Last fall, I began sharing articles on our Facebook page about a wonderful fella who started making a splash in the Colorado mountain town of Breckenridge. He name is Isak Heartstone, and aside from his charming demeanor and desire to simply sit and stack rocks in peace, he caused quite the stir and was unfortunately, asked to relocate. So, chainsaws were wielded, and he was cut into pieces and transported away.
You see, Isak is a Troll. Far from being an online troublemaker, this is a large wooden figure made of found wood and other materials, created by artist Thomas Dambo. And while everyone was delighted by him, the humans that hiked out to meet him created a lot of traffic that disrupted the quiet neighborhood he lived near.
The artist and his helpers were in Colorado this last weekend moving Isak to a new location that would allow for him to be enjoyed in a less disruptive manner. I felt privileged to see the artist speak at the Denver Botanic Gardens and learn all about the larger story of the Trolls and the other sustainable art he has created.
Luckily, you can watch the presentation as well! The sound isn’t great as it’s recorded on a phone, but it’s worth hearing him tell his own story of how his recycled art journey began. The Trolls now inhabit all corners of the earth are part of a worldwide fairytale in which they are attempting to teach us about protecting the earth. Watch Video of Dambo's Denver Botanic Gardens presentation (1 hour).
Another engaging story is told in a video about Hector the Protector that will help you understand the amazingness that is Thomas Dambo and his mission. (https://youtu.be/sFEb4Jdg70Q)
BetterWall’s mission is also to re-use materials—museum banners, in our case—so that they are not thrown into the landfill, but rather can be enjoyed as artwork for the home. I was touched and invigorated by this ever-evolving story, and I hope you are too!
Dig deeper into Thomas Dambo's artwork and story:
Website https://thomasdambo.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thomasdambos
Instagram Instagram.com/thomasdambo
Isak Heartstone
Photo by https://www.jenisejensen.com
This is my friend Shannon with artist Thomas Dambo before the presentation.
(After the presentation we tiptoed through some tulip displays in the gardens.)
