First cannabis-themed NFT gallery to debut in Arizona

The cannabis-themed NFT gallery in Phoenix, Arizona, will open to the public on July 22nd at a special event featuring NFT artwork by Elise Weiland. The event is held in partnership with Plant. Body. Soul., a creative marketing agency focused on cannabis hosting the debut NFT gallery called Owls After Dark.

The inaugural event will be called Friday Highday After Dark and, according to a press release, will be the “first phase of the [Plant.Body.Soul.] Agency NFT roadmap.”

Plant.Body.Soul. Managing Partner and Co-Founder Jennifer Miles stated her hopes for the future with this new NFT project. “Minting the Owls After Dark NFT gallery marks the first step in our community access utility project, which aims to unite members through innovation, art, music and real-world experiences,” said Miles.

The gallery’s other co-founder, Gordon Ogden, also commented on the exciting prospects for these unique NFT offerings. “We are committed to the continued expansion of our NFT community,” said Ogden. “In the months following launch, we plan to hold exclusive events curated for registered NFT holders, create a Discord server for members, and integrate additional features and virtual reality experiences.”

Weiland’s digital artworks often focus on psychedelic, abstract digital sculptures and the exploration of unique fantasy environments. Some of Weiland’s influences are “internet culture, design culture, tattoo culture and counterculture” which are usually portrayed with lots of colorful elements that they describe as fun, dreamy and maybe a little bit somber”. Last year, Weiland crafted a 3D procedural techno forest for the Fall 2021 issue of Broccoli Magazine’s mycophile magazine titled Mushroom People.

Those who purchase NFTs featured in the Owls After Dark gallery also receive real-world benefits. These rewards include access to swag drops, a high-quality art print of their NFT, and regular access to Plant. Body. Soul.’s ongoing Friday Highday Happy Hour and Friday Highday After Dark events. The NFTs will be available after the event starts on OpenSea, one of the largest NFT marketplaces.

Courtesy of Owls After Dark

Friday Highday After Dark encompasses multiple facets of local cannabis culture. Food will be prepared by High Vibe Kitchen Collective, and an “intimate but highly curated” wellness lounge by Cannakula will be in attendance. Local cannabis brands including Aeriz, Curaleaf, Select, Good Things Coming and Sunday Goods will be in attendance to promote their products and members of Arizona NORML will also be in attendance to educate attendees on consumer rights and their ongoing efforts to eliminate cannabis beliefs. Music is also performed by Phoenix Crews, Record Bar Radio and Melrose House.

Recently, NFTs and cannabis have become a popular partnership, with some cannabis brands featuring NFT graphics on their packaging. But it is also used as a collaborative effort to encourage advocacy in the industry.

In January, Burn1, the Black Comics Collective and The Weldon Project worked together to create an NFT project that would benefit those negatively affected by the War on Drugs. Original artwork was presented by John Jennings, and even an unreleased song by Snoop Dogg was offered.

Weldon Project founder Weldon Angelos praised the merging of cannabis and art for the community. “I started the Weldon Project and created the MISSION [GREEN] Initiative to raise the bar for awareness, social justice and social justice around cannabis and to help those negatively impacted by unjust drug laws,” said Angelos. “This NFT project with the Black Comics Collective and Burn1 is exciting because it allows me to further our mission while creating an exciting new mix of art, music and activism.”