The Spark: Watch Cannabis Inspire Rey Jaffet’s Massive ‘Strength of Strains’ Mural
Art requires patience, passion, and talent—and when an artist brings cannabis into the mix, magical things can happen. Miami native Rey Jaffet is one muralist adept at incorporating cannabis and artistic creation. He showcases his magic on colossal canvases, filling the sides of buildings and structures with bold strokes and pops of color, evoking an array of emotions from those lucky enough to view his pieces up close. He’s also a dedicated consumer of cannabis, citing it as a consistent source of inspiration.
Recently, Jaffet accepted a collaborative opportunity to design a mural on the side of upscale Seattle dispensary Diego Pellicer. His piece is not only magnetic in imagery, it also covers a space equal to the size of a 10-story building. Since beginning his ‘Strength of Strains’ piece on June 7, he’s contributed countless hours over the course of three weeks, working day and night on a piece that communicates a true love for our favorite plant. This fascinating mural, which represents cannabis’s effects and how they interact with the human experience, was just unveiled.
In his own words, Jaffet talks about the inspiration behind this monumental piece: “The whole theme behind the mural is really that we come from the same plant or planet and we all develop into different strains.” Watch the mural come together in the video below.
How the Mural Happened
Rey was invited by Alejandro Canto, owner of Diego Pellicer, to inject his artistic vision into the Diego brand while staying true to his Miami roots. “Miami really is a hub for multiculturalism—I’m surrounded by so many cultures all the time and that really plays a huge role in my work,” says Jaffet. “The fact that Miami is based on the ‘grandeur’ feeling of everything … I would like to be in that spotlight: Being around success or people who would like to be there and finding your own passion and bringing it to your own work.”
Though far from home and that sizzling Miami heat, Rey finds himself among friends in Seattle, having known Canto for at least 13 years, “I’ve been friends with Alejandro for a very long time,” says Jaffet. “He’s a great guy. I’ve seen him develop as well as myself and it’s so interesting to see that correlation between us, too. We’re in completely different worlds; however, they’re colliding right now, and that’s amazing to me.”
(Courtesy of Raffi Jaffet)
Still a young artist (he graduated from Miami Palmetto Senior High School in 2013), Jaffet’s talent has landed him major gigs with Samsung, 7Up, and Vita Coco, just to name a few, and it was only a matter of time before his artistry spread to the cannabis realm. “I feel that [cannabis is] in an area where it needs some kind of renaissance—it needs some sort of big event or a huge piece of art to really start up the process for more artistic involvement in the cannabis community,” says Jaffet. “Cannabis can really be a strong point of creativity and influence.”
Diego Pellicer was happy to provide the space Rey needed to flex his creative muscles, and hiring Jaffet was a no-brainer for Canto. “I think Rey had the talent that was needed for such a project … this is a big mural,” Canto explained. “I think Rey—he has a passion for art, he doesn’t do it for the fame … we’re truly blessed to be able to have Rey come out here.”
(Courtesy of Raffi Jaffet)
While he applies paint to canvas, particularly on huge works such as the Diego mural, Jaffet microdoses cannabis to keep him going and to give him a creative edge. He explains that certain strains have acted as powerful tools in his personal creations and professional pieces: “I’m a sativa guy … I can enjoy a good indica, but in terms of artwork and how I go about my work, sativa is definitely in that area—specifically Chocolate Thai and Narnia, those two happen to open up my mind and I get engaged with what I’m doing a whole lot more.”
Jaffet’s mural is visible at Diego Pellicer in Seattle and is a must-see. “I think it’s truly beautiful how Rey understood the project and how he’s been able to piece this together,” says Canto. “It’s just one of those items that you truly have to … see it yourself to understand and take it in.” Stop by the store to pick up some quality products and check out Jaffet’s incredible cannabis mural. While you’re at it, give Rey a follow on Instagram, or see more of his creations through his website.
Hannah Meadows is an associate editor at Leafly, where she contributes to lifestyle content.
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