My Rendezvous With “The Art Of The Brick.”
…….What I Discovered
It all started with a trek to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. An exhibition called “The Art Of The Brick” featuring noted LEGO® artist Nathan Sawaya was on display.
My body felt an immediate euphoric rush when entering the museum hall. I was immediately awestruck by the effervescent array of bright colors emanating throughout the viewing area. Witnessing Sawaya’s oeuvre of LEGO® creativity on full display was scintillating. The sheer size of his constellation of creativity kept me entranced for the better part of 2-hours.
Located at the exhibition exit was Sawaya’s book “The Art of the Brick: A Life in Lego” prominently on display. One quick glance at it convinced me that it would be a worthwhile read.
What I didn’t anticipate was the book suctioning up my full attention for the next 48-hours. In short, it’s an amazing book that captures the deeper story and essence of Sawaya’s life and LEGO® obsession.
In brief, here are five things I rediscovered about myself from reading it:
Savoring One’s Bliss: I totally resonated with Sawaya’s story about ditching his 9-5 career in favor of becoming an artist of toy bricks. It reminded me of my own launch of “Great Books, Great Minds” in January of 2020, right on the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic. The journey has been equally exhilarating and daunting. Like Sawaya, there’s nothing that I’d rather be doing than following my passion.
Traditional Hardback Paperback Books Over Digital One’s: I now have over 1,000 books in my digital book connection. Most of them I purchased for $3.99 or less. Many are free. But Sawaya’s book “Art Of The Brick” reminded me of love for physical books — the feel, the smell, and in the case of his book the gorgeous illustrations.
Reading A Book In One Sitting: As a kid, I used to devour encyclopedic sized history books in a week or less. Was reminded of this feeling with Sawaya’s book. I read it in less than 24-hours, losing all sense of self and time in the process.
My Squelched Artistic Expression: As a kid in addition to my reading prowess, I loved to do sketches. Re-creations of Michelangelo and Da Vinci were my favorites. Figuring that my creative talents might blossom, my parents sent me to art classes in Columbus, Ohio. Sadly, rather than fueling my artistic expressions, the tightly structured approach taught in the class hindered it. The good news is that “Great Books, Great Minds” writing exploits have allowed me to embrace a new form of creative expression. Sawaya’s book offers a poignant example of what it’s like to be creatively free.
My Fear of Going It Alone: While I ache for deep, soulful community and connection, I find it increasingly difficult to capture the older I get. I have had folks I’ve considered to be friends become critical of my uncommon, rebellious ways. And at times, I’ve acquiesced to their well-meaning but bad advice which was always disastrous.
Now for the first time in my life, I have decided to just be fully me — embracing my love of books. Sawaya talked about this in his book — how he had to end untold numbers of friendships with those who just couldn’t acknowledge his artistic interests and direction. I certainly understand this feeling. At the same time, I harbor fears of having to pursue this profoundly meaningful walk through life alone.
I’ll now leave you with this quote from Nathan Sawaya’s book:
“Yellow is not about death at all, but about opening yourself up to the world without fear of research. It’s about dropping the mask and the hundreds of little compromises you make every day to show the world the true you, and letting life come at you as it may.”
Until next time, stay thirsty for a good book,
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Welcome to "Great Books, Great Minds," where my passion for books takes center stage. This endeavor is more than a project; it's a labor of love that's driven by countless hours of research and writing. It's my way of contributing to a world filled with community, connection, and meaningful conversations, all nurtured by the power of literature.
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