Greenpeople

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

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.

For us at Nagle Forge & Foundry, one of the traditions that gives our lives meaning is our tradition of the greenpeople. Each year since 1996 we have been producing 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, because we are traditional, we only present our Greenpeople online a full year after they have been introduced in person. Thus, if the 2008 Greenpeople are now online, it means that thee 2009 Greenpeople will soon be coming to one of our events.

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 without a written record 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 Brian Nagle makes a new manifestation of the Green Man and the Green Woman, captures the faces in the leaves, transforms them into wearable art cast as pins or pendants. Only three hundred copies are 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 you 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.