Ah, John Shannon. Just look at what he can do:

epilogue.net

I find his work gorgeous, akin to Gilbert Williams, Michael Whelan and even, perhaps, a faint echo of Maxfield Parrish. Or I just like to bring Maxfield Parrish up whenever I talk about art regardless if there are any similarities or not.

But the real reason I’m talking about John Shannon is I was introduced to him through Tree-Free Greetings with its Earth-Friendly Cards & Gifts line. Their site might be a little sparse on description, but fortunately a proudly authorized retailer, Peaceful Valley Greetings gives it more clout:

“What is Tree Free?  Tree Free Greetings strives to use the most eco friendly materials and processes possible. All of our cards are printed with soy based inks, manufactured in the US, and our paper mills use sustainable energy. Eco info is on the back of every card and all envelopes are 100% recycled, up to 100% post consumer waste.”

The official site is deliciously long on browsing through occasion and theme, such as the fantasy art section. It looks as though you can create a login and order. But I bet you’ll find a rack or two of them in stores that carry greeting cards; I found mine in our local Woodman’s grocery store.

It’s cool to see such lovely work on something so eco-conscious.

Note: If you’re as blown away by John Shannon as I am, here’s his official site with prints available for sale.