and art go hand in hand for the Visine Queen, who uses the plant as an artistic muse both internally and on the page. “When I create, it has to be something I like. Something I’m ready to see all the way through. My work represents me. Usually when I’m working on art, I’m smoking a joint.”
Lisa S. The Visine Queen
You can catch her working on cannabis and art events in the TriState area, and on Instagram where glimpses of cool color palettes and fun social consumption set the mood for your own creative inspiration. This Queen is pushing for everyone to accept cannabis, even if they don’t use it. She says, “Art can show you another side of how a regular smoker views cannabis, to the eyes of a non-user. They might not begin to smoke but might try to be more considerate of a cannabis smoker if they enjoy the art aspect of our culture.”
Aside from being a skilled photographer, West Coast dweller Danielle Halle works in the cannabis industry with Eel River Organics as a Brand Manager. Her art uses the medium of photography to infuse a first person perspective of women under the influence of cannabis—distinctly not for the male gaze. Her own connection the the cannabis plant is a wellbeing commitment, and showing off it’s bounty is part of her life’s work.
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Capturing a closeness between the plant and human, her work energizes consumption photos into an art form that too many underestimate. In the future of the industry, these skills will be in ever higher demand, but for now we get the benefits of viewing this artist’s IG feed for all the best shots. Halle says its more than smoking pics and that her work contains multitudes of the culture,”I have always been interested in photography and art, but never truly saw myself as an artist until my cannabis photography prints were being bought and sold.”
For her, cannabis is a medical aid but also an art driver, “Cannabis use also stimulates creativity and focus, which allows artists to paint for hours or photographers to edit photos all night. Shoutout to uplifting citrus terpene profiles for that late-night editing grind!”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqVD4FyBP82/
This love for the plant landed Halle in a good place with her work as it reaches more and more people. She says, “I have always wanted to be an artist because I believe art is anything that makes a person feel something, and I want people to experience the wide spectrum of emotions that art can cultivate.”
Artists who use cannabis, who paint cannabis, draw it, or even find more unique ways to use the plant are on the cutting edge of their corner of the culture. Tomorrow’s content will be overflowing with cannabis art and imagery, but you should always uplift the artists that can make you feel it.
