Navitrolla is the artist name of Heiki Trolla, an Estonian painter born in 1970. While he didn't graduate from art school, he found success in 1993 with an exhibition of his work. Nowadays, Navitrolla's paintings and graphics can be found in private collections worldwide and he has galleries in Tartu and Tallinn. His surrealistic works often feature fantasy animals and landscapes, and have been used on various everyday items. Despite his fame, Navitrolla still appreciates nature and country life.

1. Estonian painter and graphic artist
NAVITROLLA
Audentes School
Year 5 A

2. About Navitrolla
• The real name of the artist is Heiki Trolla. His artist name
comes from a small South-Estonian village where he was born
in 1970.
• He always loved drawing but unfortunately wasn’t accepted
into Tartu Art School. He studied art with his mentor Viive
Kuks.
• He studied geology at Tartu University but didn’t graduate. He
founded an art society “Lüliti” (“Switch”) with his fellow
students. They gave exhibitions and showed their creations
but were not very popular in the beginning
• He has used very different technics and themes in his
developing years.

3. Navitrolla painting

4. • He became famous in 1993 with his exhibition in Tartu
„Sebra“ gallery.
• Nowadays, Navitrolla’s name can be found on thousands of
pieces of art (graphic and paintings). He has had several
exhibitions in Estonia and Europe (Helsinki, London, Lisbon)
and his work is scattered in private collections all over the
world.
• Navitrolla lives in Tartu and he has a gallery in Tallinn (capital
of Estonia). His work is also sold in the webstore.
• Despite the attention and fame, he still appreciates the
nature, reading books and country life.
• Navitrolla is an artist who enjoys what he is doing and how he
is doing it. He says, “Art is not creative or destructive – art
must be connecting.“

5. Navitrolla’s gallery in Tallinn

6. NAVITROLLA’s work
• He has practised painting, graphic art and active art.
• His work has been classified as naivism or surrealism. As
everything nowadays, his work is mixture of the past, the
present and globalization.
• Navitrolla often paints different (fantasy) animals.
• He has said, that his main purpose is to tell the viewers that
by painting he has added another happy person to the world
– himself.
• Navitrolla’s paintings and other work often have peculiar
titles.

7. Paintings
Vau! ma oskan kõrvade peal
kõndida!
Wow! I Can Walk on Ears!
Kuidas jõuda tippu
How to Make it to
the Top

8. Pane triibud maha! Kohe!
Put Your Stripes Down! Now!
2011
Nii et teie arvates olen ma imelik?
So You Think I'm Weird?
2011

9. MUSHROOMS
Navitrolla sees
mushrooms everywhere
– on the land, in the air,
in the water, inside us
and others.
He has always loved
picking and eating
mushrooms, because
„they are beautiful and
delicious“.

10. LANDSCAPES
Navitrolla uses
different landscapes
like fields, meadows,
mountain ranges.

11. Graphic art and animalsGileadi õunad
Gilead's Apples
2010
Mina olengi päike
It's Me, Sunshine
2004

12. Õnnelik ahv
Happy Monkey
2010
Vares, võta mu valu
Take My Pain, Crow
2010

13. Lontkõrv ja kikk-kõrv
Lop-ear and Prick-ear
1997
Peegelduse II õppetund
The Second Lesson of Reflection
2008

14. Sebra ei taha kakelda
Zebra Doesn’t Want to Fight
2003
Eksitav seeneline
Misguiding Mushroomer
2008

15. Milline täpsus
Million Point Hit
Sassis
Confused

16. Navitrolla on buildings
A little town called Võru in Southern Estonia has an offer for people
living in apartment buildings. If they decide to renovate their
building they can get a huge Navitrolla painting on it.

17. Navitrolla on everyday items
• Navitrolla’s pictures have been used on postcards, magnets,
calendars, stickers, earrings, mugs, playing cards, notebooks,
wallpaper, posters, nametags etc.

18. Navitrolla T-shirts
• T-shirts with Navitrolla’s work are sold in galleries and shops.
• Navitrolla admits to wearing them himself. “When you put on
a T-shirt with the right picture in the morning, it makes your
whole day,“ he laughs.
• “It is not working for me“, he says about making the T-shirt
pictures. “On the contrary, it helps me rest from the
painting.“

19. Navitrolla has also designed a cruise-ferry called
„Galaxy“ (operated by Tallink).