I painted the ritual makeup of this young man, whose name is Rowan. For Beltane, he personified the Red God of the Animals, the youth of Spring in animal form. Of course, he also looks quite a bit like a faun, hence the title. The green heart on his chest symbolizes love for the Green World. (It was painted large in order to read clearly from a distance)
The rite of Spring took place in Paganistan (the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area), and was celebrated near the Mississippi River in a green blooming dell with a secluded waterfall– the “Hidden Falls”, where many rituals and theatrical performances occur.
