Man Quits Job to Make Lego Art

Hate your job? Wish you could just play with Legos all day? Meet Nathan Sawaya. His daily workspace went from florescent lights and dull paperwork to an explosion of color. Sawaya abandoned a career as an attorney in 2004 to take on Lego sculpting full time.

Just imagine that conversation for a second: “Hi mom. I quit my job as a lawyer, sorry for all that wasted money, but I’m gonna play with Legos….”

So what does Sawaya’s workspace look like now he’s a professional Lego artist? Basically Sawaya lives and works in a Lego playland. Clear plastic crates stuffed with Lego bricks in every hue are stacked high against the walls. There’s a computer on the floor, but it’s not functional. It’s made entirely of Lego and so is the cash register, monkey, bowl of fruit, and vase of flowers.

His medium may be a beloved kid’s toy, but some of his signature Lego pieces are incredibly grown-up. My personal favorite is Sawaya’s recreation of Han Solo frozen in carbonite.

Want a closer look at closer look at Sawaya’s Lego art? Sawaya’s national touring exhibit, “The Art of the Brick,” is making the rounds. Its next stop is the Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, Illinois, on June 15; it will stay there until September 3. You can get more info at nathanbrickartist.com.