From Lawyer to LEGO Artist

Not many people get to play with toys for a living. But for New York City artist Nathan Sawaya, building sculptures out of LEGO blocks is all in a day's work.

Once a corporate lawyer, Sawaya is now known as the Brick Artist and creates elaborate 3-D sculptures and oversized portraits. His creations -- including a life-sized Conan O'Brien and a depiction of Alfred Hitchcock -- are made entirely out of LEGO blocks. His work is often featured in museums, and he says some of his sculptures sell for $10,000 to $20,000.

"Having that vision of the new piece is what drives me to create," says Sawaya, who left his law career to become a full-time artist in 2004.

In an interview with SecondAct, Sawaya talks about his passion for LEGOs, his artistic process, and what motivates him to keep creating.

"Aha" moment: When his art website crashed one day from too many hits, he realized "it was time to leave the law firm and go play with bricks full time."

Why LEGO? "I had sculpted out of more traditional media like clay and wire, but then one day I challenged myself to see what I could create using this toy from my childhood. The LEGO sculptures got a strong reaction from friends and family, so I continued to create more and more."

Artistic process: "It all starts with an idea. I have to have a picture in my mind of what I want to create. Then I sketch it out. Maybe just a doodle to get things started. The design phase can take a while. Sometimes I will create a virtual model to get the look right. Eventually I get to the bricks. I glue each brick in place as I go, which means I have to chisel them apart if I make a mistake."

Biggest challenge: Finding acceptance as a legitimate artist who creates fine art out of a child's toy. "The art world seemed skeptical at first."

Museum mishap: The large scale of Sawaya's creations prompted a child to tackle one of his sculptures featured in a museum exhibit. He received a call from the museum and a crate containing 17 pieces of the sculpture.

On changing careers: "The worst day as an artist is still better than the best day as a lawyer."

What's next: "I have not thought that far ahead. Five years ago, I didn't expect that I would still be doing this now. I still think that the next project might be the last one. I just need to keep finding projects that interest me, and I will keep going."

Words of advice: "Don't be afraid. Don't let fear be the reason you are not doing something. I have learned to live for the now."

Favorite piece: "The next one. I love the excitement of a new challenge."

Website: www.brickartist.com