Renaissance recreation more than a hobby

When the Renaissance Faire round table committee asked for volunteers, Florence residents Don Green and his wife, Mandy, were happy to help.

Green saw it as a chance to learn a little more about the era of the Renaissance, which had its epicenter in Florence, Italy, from around the mid 1400s to the mid 1600s.

"I was the king (of the faire) in 1998, and prior to that, I'd dress in costume and walk around the faire," Green said. "But this year, with the German theme, the most perfect German Renaissance man I could think of was (Johannes) Gutenberg. They asked for a volunteer to do a display, so I took that idea and ran with it."

Just a few months later, Green has recreated the entire process Gutenberg used to produce some of the earliest printed works, from the creation of each letter to the miniaturized version of the movable-type press Gutenberg used to produce the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

"I made a single punch, so I only got one letter done, but I wanted people to see how it all came together," he said.

In addition to the creation of the individual parts, Green learned about German-born Gutenberg, the hazards of the job early typesetters experienced and even some of the games they played during their leisure time.

"Before I got into it, I never realized how complicated a process printing was," he said. "I never realized that it is an art form to make all of the equipment and put it all together. That's what intrigued me most about Gutenberg and this process."

Throughout the school year, but especially in the weeks leading up to the annual Renaissance Faire, which took place Oct. 24-25, Green takes time off from his job as an industrial electrician to take his displays into local schools to offer students a bit of living history.

Billy Ray Warren, curriculum director for Florence schools who coordinates the annual fair, said that contributes to the overall educational value of the event.

"From its very inception, the major premise and purpose of the fair has been education," he said. "But to have guys like Don Green is the topping on the cake."

Warren said he's constantly amazed at the length Green goes to in order to achieve authenticity with his displays that have included a demonstration and lecture on the swords and armor of the Renaissance era.

"I've always said he should be a teacher," Warren said. "(Green) is not too old to go back and get his degree.

"He's a natural at it because he knows how to adjust his spiel to whatever audience he's talking to, and that's a real gift."

When not in use, Green said he keeps his displays in storage, but he's constantly thinking of new ways to improve upon his creations. For the Gutenberg press, he traveled to New York to collect a copy of the Gutenberg Bible he won on eBay, the online auction site.

But, he said, he's always thinking of what he'll do next.

"I'll keep the Gutenberg display around for a couple of years, but I've always had a passion for Leonardo daVinci," Green said.

"I've been asked to do a display on him, so I've been collecting books to research and looking for models or some of his contraptions to build. I'm not an artist like he is, though."

Warren said that's just being modest.

"I'm astounded by what he creates; I never cease to be amazed," he said. "By now, you'd think we'd take him for granted, but we most certainly do not."

Michelle Rupe Eubanks can be reached at 740-5745 or michelle.eubanks@TimesDaily.com.