Cannabis connoisseurs are in for a major Halloween treat this year: Grove Bags teamed up with Netherlands-based artist and illustrator, Jimmy—perhaps better known as Cannabruv—for some festive product bags that you might just want to save for a trick-or-treat sesh after you’ve consumed its contents.
Cannabruv’s creative journey with the plant
While Cannabruv has been drawn to art from a young age, it wasn’t until his teenage years that he began to take it seriously—and to incorporate cannabis into his doodles.
“I used to draw as a child, but I lost touch with it for a few years,” Cannabruv said. “Then around age 15 or 16, I got back into it; I was sketching in notebooks in between classes, and it became something I loved more and more as I got more comfortable with it.”
Cannabis was a major part of this artistic exploration; Cannabruv would consume while creating, and eventually, the plant found its way into many of his renderings.
“I started thinking to myself, ‘If I have to choose what I can do to make a living, why not combine the only two things I enjoy at school and turn that into my work?’ That’s when I got really serious about art: I started training, going from pen drawings to full-fleshed artistic creations. Then, I eventually applied to art school, where I majored in illustration and animation,” Cannabruv said.
From there, Cannabruv began his freelance career—a fresh and fulfilling journey he’s been navigating throughout the past year. While still relatively new to the scene, Cannabruv has already made quite the splash: particularly with the cannabis community, where his distinctive style (“Like high school notebook doodles, but fleshed out professionally”) has really taken off.
His most notable collaborations have been with Netherlands infamous “coffee shops”—a.k.a., the locals’ go-to spots for cannabis.
“At first, I started working cannabis into my art for fun: typical pieces with a smoking Pokémon or Homer Simpson,” Cannabruv said. “But one day, I got asked by a coffee shop in the Netherlands to make a design for them, and that’s when I realized there was a huge market for my style here.”
Often centering on the plant, Cannabruv’s work features whimsical characters, humor, and even Easter eggs for fans to discover and connect with as they follow along on his journey. This unique style ultimately made him a perfect match for Grove Bags, where artist collaborations focus on bringing fresh, exciting perspectives to the cannabis space.
“The guys at Grove Bags are great, and I’m really excited about this collaboration,” Cannabruv said. “Since working with them, I’ve noticed they really value what you bring to the table as an artist, not just the numbers behind you. I think that’s really cool, especially for a newer artist on the scene.”
Cannabruv x Grove Bags: A spooky season celebration
For his latest design for Grove Bags, Cannabruv aimed to capture the quintessential playful spirit of Halloween, a holiday that’s actually still growing in popularity in the Netherlands.
“Every year, Halloween becomes bigger here, so it’s a perfect time to drop something fun,” Cannabruv said. The design features familiar Halloween characters, like a wolf, a witch, and a clown, but with a clever twist.
“They’re inspired by stereotypical Halloween costumes, so instead of drawing inspiration from an actual wolf, I was careful to draw it from a wolf costume. I figured introducing niche characters Americans might be more familiar with would be cool, but since Halloween is still new to the Netherlands, I wanted to offer a selection everyone can understand and connect with. Of course, I also included some jack-o-lanterns,” Cannabruv said.
When asked about what makes a successful collaboration in the cannabis space, Cannabruv emphasized the laid-back, respectful environment. “The biggest pro is everyone is super chill—no stressful hustle, just friendly vibes,” he says. Compared to the more fast-paced and demanding world of music design, which he’s also involved in, Cannabruv appreciates the more relaxed approach in the cannabis industry, where he’s had some of his best experiences as an artist.
As for up-and-comers looking to break into the cannabis space, Cannabruv’s advice is simple: “Just start making work and share it. You only need one client to start, and from there, things can snowball if you’re good at what you do. Consistency is key.”
Beyond the Halloween Grove Bags, Cannabruv is launching a new grinder series with local brand Apestoned. Just like his work with Grove Bags, he continues to merge his artistic talent with the cannabis world, bringing unique and fun designs to the community in a multitude of ways.
With this Halloween drop, Cannabruv and Grove Bags are ready to bring a little spooky, a little fun, and a whole lot of creativity to cannabis culture. Keep an eye out for the release of the collaboration pouches—and in the meantime, be sure to check out Cannabruv’s work on Instagram for a sneak peek at what’s next.
