A band of trolls are coming to Burlington County, and they will soon be taking up residence in local parks, downtowns and other outdoor destinations.
The trolls are part of Burington County Troll Trek, a new public art exhibition organized by the Burlington County Commissioners and Burlington County Parks System and inspired by the Big Rusty troll created by world renown sculptor Thomas Dambo at the site of Hainesport’s future Creek Turn Park.
Big Rusty is made from mostly recycled materials found on the property, which was previously an abandoned ceramics factory. The massive statue has become a popular homage to recycling, sustainability and the power of imagination.
The new trolls are also being crafted by area artists from recycled and natural materials and are intended to help amplify Dambo’s message and provide Big Rusty some new friends.
Residents and visitors will get to meet 18 new trolls very soon, and a couple of them will be introduced at the Burlington County’s Arts After Dark festival on Sept. 28 at Historic Smithville Park, 803 Smithville Road, Eastampton.
The festival runs from 4 PM to 9 PM and will feature music and theater performances, fine art exhibits, poetry and more. The Troll Trek kickoff will be held at 6 PM and will feature the unveiling of two Smithville trolls. A map with the exact location of every troll will also be made available following the ceremony.
“Burlington County is known as a destination that embraces art, sustainability and new residents from across the globe, so it’s no wonder that trolls like Big Rusty and his new friends chose to reside in our communities,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson. “We were honored that Thomas Dambo selected Burlington County to be the location of one of his famous troll statues and we’re excited to welcome his new friends. We hope Burlington County residents and visitors will seek them all out and become inspired themselves to create art and protect our natural environment.”
The new trolls are being created by 16 artists or teams of artists who were selected from dozens of submissions made in response to a Burlington County Parks System prospectus. Each artist or team was awarded a $500 stipend to help cover materials and installation expenses.
The trolls and their approximate locations are highlighted in the Burlington County Parks Fall Program Guide available online at https://www.co.burlington.nj.us/235/Parks .
The trolls, locations and their creators are:
- “Big Rusty”; future Creek Turn Park, Hainesport; Created by Thomas Dambo
- “Gracie the Garden Troll”; Historic Smithville Park, Eastampton; Created by Norma and John Neimeister.
- “Troll on a Stroll”; Historic Smithville Park, Eastampton; Created by KT Carney.
- “Retlaw”; Mount Holly location; Created by Julie Park and Adam Pietras.
- Unnamed Troll; Mount Holly location; Created by Lowell Doerr.
- “Weft”; Rancocas Valley Regional High School Annex, Mount Holly; Created by Cassie Jones.
- “Woody”; Rancocas Nature Center, Westampton; Created by Jason Brown.
- “Pipsqueak”; Burlington County Amphitheater, Westampton; Created by Maya Sorhage.
- “Melinda”; Country Village Playground, Lumberton; Created by Jennifer Hildebrand.
- “Flora”; Medford location; Created by Carmen and Eduardo Jimenez.
- “Sally McScraps”; Elbo Park, Mount Laurel; Created by Marc Tous, Fred Poinsett and Steven Thorpe.
- “Noelle the Troll”; Burlington County Amphitheater, Moorestown; Created by Marc Tous, Fred Poinsett and Steven Thorpe.
- Unnamed Troll; Delanco location; Created by Jason Miller.
- “Visser”; Burlington City location; Created by Peter Bieling.
- “The Art Troll”; Burlington City location; Created by Michael Kane.
- “Rily the Abilities Troll”; Burlington City location; Created by Julie Deluccy.
- “Edward”; Bordentown City location; Created by John Canon.
- “Kevin”; Juliustown Park, Springfield; Created by Meg and Miles Simon
- “Tommy the Tetanus Troll”; Arney’s Mount Park, Springfield; Created by Marc Tous, Fred Poinsett and Steven Thorpe.
The stipends and other costs related to the exhibition are funded by the Burlington County Commissioners and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts with support from the following co-sponsors: Mill Race Village, Main Street Mount Holly, Rancocas Valley High School Environmental Club, Rancocas Nature Center, Township of Lumberton, Delanco Environmental Advisory Board and Delanco Recreation Commission, Arts Guild New Jersey, Rising Sun Counseling Service, Bordentown City Environmental Commission and Springfield Township.
The troll locations were selected by the Burlington County Parks System and co-sponsors.
“We’re excited to welcome these new additions to our county and the attention they generate for our parks, downtowns and communities,” said Burlington County Commissioner Allison Eckel, the liaison to the Burlington County Department of Resource Conservation and Parks. “Hopefully, the trolls will also inspire their visitors to think more about recycling and how to reuse items before tossing them out.”
Troll Trek is the latest of several Burlington County arts initiatives supported by the Commissioners. Earlier this year, the Board approved the distribution of a record high $315,000 in grant funding for arts programs and initiatives, including the Mount Holly Fire and Ice Festival, the Burlington County St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Beverly Blues Festival and the Whitesbog Preservation Trust, among others.
“Support for the arts not only helps artists and art organizations, but it also helps bring visitors and business activity to our towns, generates jobs and improves quality of life,” said Hopson. “Exhibits like Troll Trek create a sense of community and bring us all closer together. We’re proud to support it and other arts projects in our county and we’re grateful for all the co-sponsors who teamed up with us to bring these trolls to our communities.”