Silver Stem Fine Cannabis unveiled a new “Kushtronaut” mural Saturday, February 1, at the dispensary chain's Commerce City store, located at 5275 Quebec Street. The new mural, painted by an anonymous artist, according to Silver Stem, depicts an astronaut on Mars viewing the skyline of downtown Denver, with the “Kushtronaut” name written on the space traveler's wrist.
“A lot of cannabis art uses greens and more earthy tones,” says Silver Stem digital marketing specialist Julianna Kuzhel. “We wanted to stand out by using brighter colors that would make people more curious about what the mural was of and stop by to come see it.”
To the right of the astronaut, a space-age cannabis growing operation with orange and purple hues leads to the two entrances of the dispensary; the mural uses a bright array of pinks and blues in order to catch people’s eyes while they’re driving by.
Followers of Silver Stem’s Instagram page played a role in naming the new mural. Two days before the opening event, users commented a name they thought would suit the astronaut, and the winner received an ounce of flower for a penny. The name “Kushtronaut” was inspired by one user suggesting the name “Hashtronaut.”
The mural’s theme of space and the Mile High City reflects Silver Stem’s history in Colorado, according to the company. One of the state's larger dispensary chains with nine current stores in Colorado and one in Oregon, Silver Stem, which launched in 2009, wanted the mural to symbolize the pioneer of the cannabis industry by showcasing Colorado, exploration and cannabis all on one wall, according to Kuzhel.
The artist who painted the mural wished to remain anonymous, according to Silver Stem.
Nina Petrovic
“The mural is a way to honor Denver, where we started,” she says. “We wanted to show a parallel between Silver Stem’s work in the cannabis industry and how so many discoveries in space were made.”
But Silver Stem hopes the mural appeals to a larger crowd outside of the cannabis community with something that deviates from typical cannabis art. “If you’re a tourist visiting Denver, you can just stop by and take a photo, even if you’re not someone who uses cannabis,” says Kuzhel. “The mural is for everyone to enjoy, whether you’re a cannabis fan or not.”
