‘I want to inspire the kids.’ LEGO creations in Raleigh impress children (and adults).
The kids came to downtown Raleigh on Saturday for the LEGO designs, but they also learned something about history and science and possibly got inspired for the future.
Organizers of the LEGO BrickUniverse Convention expect thousands of families to visit the Raleigh Convention Center this weekend to look at the LEGO displays and to get hands-on making their own creations. For professional LEGO artists displaying their work, it’s an opportunity to make some money, share their artistic passion and give a little knowledge to impressionable visitors Saturday and Sunday.
The history lesson was on full display in Rocco Buttliere’s gallery of 50 landmarks that included Mount Rushmore, the Golden Gate Bridge and the World Trade Center site. The Chicago LEGO artist’s new Mount Rushmore creation is detailed down to the faces of the four U.S. presidents on the monument. It took 400 hours to design and 150 hours to build.
“It teaches something,” Buttliere said. “The educational aspect is something I like to stress with my gallery because I have this opportunity.”
Lucas Moore, 9, of Angier, made sure to get autographs from Buttliere and other LEGO builders at the convention. Lucas, who has been into LEGO creations since he was 3 years old, said he was amazed to see all the “crazy” models on display and to think about what he can do on his own.
“It’s fun to use your imagination,” Lucas said. “It takes my mind off other things. When it’s a rainy day I sometimes go into my room and just build stuff.”
Lucas also got an autograph from Jonathan Lopes, who displayed his LEGO creations of New York City landmarks. Lopes, who lives in San Diego, is about to publish a new book “New York City: Brick By Brick,” which talks about the art of LEGO construction.
Lopes’ recreation of the Flatiron Building, know for its triangular shape, caught the eye of Lamont Wade of Cary. Wade told his 10-year-old grandson Thibault Le Chatelier of Raleigh that he had visited — and entered — the actual landmark.
“This just blows my mind,” Wade said. “It’s mind-boggling. We’re having a really good time.”
One of Lopes’ goals is to share how he turned what had been a hobby with LEGO bricks into a career.
“I want to inspire the kids because I want them to realize and understand that this is a viable creative medium, and it is a viable career being an artist who uses LEGO bricks,” Lopes said. “I don’t think people think of it as being a viable career.”
LEGO builder Lia Chan, who’s from Dallas, wants children to think of science careers when they see her space-based creations of space shuttles, the International Space Station and the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex. Chan became NASA crazy as a child.
“I want to inspire the future generation to get into space exploration, engineering, science and math,” Chan said. “That’s my main goal.”
Evelyn Clifford, 8, of Greensboro, is keeping her future career plans open. She was impressed Saturday seeing LEGO recreations of famous artwork such as the painting of “Starry Night” and the World War 2 poster of Rosie the Riveter.
“I love LEGOs,” Evelyn said. “You can build and create stuff that is really cool.”
If You Go
The LEGO BrickUniverse Convention continues Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Raleigh Convention Center, 500 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh. Tickets are $15, but children ages 2 and younger can enter for free. Go to https://www.brickuniverse.com/raleigh for more information.
