Rita The Rock Planter

04/12/2026

🌲 A GIANT is coming to Clinton… and you can meet him first.

Join us April 30 at NelsonCorp Field as world-renowned artist Thomas Dambo shares the story behind his legendary giant troll sculptures—coming soon to Clinton!

✨ Hear how he transforms recycled materials into massive works of art
🌎 Discover why his installations attract visitors from around the world
📍 Be part of Iowa’s FIRST Dambo troll project

🗓 April 30 | Doors 5PM | Talk 6PM
🎟 Just $5---https://lumberkings.com/trolls
This is more than an event—it’s the start of something BIG for Clinton.

The Clinton LumberKings are proud to announce a special evening with internationally acclaimed recycling artist Thomas Dambo on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at NelsonCorp Field.

04/12/2026

Meet Thomas Dambo, the artist behind the trolls.

Dambo and his team have built more than 175 larger-than-life trolls from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, from forests to deserts. What began as a street art project has grown into a global movement with thousands of followers.

At the heart of these trolls is Dambo's mission: waste no more.

In a world overwhelmed by excess, waste, and single-use plastic, Dambo transforms discarded materials into extraordinary works of art—reminding us that what we throw away still holds beauty, value, and possibility.

At the Museum of Danish America, we are honored to be working with Dambo and his team as they continue to share their story of sustainability.

Have you ever met Thomas Dambo?

Image: Thomas Dambo

04/12/2026

Spring is finally blooming around the trolls 🌸



📸
📸.studio1806
📸 .bevis

04/12/2026

IT’S HAPPENING! 🤠

Many of you asked for it, so I’ve been testing different recycled materials to create miniature troll, and it’s starting to move in the right direction.

When they’re ready, they will be made in a limited edition, so there won’t be many of them.

If you’d like a chance to get one, subscribe to my newsletter where I’ll share the news when they become available 🤠 Link in the comments below! ⬇️

04/12/2026

Hello Clinton folks! 🤠

Excited to announce my Art Talk in Clinton! Here’s the info:

🗓 Date: April 30, 2026
⌚ Time: 6:00–7:30 PM (doors open at 5:00 PM)
📍 Location: Nelson Corp Field(537 Ball Park Dr, Clinton, IA 52732)

💵 Ticket price: $5

👇 You can find the ticket link in the first comment below 👇


The Sawmill Museum Bickelhaupt Arboretum

04/04/2026

We are super excited Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center will be bringing The Colorado Challenge Series to Victor with the NEW iconic Rita Run on July 11th! This unforgettable 10K winds through our historic mining town at nearly 10,000 feet—bringing breathtaking views, big energy, and a true test of endurance.
Even better? Every step supports veterans and their families, turning your run into real impact!!!
Sign up + learn more: https://www.coloradochallengeseries.com/
Come experience Victor, take on the challenge, and be part of something bigger!

The Rita Race is one of the most unique 10Ks in the United States, located in beautiful Victor, Colorado. It climbs through some of the highest‑elevation terrain of any 10K in the country, carrying runners into the crisp mountain air of the historic Gold Belt region. The course winds through rugged hills, open sky, and remnants of Colorado’s mining past, giving every mile a sense of story and place. Along the route, runners pass Rita the Rock Pusher, one of the famed Thomas Dambo trolls, a towering wooden sculpture that has become a beloved landmark of the region.

Set in Victor, one of Colorado’s oldest mining towns, the race blends natural beauty with living history. Weathered trails, sweeping views, and century‑old streets create a backdrop that feels both gritty and whimsical, perfect for a race that celebrates endurance, community, and the spirit of the high country.

12/26/2025

A YEAR IN TROLLS! 🧌❤️ Thomas Dambo
🍰Lulu Hyggelig lives in a tower in Solvang at the California Nature Art Museum, where she is busy eating far too many pastries.
📖TROLLS: A Field Study, my travelling 12-sculpture exhibition, opened for the first time in London and kept travelling throughout the year.
🌀Mama Zelda was finished in Huntsville, Alabama, and is now surrounded by her giant stick-maze hair.
🔎Vissenper and Bitten Røverdatter live in Vissenbjerg, Denmark, two mischievous forest thieves stealing poison to save the woods.
🌻Mama Rosa is smelling beautiful flowers in Firefly Grove Park in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
⚡️Iver Mudslider, Young Boulder, and Mrs Skippers were born across Rhode Island as part of The Thunderstone, a long-term project.
🪨Ebbe Skytte lives in Knivholt, Denmark, returning lost stone to the sea one shot at a time.
🌳Olga Olélé is hugging her tree in Hungary.
✨Rose Wonders was born in the desert at Burning Man and now lives permanently at Filoli Gardens in California.
❤️The Grandmother Tree became the project with the most trolls in 2025. Across North Carolina, Daddy Birdeye, Mother Strongtail, Dix, Dax, and Dux settled in Raleigh, Big Pete’s Big Feet found its place in Charlotte, and Little Sally in High Point. For the first time ever, 19 trolls shared the same state at once, setting a quiet record as TROLLS: A Field Study made its final stop of the year in Asheville.
Thank you to everyone involved in making this happen, and thank you, troll hunters, for all the support. Happy holidays!

📸Lulu photo by Matt Wier
📸Mama Rosa photo by CJ Foeckler
📸Olga photo by Daniel Buday
📸Big Pete’s Big Feet photo by

04/20/2025

Happy Easter. He is Risen. To God Be the Glory.