Nathan Sawaya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nathan Sawaya
|
|
|---|---|
Sawaya at his Art of the Brick exhibition in London in 2014
|
|
| Born | July 10, 1973 Colville, Washington, United States
|
| Occupation | Artist |
Nathan Sawaya (born July 10, 1973) is an American artist. He is famous for making amazing sculptures and huge pictures using only Lego building bricks.
Contents
The Journey of an Artist
Nathan Sawaya was born in Colville, Washington, and grew up in Veneta, Oregon. He went to New York University and studied law. For a while, he even worked as a lawyer in Hollywood.
From Law to Lego Art
But in 2004, Nathan decided to follow his true passion. He left his job as a lawyer to become a full-time artist, working only with Lego bricks! He opened his own art studio in New York City that same year. Even though he uses Lego bricks, Nathan Sawaya is not an employee of The Lego Group. However, The Lego Group officially recognizes him as a Lego Certified Professional. This means they know he is an expert Lego artist.
Famous Lego Creations
Nathan Sawaya has created many incredible artworks. Some of his well-known pieces include a 7-foot (2.1 m) tall copy of the Brooklyn Bridge. He also built a life-size model of a Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur. Another famous sculpture is a 6-foot (1.8 m) tall version of Han Solo frozen in carbonite, a scene from Star Wars. He also makes sculptures of human forms, often in bright colors like 'Yellow,' 'Red,' and 'Blue.'
The Art of the Brick Exhibition
In 2007, Nathan Sawaya had his first solo art show at the Lancaster Museum of Art. This exhibition is called "The Art of the Brick." It focuses only on using Lego bricks as a serious art form. This popular show has traveled to many museums around the world.
Global Exhibitions
"The Art of the Brick" first came to the Southern Hemisphere in June 2011. It was shown at Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia. After that, it traveled to other Australian cities like Adelaide and Sydney Town Hall.
In July 2012, Nathan's Asian tour began. His art was displayed in Taipei, Kaohsiung, and Taichung. He also had exhibitions at the famous Art Science Museum in Marina Bay Sands in Singapore from November 2012 to May 2013. From June 2013, his work was shown at Discovery Times Square in New York City. His exhibitions are very popular and attract many visitors everywhere they go.
Where to See His Art
Nathan Sawaya has two art studios where he works full-time. One is in Manhattan, New York, and the other is in Los Angeles, California. It is believed that he owns more Lego bricks than anyone else in the world, with about 1.5 million bricks in each studio!
In 2012, a group called Artnet said Nathan Sawaya was the 8th most popular artist in the world. Many people, including collectors, athletes, and celebrities, ask him to create special artworks for them.
Public Collections and Displays
Nathan Sawaya's art can be found in many important collections and public displays. Some of these places include:
- The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York
- The Time Warner Center in New York, New York
- The National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia
- The New Orleans Public Library in New Orleans, Louisiana
- MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts
His work has also been shown at many museums and venues around the world, such as:
- The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Oregon
- The Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor, New York
- The Morris Museum in Morristown, New Jersey
- The Clinton Library in Little Rock, Arkansas
- The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood in Hollywood, Florida
- The Telus World of Science Edmonton in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Nathan Sawaya in the Media
Nathan Sawaya has appeared on many TV shows and in news articles. He was on The Colbert Report, where he gave Stephen Colbert a life-sized Lego copy of himself! He has also been on The Late Show with David Letterman, the Today show, Conan, and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
He has been featured in magazines and newspapers like Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Wall Street Journal. In April 2009, he was a consultant for the TV show MythBusters. He also helped design sets and challenges as a consulting producer for the American version of Lego Masters.
