My foray into the world of LEGO was covered by the NYTimes today. It’s all very dizzying and makes me feel a bunch of different feelings about a bunch of different things.
One of the weirdest aspects is that I’m barely getting started in this medium. There are so many talented folks working with LEGO out there, why interview me? I don’t come from the AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) community but I’m starting to learn who they are and what they do and it’s lightyears ahead of my work. So, I feel a bit awkward being profiled when these guys are putting out stunning pieces only possible with years of dedication and craft. I am, comparatively, a rube.
I know some people find the taxidermy kits compelling out of a detached irony. I’ve had people ask me about them from this perspective. For myself, I was working more out of an interest in animal forms, and how they render in this geometric style. It’s not new territory for me, and I certainly admit influence from Charley Harper and Always With Honor. LEGO has a tradition of enthusiasm, and modeling kits on real subjects comes out of a genuine love for those subjects. I aspire to convey a similar enthusiasm in my work, and it stings a bit when people read it as the LEGO equivalent of putting a bird on it.
I’m not here to complain, or humblebrag, just trying to process all of this transparently. Really: this has been an overwhelmingly positive experience. It started because I wanted to experiment in selling a physical object (interactive designers tend to be jealous of print folk, in this respect). What I didn’t expect was how connected I would feel to the people who purchase kits from me. I love getting their letters — the majority of the Christmas shipments were going out to the Midwest and the South, often to women purchasing them for their hunter husbands and sons. I don’t know how sustainable it will be for me to have an apartment filled with plastic toys and packing materials, but it may be my full time gig for the next few weeks.
Onto happier things: to coincide with this piece, I’ve brought back the deer for sale and added two new kits to the shop: a bear mount, and a standing fox. I’m not sure where things are headed from here, but it’s been pretty wild.
✳ lego
I am excited to officially launch my shop with the release of the deer LEGO kit. I’ve tried building it with real pieces now, and I need to make a couple structural changes, but it will look the same. Also, I’m hand drawing the graphics for the instruction manual, which should be fun and painstaking.
I wanted to get these up in time for Christmas, but because I have to order these pieces on an individual basis from resellers, I need orders to come in before December 5th to get them out in time.
This was super fun to do, I hope people like it! Tell your kids, tell your wife.
Purchase it here!
Add it to your Svpply here!
✳ lego
Dear David,
Thank you for using our special Pick A Brick service. It is nice to see there’s a LEGO enthusiast within you, you clearly have a good idea of what you want and you know how to get it. We hope your package meets, and even exceeds, all the expectations you had when you placed your order.
Our biggest wish is to provide you, and all of our customers, with the best experience possible, therefore we are eager to receive any suggestions or concerns you may have. Please send your feedback to http://service.lego.com/
We hope you have enjoyed the Pick A Brick experience so far, and wish you many hours of good, creative fun.
Best wishes from all of us in the LEGO team.
✳ lego
