Legerdemain

My submission for the NCC's High Art Competition. The theme was magic + cannabis.

I figured people would try to gear more towards fantasy magic (witches, wizards, etc.) so I wanted to go with a magician/illusionist theme. I wanted to play off of the "tricks up the sleeve" phrase that's usually associated with magicians, and at first, I was thinking of having a bouquet come out of the sleeves with cannabis leaves. But halfway through I decided to go with doves holding cannabis instead of olive branches. Doves holding olive branches symbolize peace which I felt fit stoners pretty well. The smoke aids in directing the eyes around the canvas. Additionally, I gave him an oil pen as a surrogate magician's wand as to imply "that's where the magic happens". I decided with calling this piece "Legerdemain" after the french word, meaning "slight of hand", which refers to a certain type of magic trick.