Introducing.... The Green Man!
Perhaps you didn't know that the Green Man goes WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY back.
Green Man has quite a history! Our fun fellow originated in the mystical forests of the British Isles and represents a modern manifestation of this wizened, ancient character!
The Green Man has always been a figure who stands at the bridge of the relationship between humankind and the natural world. As such, he has been evoked by artists around the world, but his most frequent appearance is in the iconic "foliate head" faces that are found most often on the historic cathedrals of Europe, particularly from the middle ages. (You can take Green Man cathedral tours there! Honest!)
Usually depicted as a 'face in the leaves,' Green Man images have been found in the art and architecture of cultures worldwide for thousands of years. While he is known best in Europe and the British Isles (and comes to America from those storied landscapes) he has been seeing a wide resurgance in his popularity throughout the world, especailly as he takes on new, fun, fantastic and illuminating forms of his traditional, meaningful self! (See his most fun form right here, of course!)
The amazing story of our Green Man's journey from the "old country" to the United States will be published soon. Interviews with the Green Man and his old world friends, factchecking and research are currently in progress. Check back for announcements of the story's big release!
In the meantime, below are a few Green Man faces nicked from other websites, and below that are a few links to further information about this ooooooooooooooooold but totally mod guy!
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LINKS to further Green Man history, culture and artistic interpretations...
Great classroom art-oriented curriculum!
English Folk Church site
Mything Links (Older page that can send up some annoying popup ads - but it is totally worth your look!)
PS - Green Man's main peep, Kris Prinzing, will be exploiting him mercilessly now that she is a speaker on the Humanities Montana speakers bureau! So - you can have her come to you and tell you and/or your kids all about "The Myth and Mystique of the Green Man" - past, less past, and even present! (Green Man art, music, poetry and humor will all be featured!) And... its FREE!!! Find out more at Humanities Montana's website: Humanities Montana!
