Artist Thomas Dambo’s creation, the first in California, was made exclusively from recycled materials
There’s a new resident in Solvang, at the corner of Mission Drive (also Highway 246) and 5th Street. She’s rather large and scary looking, but very quiet. She’s in rather cramped quarters, but she’d better get used to it — she’s going to be there at least 10 years.
Her name’s Lulu Hyggelig, and she lives inside the Michele Kuelbs Tower Gallery at the California Nature and Art Museum. She’s the latest wooden trolls created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, who at the end of 2024 had created 154 trolls around the world, all made from recycled materials.
Solvang’s new troll is special in a couple of ways: One, she’s the first permanent one to be located in California and,two, she’s the first one to be built completely indoors.
“I remember when we starting talking to him about building one of his trolls here to Solvang,” said Stacy Otte-Demangate, executive director of the CNAM. “He had done all of this works outdoors, but when he saw our circular room, he liked the challenge of getting one of his trolls to fit inside.”
Dambo likes to give each of his trolls a unique name and backstory, and with CNAM’s new resident, he was inspired by the many bakeries in town, he named her Lulu Hyggelig, and envisioned her as someone who scavenged for the local bakeries’ leftover breads and pastries and eat them back in “her” tower until she got too big to get out.
Dambo and his team arrived in Solvang on Jan. 20, and with the help of almost 50 volunteers during the museum’s temporary closure, Lulu was complete less than two weeks later. The museum reopened on Feb. 2 with Lulu on full display in the tower, portrayed as a whimsical creature trying to get comfortable in her cramped space. Also included on the room’s wall is the poem explaining Lulu’s story (which is also included on this page).
Otte-Demangate was thrilled with the result as museum patrons observed the sculpture and posed for photos in front of it.
“I thought he did a wonderful job working the characteristics of the city, and especially the bakeries, into the character’s story,” she said. “He was able to get recycled wood from this area and even got some twigs and branches from local nurseries to make up her hair.”
Otte-Demangate said Lulu looks to be a permanent attraction at the museum, and confirms that “it will be here for 10 years at least”
People can observe Lulu and CNAM’s other exhibits during the museum’s regular hours: Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday).
To learn more about Dambo and see photos of all his trolls, as well as other projects, go to www.thomasdambo.com
Lulu Hyggelig By THOMAS DAMBO
THIS STORY HAS A HISTORY
THAT STARTS BEFORE THE PAST.
A TINY TROLL FROM FAR AWAY,
SHE SWAM THE OCEAN VAST.
SHE FOUND A COZY CITY AND
TOOK SHELTER IN A TOWER.
ON A STREET THAT SMELLED OF
DANISH PASTRIES, YEAST AND FLOUR.
AT NIGHT SHE SEARCHED THROUGH
ALL THE TRASH CANS PATIENTLY FOR
PASTRY.
AND ATE THE CAKES THEY MADE TOO MUCH,
BEHIND THE LOCAL BAKERY.
THEN SLID BACK THROUGH THE TOWER DOOR,
BEFORE THE NIGHT WAS GONE.
AND SO SHE DID, DAY AFTER DAY,
A HUNDRED YEARS WENT ON.
BUT THEN ONE DAY, HER TUMMY RUMBLED LOUDER THAN A THUNDER.
SHE NO LONGER COULD SQUEEZE IT THROUGH THE DOOR TO FEED HER HUNGER.
TRAPPED INSIDE THE TOWER LULU LIVES A LIFE ALONE.
SO BRING A LITTLE CAKE, IF YOU
INTEND TO SAVE YOUR OWN.
