Troll of the Caves Girl

Troll of the Caves Girl Ornament

have always had a very vivid imagination. As kids, my twin sister Claudia and I, would imagine the most fantastic worlds of make-believe. Coloring was the favorite past-time of my childhood. My colored-pencil drawings were filled with fantastic creatures. And trolls, who would rob passersby of their possessions when walking over their bridge, were frequent visitors of the magical realms I invented on the sheets of coloring paper.

My fascination with trolls became even greater after a trip my sisters — Laura María, Claudia, and I — took around the Scandinavian peninsula and northern Europe in my early twenties. It was the summer right before my last year in college. As we traveled from Denmark to Sweden, and finally to Norway, our knowledge of Norse mythology, Mermaids, Vikings and Trolls grew. I admired the troll figurines I saw on display at tourist shops. Their gruff looking faces and furry clothes were very detailed. I would close my eyes and would get transported into a magical realm that was almost real. And I was captivated by the multiple tales we were told as we jumped from town to town. So, these memories of discovering these unique creatures inspired me to create the Troll of the Caves Girl ornament.

Some Troll Facts

It is said that the voices of female trolls mimic the sound of wind and water, luring humans into the wilderness of the forest. And finally, luring them into their caves so they can be robbed. Legends say that trolls, in general, turn into stone if exposed to light, are frightened by lightning and are terrified by the ringing of church bells.

Troll of the Caves Girl Ornament Design Process

As I was rummaging through a bag of whatnots that my friend Valerie had given me, I found a set of eight wood corn on the cob holders. The shape of the corn holder made for a nice round chubby body. This unique find made me remember those troll figurines I had seen in the tourist shops around Norway. That was when I was inspired to create this Troll of the Caves Girl Figurine.

I used the corn holder for the troll’s body and a wooden knob for its head. To create their facial features, I hand molded them using baked-clay. Using this technique, I made their extra-large noses, huge mouths with gnashing teeth, big ears and bulging eyes. To achieve a vitreous stare, I used plastic gemstones which I dotted with white paint to give it a glaring gaze. I also used baked-clay to mold their bare feet.

I clothed them with wool, fur and animal skins. I gave them cloaks that I pinned with gemstone brooches from their pillages. For their long hair, I used an old black hair wig that my son Michael had used for an art project he had done as a freshman in college. Some of the trolls have their hair braided and some others have pigtails. Despite their oversized facial features, in the end, my trolls have a friendly demeanor that is highlighted by the flowers that adorn their hairdos.

Some of them are wearing earrings which I made from old jewelry. I placed them standing on a green or brown base which I made from empty ribbon spools. Finally, I trimmed the base with an olive colored fringe that resembles the moss that marks the entrance of their caves.

Specifications

Year Designed

2017

Size

Actual size may vary, approximate 3.0” x 3.0” x 5.0”

Materials

Fabric, fake wig, cardboard, wood shapes and knobs, plastic gemstones, bake-clay, notions, paint, ribbons, paper flowers

Note: Given the handmade nature of the ornament, all ornaments are different. The pictures depict just one sample of the ornament.