Professional Lego builder Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught considers himself “so lucky”.
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I have a bad day, which means that some Lego bricks didn’t go together, which really, at the end of the day, isn’t a bad day at all.
- Ryan McNaught
His job is to pretty much play with Lego all day.
“I have a bad day, which means that some Lego bricks didn’t go together, which really, at the end of the day, isn’t a bad day at all so I can’t complain in any way, shape or form,” McNaught said.
The Melburnian does not build Lego – he creates internationally acclaimed master pieces from the small bricks.
A selection of his greatest works are headed our way with the Brickman Experience on show at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre from April 9 to 30.
It is an interactive exhibition made entirely from Lego bricks and is the largest touring exhibition of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
The exhibition is made up from more than five million Lego bricks and includes a quarter scale Lego Ferrari and the world’s largest Lego flower.
It offers members of the community “a very hands-on experience” as well as many opportunities for visitors to make their own creations from Lego.
McNaught worked in IT for a media company but threw in his job in 2010 to pursue a career in Lego creation.
“I was basically doing eight hours of a normal job then eight hours of Lego then trying to sleep, kids and all of those kind of things, so I finally had the opportunity to quit and play with Lego,” he said.
McNaught has twin nine-year-old sons and said he is quite popular at show and tell and school pick-ups.
“All of the kids want to come to me to talk about Lego; that’s the fun bit.,” he said.
And it is the reactions kids and big kids have to his Lego creations at the Brickman Experience that is pretty good too.
“The real pay off and the real moment is watching people’s reactions,” McNaught said.
“A little kid comes along and sees this giant X-wing from Star Wars and his little head explodes, that’s kind of the pay off moment for us.”
McNaught’s said the Lego Colosseum was his favourite creation but “it was a tough call”.
The exhibition will run daily through the school holidays but booking through ticketek.com.au is advisable.
Tickets are already on sale.