Today we’d like to introduce you to Alice and Sebastian Boher.
Miwak Junior first began as a rebellious act in a community college ceramics class, where making smoking implements was strictly verboten. Chilean artist Sebastian Boher tried twice to sneak a pipe into the kiln; but on his third try, the pipe went undetected by the censors, proving that he’d created an objet of beauty with a discreet functionality. Partner Alice Johnson Boher, a writer/performer from the American South agreed, and Miwak Junior was born.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh no, it has surely not been a smooth road. First of all, being even peripherally in the cannabis space is tricky. There’s just so damn much confusion regarding legality, so it makes things like banking and advertising and really just shop keeping in general trickier than in other spheres. We’ve been rejected by banks, kicked off of accounting software – nothing compared to what dispensaries and farms and such deal with, of course. But when you’re already an artist type, and business acumen doesn’t come naturally, the added liability hoop is a real bugaboo.
Please tell us about Miwak Junior.
We make ceramic smoking implements. We consider them hand-held mini sculptures that happen to provide a superior smoke.
Our pipes are slip-cast; meaning, liquid clay is first poured into a mold. They’re glazed by hand, then fired at an extremely high temperature in a gas kiln, which renders them especially sturdy, and creates an array of finishes to make each piece truly one-of-a-kind.
A hollow interior provides a large chamber for smoke, and the exterior is hand-finished for a smooth feel in the palm. The bowl of the pipe is hand-glazed for a non-porous, easy-to-clean surface.
We’re proud of our products: objets of art which are responsibly and sustainably made by hand here in Southern California.
The West Coast craft movement has produced incredible ceramic artists who make beautiful, functional objects. With the change in legalization, many ceramicists naturally try their hand at making pipes. Many times these artists are not themselves smokers, and therefore the functionality of design is often lacking. We are true lovers of the ritual, and every element of our aesthetic and design is in service of it.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Sebastian’s favorite memory is playing in his grandmother’s garden in Chile, pretending to be conquistadors in the new world.
Alice’s favorite memory from childhood is playing dance studio mistress on the beaches of the Florida panhandle, pretending the waves rolling into shore were dance students crossing the floor in pairs. “Good job, Misty” “Land in plie next time, Ronald” “I need more hustle out of you, Dana” etc. etc.
Pricing:
- Free shipping on domestic orders
- Use VOYAGELA for 20% off
Contact Info:
- Website: www.miwakjunior.com
- Instagram: @miwakjunior
Image Credit:
Portrait by Sally Peterson
Top two with lighting are Jeremy Bali
All others are Marielle Chua
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