Earlier this month, May 13 and 14th, 5 members of the VLC attended Bricks Cascade in Portland. In the weekend there we delivered countless Battle Bricks fights, Great Ball Contraptions, and other fantastic MOCs.
Awards categories/winners:
This long weekend, May 19 – 22nd, 2023 the VLC will be at the Cloverdale Rodeo. Come check out the fair and don’t forget to come see the VLC who will be having a HUGE town and train setup.
The Bricktacular West Coast Modern Show: Paul Hetherington
May 5 to July 31, 2023
Main Hall, West Vancouver Memorial Library
Opening Reception: Friday, May 5, 2023 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
About the Exhibition
The models featured in this exhibition are made from a material that many of us will recognize. Building blocks that usually come in sets with complex instructions that culminate in all sorts of architectural wonders, imagined or real. Less familiar here will be the houses on which these particular models are based.
The artist, Paul Hetherington, has visited each of the buildings depicted in this exhibition, and using the standard building blocks available, recreated them, incorporating their surrounding landscapes, furniture, and even, art. Instead of step-by-step instructions, he has consulted original architectural plans and historical photographs in order to better incorporate all of their unique features. All but one of the original buildings are in West Vancouver and they each represent an important part of the history of design in the local community. With its steep terrain and ocean-fronted cliffs setting unusual challenges, architects have built extraordinary homes here. These homes are considered to have been created as a part of the design movement commonly called “West Coast Modern”. They were designed between 1941 and 1981, and despite their unusual qualities, also share common features, such as a desire to bring the outdoors in, to challenge the materials used in construction, and to situate the building appropriately on each site.
The West Vancouver Art Museum, who are co-presenting this exhibition with the West Vancouver Memorial Library, where it will be shown, has long been a champion of West Coast Modern design through its exhibitions, publications and public programs. While the medium utilised here may be playful, the primary objective of this project is a serious one. The West Coast Modern history of residential design encapsulated in West Vancouver is an important community legacy that should be celebrated and, where possible, preserved.
About the Artist
Paul Hetherington is an award-winning artist, whose creations are known around the world. He has a recognizable style that uses visual cues, artful building techniques, and a masterful use of color to tell stories in his creations. His creations have been featured in multiple books, magazines, news stories, and online blogs. In 2019, Hetherington was invited to display his work in the LEGO House Masterpiece Gallery in Billund. His creation “We Built This City” was on display there from 2019 until 2021. He grew up in West Vancouver and lives currently in North Vancouver.
A publication will be available with contributions by Paul Hetherington, Douglas Coupland, and Nathan Sawaya.
April 22nd and 23rd saw the much anticipated return of Brickcan, after its 3 year hiatus hundreds of builders and thousands of public attendees. This even drew builders from all over North America and saw hundreds of creations on display.
VLC Award Winners
Various VLC members won game competitions with one even winning a theme award!
-Best Microscale Building: Joel
-Green Speed Build: Joel
-Soccer Tournament: Joel
-Master Build: Dave D
-Team Speed Build: Andrew D, Dave D, Daveed, Derek, Keith, Kyler
-Elite Speed Build: Derek
-Parts Pursuit: Derek
VLCs Choice
This year VLC sponsored an award for a truly spectacular build that wowed our members. This year Wizards Tower by Nicholas Johnson was chosen due to the fantastic use of colours in an extremely detailed build.
Interested in more?
Did you visit Brickcan for the first time and are interested in joining a local LEGO fan community? Click here to learn more about joining the VLC.
Don’t forget to visit the VLC during the Cloverdale Rodeo May 19th to 22nd.
Interview by ET
ET: How did you come up with the idea for building this Rabbit Great Ball Contraption (GBC)?
Snowy: It started with a PAB cup of carrots from the PAB wall, and me looking to build my first GBC, a conveyor belt style module. I was experimenting with peg styles on the conveyor belt, and stumbled upon the carrots as pegs. I ended up rebuilding the module at least five times since I first built it in 2019, before the design settled on the current one. It’s now one of my most stable and reliable GBC modules.
ET: Has this build won any awards?
Snowy: I’ve been very lucky to have won a number of awards with this GBC. these are:
ET: Is there anything you would do to change or alter this GBC?
Snowy: At this point, no, it’s working well. Though I’m always ready for it to surprise me with a new failure mode.
If you want to see this Great Ball Contraption in action visit Brickcan or follow Snowy on Instagram or Youtube.
In March Paul Hetherington was interviewed on Elvis Radio on Sirius XM to talk about his LEGO Elvis 68 Comeback Special Tribute. The studio is onsite at Graceland in Memphis. Paul talked to the hosts about how he created the Elvis moc as well as his journey as a LEGO artist. His moc was featured on the official Graceland Instagram post which you can see here.
If you want to see more of Pau’s work you can view his portfolio here.
Now that we’re a few months into the year a lot of plans are starting to come together regarding where you’ll be able to see VLC exhibits!
Firstly, April 21st and 22nd many members from the VLC will be exhibiting at Brickcan, this sold out show brings together builders from all over the world.
After Brickcan, you can come see the VLC at the Cloverdale Rodeo, May 19th to 22nd with some fantastic builds.
Near the end of the year we have the largest install of the year with the Surrey Museum October 17th till March 31st. Enjoy classic themes of the past with the VLC. Explore the history of VLC exhibits at the Museum of Surrey, and join the VLC in a tribute to some of the classic LEGO themes of your childhood.
The VLC will be returning to Squamish, March 18-19, for the Sea to Sky Model Train and Hobby Show. This show brings together different train clubs from the region to showcase some amazing layouts.
Come check out our town and train display and see some of the fantastic work that our members create and get your tickets here.
Over the Family Day weekend the VLC returned to Fan Expo 2023 where we saw a weekend full of Battle Bricks and amazing displays. Multiple different fighters entered the ring with only a few surviving!
The VLC also contributed builds from many amazing sagas such as Star Wars, Halo, Encanto, Back to the Future, and many more for attendees to admire. We even had finalists from LEGO Masters Season 3, Dave and Emily, in attendance to meet fans
Also featured was Brickcan, where the VLC will be attending in April, with some Brickcan themed builds to give a taste of what is to come there.
Next weekend the VLC will be returning to Fan Expo Vancouver February 18th to 20th at the Vancouver Convention Center. Stop by our booth to see some great ball contraptions, Battlebricks, and incredible builds!
