Rencon 2010 - The Green Man Panel

Went to a panel on The Green Man yesterday. Speakers were Steve Winick, John Matthews, Brian & Wendy Froud & Shane Odom.

The link above is from Wickipedia but gives some general info.

The Green Man is a powerful theme in art and literature. That appears again and again. Cathedrals throughout Europe contain Green man carvings. They are all over. Faces hidden in foliage, sometimes faces covered, symbolizing the power of nature. Reminding us that we can never control nature.

Stories abound throughout folklore as recently as 1940s America.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a famous tale.

Art is rich with images:

http://www.endicott-studio.com/gal/galgreen.html

The images are deep in our subconcious, We "get" it without even knowing how or why.

I remember the carvings all over Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland when I visited all those years ago.

http://www.virtualscotland.co.uk/regions/Midlothian/Littlegreenman.htm

and today Shane Odom leads a brotherhood exloring the Green Man

http://www.mythicalmasks.com/oddiments_files/main.html and http://www.bogbrothers.org/

Heck the Green Man is even known in comic books and movies -- The Swamp Thing is the powerful earth elemental man. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swamp_Thing

These comics were absolutely wonderful!

And as my own thing, I purchased a crown yesterday for myself: 

And finally - here are some books to get you started as well:

http://www.thecrypt.net/books6.htm

So enjoy the power of nature and explore the Green man!

Terri