Green Man, Reimagined - Original A3 Pagan Folklore Mixed Media Painting

Green Man, Reimagined is my modern pagan interpretation of the Green Man: a spirit of lush green places, growth, decay and the persistence of the natural world. His human form is gradually becoming landscape. His neck turns to bark, twiggy antlers carry moss and lichen, and foliage crowds around his face beneath an enormous golden halo. MEANING & SYMBOLISM The whole life cycle of the woodland is hidden amongst the details: fresh growth and ageing leaves, bramble blossom and blackberry, acorns and pine cone. Growth, fruiting, decay and renewal all belong to the same continuing cycle. For me, the Green Man also represents nature's persistence. Plants creep back over abandoned buildings and ruins; human things disappear, while the living world keeps growing. His brilliantly unnatural green eyes mark him as something other than human, while his antlers nod towards Cernunnos and other horned figures. Two magpies have pride of place. They're among my favourite birds, and I sometimes describe myself as an art magpie: collecting influences from art history, folklore and different artistic traditions and carrying them back into my own work. AT A GLANCE Original, one-of-a-kind artwork A3 - 29.7 by 42 cm Mixed media on 300gsm cold-pressed watercolour paper Acrylic paint, watercolour, Posca pens, coloured pencils, pastel pencils and gold foil leaf Signed and dated on the reverse Sold unframed COLOUR PALETTE Layered woodland greens, warm browns, vivid supernatural lime green and flashes of reflective gold. CONDITION AND CARE The finished artwork will be protected with Dorland's Wax Medium before dispatch. The display suggestion in the final image is a digital mock-up for display and scale reference. Designed and painted by Ember Cant in Retford, Nottinghamshire, UK.