Riley Brain

 Riley Brain is the artist and owner of Wandering Bud, a company that specializes in handmade ceramic smoking accessories. In the summer of 2016, she spent a week exploring Portland, Oregon while her husband was there for a work trip. 

During this trip Riley went into a dispensary for the first time, she found that while the city was incredibly open and accepting of cannabis and people could see the benefit of the plant, patients were still hiding their pipes and other smoke accessories in drawers out of embarrassment. Glass spoon pipes with a masculine or novelty quality dominated the market. She decided that she wanted to be a part of a movement to bring that de-stigmatization culture back to her home in the Midwest through the design and production of aesthetically pleasing, handmade ceramic smoking devices. 

With a love of all forms of art and a drive to create a business with an impact, Riley set up a small studio space in her basement and began crafting her wares by hand. In May 2018, she left her position as an Elementary Music Teacher to create full time at Wandering Bud. Several years later, She has hired four employees and moved out of the basement and into a studio. She has stated that she loves working with a team of dedicated women who genuinely care about each piece that comes out of the studio. 

Like many entrepreneurs, she had fears about starting her own business. But throughout the process, she kept in mind that entrepreneurs wear a lot of hats and it’s impossible to be an expert in everything they do. Whenever she came across something she didn’t know how to do, she reminded herself that she didn’t know how to YET. 

She wanted to make something sculptural that could act as an abstract art object or even a bud vase when not in use. So, she sketched some ideas and landed on the design that became Wandering Bud’s Bubbler. 

Riley and Wandering Bud are proud supporters of the Last Prisoner Project. It is their mission to end the stigma around cannabis and those who medicate with it. 

They strive to bring beauty and intention to the industry through thoughtful design, sustainable practices, and education. At RVR, we truly strive to do the same, while we create a positive, uplifting and empowering community for our team and for Arkansas patients.