La Chanvrière | Grown from the Heart
Often people look for quick results and easy ways to reach the top — in life and in work. This attitude, however, is something I have never once seen in La Chanvrière. While he is an extremely competitive man and never shy of hard work, he understands that if you want things to turn out right, you must give them time. Patience is key — a true grower’s mindset. La Chanvrière also showed this patience when it came to collaborating with me. He waited for the perfect moment to strike — and he was willing to wait as long as it took.
For years, I had been illustrating posters for the legendary Dutch grower’s competition: The Homegrown Cup. This gathering brings together both indoor and outdoor growers from all over Europe. Everyone who participates in the judging has also grown the samples themselves — it’s a cup judged entirely by growers, for growers. It’s a prize worth fighting for and an honor for those who take home the marbles. True bragging rights are earned here, and among the many who have competed for the top prizes, the name La Chanvrière often stands out.
Over the years this French master-cultivator and kraft extractionist made a name on the European and global cannabis scene with his famous Sunsetz landmark strain (Grateful Seeds) - taking home prestigious awards and homegrown cups, plus winning the ego-clash in Barcelona in 2024. It is no strange feat when one looks at his work ethic and homestead - year round La Chanvrière works his tail-end of on his closed loop farm, honing his trade with every cycle of the season - supplying his wife and son with fresh, organic homegrown food and the world with exotic tasting, terpene heavy flowers and extractions.
For a long time, I didn’t attend the Homegrown Cup in person, though my art was always there. Over time, I discovered that many of these homegrowers had grown fond of my work — the posters, shirts, and hoodies I created for the event. Among those admirers was La Chanvrière.
Eventually, I decided to attend the event myself. I remember walking into a massive cloud of smoke — about 150 people sampling their crops, laughing, and having a great time. Out of the haze, a small, hooded figure dressed entirely in black rushed toward me. He handed me a wooden rolling tray, a glass jar filled with flower, and a small glass container of some of the best-looking, best-smelling ice-O-lator I had ever seen. His movements were quick, almost elusive. After handing me the gifts, he extended a bony yet strong hand — the kind of hand shaped by years of farm work. Artist and Grower shook hands and that’s how I met La Chanvrière.
We stayed in touch after that day. He immediately expressed his desire to work together, grower and artist. he remained very patient — knowing, as all good growers do, that the best things take time. The seed of that collaboration was planted in my mind and slowly grew over the following years into a fully formed idea. When the time was right, I created the artwork for La Chanvrière: Grown from the Heart — a piece that captures the essence of this French master grower, extractionist and traveler.
He has since grown very much, stepping out off his comfortable, yet demanding shadow into the light of the Dutch Experiment where his genetics are now cultivated, legally and under La Chanvrière's watchful eye, in the rooms of Q-Farms.
Working the soil by hand, tending to his land and his family, La Chanvrière embodies the spirit of true craftsmanship and dedication. He has inspired me deeply, and I am proud to have been allowed to portray his craft in my art.
