Greenpeople

A tradition two thousand years in the making:
A Nagle Forge & Foundry tradition: 1996-2010.

Tradition means different things to different people... Some traditions are good, some are not so good. Some are a duty, some are a pleasure. Some seem increasingly meaningless, and some become increasingly meaningful as the years pass.

For us at Nagle Forge & Foundry, one of the traditions that has given our lives meaning is our tradition of the greenpeople. Between 1996 and 2010 we produced a yearly greenman, and a yearly greenwoman. [We actually began making greenpeople in 1995... the 1995 Greenman Pin was an extremely limited production --but un-numbered!-- piece. Those of you who have a '95 have a very rare piece of the Nagle Greenman tradition.] They are simultaneously simple and complex, rare and accessible, un-pretentious and yet very much a vanity project.

Our Greenpeople represent the most simple of concepts --a human, face, green leaves, Spring, time, re-birth, humanity & nature. And yet they also represent all the mysteries of life and nature, love and art. They are rare: In a world of mass production we make only 300 numbered versions of each man and woman (&, perhaps a dozen or two dozen --depending on the year and the number of versions we go through-- Artist's Proofs). And yet, they are accessible, we still sell our pewter Greenpeople for less than $50.- each. This is a vanity project for us, and part of our vain, out-of-touch-with-the-world outlook on life is that art really should be accessible and affordable. So we make them regardless of time and effort... we spend three months a year working on the masters, we don't look at the clock, we don't keep track of time, we don't have a deadline... quite literally we could not afford to do something like this more than once or twice a year: No price could adequately reflect the labor, effort and art that goes into crafting our yearly greenpeople, and so we put a modest price tag on them with the hope that all those who love them will be able to afford them... and that only those who love and treasure them will: For, those who love true art, don't judge a piece by it's price.

The Greenpeople: Our tradition, our vanity, our love.

And, although we have taken a hiatus from the Greenpeople project for the past several years a small selection of numbered and signed Greenpeople from 2008, 2009 and 2010 are still available.

The Green People Tradition

Foliated faces appear carved in stone and wood within medieval churches and cathedrals throughout Europe and the British Isles. It is an ancient motif reflecting a still earlier time, a time recorded in pictures, not words. A time that is with us still. See options and pricing for our current ('08) Greenpeople.

Our GreenPeople are the faces you thought you saw in the oak tree you just passed.

As time passes and the year turns, we make a new set of greenfolk to celebreate the cycle of the year. Early each year for 15 years Brian Nagle made a new manifestation of the Green Man and the Green Woman, capturing the faces in the leaves, transforming them into wearable art cast as pins or pendants. Only three hundred copies were made of each and, because we hand finish our pieces, no two are ever exactly alike. All copies are signed by the artist, and each is dated and numbered. A limited quantity of pairs with matched numbers are set aside. (Those of you who are continuing your collections should reserve your designated number early in the year.) A very few Artist's Proofs are also cast and are designated 'A.P.' A small percentage of the total edition is finished in heavy gold vermeil, and some numerically matched pairs are also available in this finish.

Displaying Your Green People

Brooches as Wall Decor?
One of our patrons came up with a novel way to display her greenfolk brooches when she is not wearing them. She pins them to a handwoven cloth sash that she has mounted on the wall.