Trolls often get a bad rap in American culture. They are actually wonderful friendly thoughtful a bit somber and wise in the ways of the inner earth. They don’t brook well with fools and rednecks who feel humans are the greatest thing going in this universe. Hence their reputation among some as grouchy and territorial.

In Touch with the Feminine

It’s been my joy to have met a number of communicative trolls who have taught me a bit about their world and let me peak in. Shown above is one of my favorites. She lives at Morton Arboretum, by the side of an auto road through the nature preserve. The two of us enjoy greeting each other and occasionally having a longer talk. It is she who explained to me how trolls use their large noses as sonic devices to travel through solid earth. To the right is a mystic portrait study of my friend.

Boulder Troll

To the left is a gentle, large-eyed lady troll I met in a town park in Boulder, Colorado. Notice her similarity to the Morton Troll – luxuriously hairy body and large nose. She has wonderful large feet and soulful eyes. Her “wisdom flame” rising in her third eye area is angled to her right, indicating her interest in communicating with the grounded energies of the right side of our bodies (in her case, the human world).

Troll of Sieur du Monts Garden

To the right is a male troll. Much like the lions, this male has a large luxurious head of hair spread full around his face. He is a happy fellow who would show well in one of the Disney Pixar films about trolls! This troll lives at the edge of a stream in Sieur de Monts Nature Center, Acadia National Park, Maine. His fern hair is in all its autumn color glory.

Unlike the two woman trolls, who are more somber and are wisdom keepers for their community, this fellow is a happy-go-lucky pudgy fellow. His energy reminds me of Sam in the Lord of the Rings trilogy – a happy community guy who enjoys the local pub.