Lego Art: Bricks are Beautiful

I've been a Lego junkie ever since my sister got the Lego Coast Guard Station back in the early 1970s (and I stole it from her). As an adolescent, my father had to buy a 6-foot piece of plywood so I could fit my Lego Town on it on the floor of our family room. Just this year, I fulfilled a childhood dream and purchased Brickbeard's Bounty to show off on my entertainment center. So when a friend of mine asked if I would like to head to Manhattan to see an exhibit of Nathan Sawaya's Lego art, I jumped at the chance!

Meet Nathan Sawaya

I own several books about Legos, those colorful, interlocking plastic bricks that generations of children have enjoyed as construction toys. Included in one of my books is a mention of Nathan Sawaya. Although I usually kept reading, I'd glance at Sawaya's Lego artwork with awe. After seeing his work in person, I understand why. Two-dimensional images don't even come close to doing these sculptures justice.

I recommend visiting Sawaya's website not only to view his incredible works of art, but also to see if "The Art Of The Brick" is coming to a city near you. Sawaya's sculptures of the human body truly have to be seen in person to be believed – and to appreciate the amount of work and attention to detail that Sawaya dedicates to each piece.

Walkabout

Personally, I had to walk around Sawaya's sculpture multiple times to fully appreciate their depth - and to convince my amazed mind that someone had the time and ability to do this. Not only does Sawaya get the musculature of the figures just right, but he manages to capture emotion on these Lego faces. Sawaya's sculptures aren't tiny either. They range in size from 13 inches to 6 feet high.

So if you want to see an art exhibit that features one of your favorite childhood toys AND incredible feats of design and engineering, then make a pilgrimage to the museum nearest you to see Sawaya's show!

Coming soon – my next blog on another incredible Lego artist – Sean Kenney!

Resources:

http://www.brickartist.com/