Hungry Horse gift shop gives trolls a happy face
Happy Trolls Gift Shop in Hungry Horse gives the old troll a facelift. The log cabin gift shop is the place to find prints of trolls frolicking in scenic mountains. Trolls are usually considered scary and don't frolic, but these trolls are happy creatures created by noted artist Arvid Kristoffersen. The shop opened earlier this month.
Kristoffersen was born in Norway and has lived and produced art in the U.S. since he was 23. He carved and painted furniture for actors Raymond Burr and Bing Crosby, among others. He also painted and decorated buildings such as the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse in Helena and the Conrad Mansion in Kalispell. In 2009, he was voted second out of the 10 best fairytale artists in Norway.
His trolls are both cute and ugly. They are also quite active and are hiking, rafting or sleeping with their skis in the drawings. Whatever they are doing, it is sure to bring a laugh.
"That's what is fun. Life is too serious and it's fun to have things like this," shop owner Darlene Wagner said.
She opened the shop to exclusively sell Kristoffersen's work. Wagner has known him for more than 30 years. She was with her mom and his wife, Roslyn, when they met. They later married in 1983.
"He is the best thing that ever happened to my mom," Wagner said.
Wagner and Kristoffersen have traveled together to Norway and North Dakota for his artwork. In Fargo, North Dakota, at the Sons of Norway Kringen Lodge, he is like a celebrity, she said. He completed a 90-foot mural, rosemaling panels and 22 carved trolls for the Lodge. Rosemaling is Norwegian for decorative painting
A 2012 Public Broadcasting Service documentary about his work brought calls from people wanting to buy his drawings. Wagner decided to make prints from his originals and invested $15,000 into giclee prints of his work using high quality ink and paper.
Some of his drawings she composed with rosemaling borders by Kristoffersen, ready for framing.
Last week Kristoffersen turned 86.
"He is just so amazing, I wanted to do it for him," she said.
The daily shop hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The space in front of the shop is also the location of a budding farmers market. Wagner started the market because she saw a need in Hungry Horse. The markets in nearby towns have waiting lists or are limited to a specific day. She is keeping the grass and gravel lot open to the public every day. Vendors choose when they want to set up, whether that is every day or just three days a week.
She hopes to capture the interest of tourists driving U.S. Highway 2. She'd like to see it become an artist community. People interested in becoming a vendor at the market can call her at (406) 387-4000.