In the beginning... Willie Cole worked as a freelance writer and illustrator. LEGAL was the name given to both this painting and the accompanying short story created on spec for High Times Magazine in 1977. It is also an excellent example of Cole's early illustration style, and the color application technique he credits to his favorite illustrator from childhood, Maxfield Parrish.

To make this reproduction even more contemporary, Cole has listed the names of US states that have legalized marijuana, at the bottom of the image. This graphic reproduction is 24 x 36 inches and printed on acid free semi gloss paper.