Okay, some of us are a *little* more ‘winners’ than others…
Image provided by Channel Nine Australia
If you have NOT watched the Grand Finale of LEGO Masters Australia (which aired Tuesday, 14 May 2019) AND you do NOT want it spoiled for you–turn away. Click on something less ‘spoiler-ish’. Go check out Going For Galapagos or Destination Denmark because I know those two slackers haven’t even watched the episode yet. No risk of spoilers there!!
BUT…
If you have actively chosen to continue reading past this line of text, then “there be dragons of the spoilery kind” and I am no longer responsible for what you may or may not interpret from this point on.
Kind of normal for the Evil Genius Mum blog, really.
….
Okay.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FIRST LEGO MASTERS OF AUSTRALIA!!
I always knew you had it in you.
You know, I discovered Henry. With one hand tied behind my back. No, seriously.
The first time I met Henry was at the Sydney Brickshow 2016. That was the year I broke my wrist and unfortunately had to wrangle the three spawnlings around the Brickshow without EG Dad. He was sorely missed; for both his ability to use TWO hands and his jovial enthusiasm for all things LEGO. Now he won’t miss an episode of LEGO Masters Australia.
2016 was also the year Henry Pinto was awarded Best Newcomer–so I suppose Sydney Brickshow could also claim to his discovery. And what do we say to that?
“Not today.”
In all honesty, Henry is one of the most creative LEGO builders and also the most supportive that I have ever met. We have caught up a few times over the years at various events, and Henry always stands out in the way he will chat with everyone. He talks through his builds and shares little details because he wants to share his love for LEGO.
EG Mum: How anxious/excited/insane are you feeling in the lead up to the show?
Henry: I was quite nervous leading up to the show being aired as you don’t know how the general public will receive your builds. This was very quickly enveloped with an abundance of excitement! At the end of the day, this is the first Australian TV show based on LEGO.
Lucky for Henry, he was partnered with an equally impressive LEGO builder, Cade. Not only are they both LEGO builders and geeky dads, but Cade appears to have a similar sense of humour to Henry. And in my opinion, that makes all the difference. Having someone to laugh with is just as important as having someone to create with.
Watching LEGO Masters Australia with the spawnlings has shown them how great teamwork can be. Listening to Cade and Henry talk about “their” build, how “we did this”, and complimenting each other on their contributions. Sure, it is bordering on “I love you, man! – No, I love YOU, man!” and I think that’s an amazingly positive thing to share on national television.
That, and watching our spawnlings run off to the LEGO table, inspired by the imagination of the contestants and motivated by the skills shown.
EG Mum: Did you learn any new skills from the show? And now that you can bring these mad skills home, what is it like building with the kids again?
Henry: Going on the show, I realised how limited my skills were. I make extremely complex machines, yet I had never really explored the grassroots “system” style of brick-building. Since the show, I have become obsessed with all things system and am currently working on my first landscape style MOC which will have my own twist on it. I’ve shown it to a couple of my LEGO mates, and they were really surprised at what I was doing, so I think I’m on the right track. The kids have probably benefited most from my new found obsession with “system” bricks as there are a lot more “kid-friendly” inventory in Dad’s workshop!
EG Mum: How different is your approach to LEGO for your designs to how you portray it on the show AND then again for how you play with the kids?
I would say that the way I build on the show is exactly how I build at home. I don’t pre-plan anything; I basically have an idea in my head and then just go for it. The way I play with the kids, however, is very different. I basically let them have free reign over my LEGO whenever they want. I really want them to explore what they want and figure out their own ways to use LEGO. They don’t really play with too many sets either, as they have access to my LEGO “workshop” whenever they want.
{Put your hand up if you want Henry to adopt you so you can have access to his LEGO workshop…}
EG Mum: Henry, how much do you incorporate LEGO into your everyday life?
Henry: To be honest, I only use LEGO as a relaxation tool from my work life. The only other useful time I have made is a holder for my phone. I basically made a phone stand/holder out of LEGO Technic so I could watch videos on it without it falling!!
I am pretty sure LEGO and Australia’s Channel Nine can consider LEGO Masters Australia to be a hit. The show has been talked about on a variety of forums, and not just LEGO. From discussions about free play for kids (thanks to Matt and Lyn) to charity work with Maddy and Jimmy, and of course, the mathematical and engineering genius shared by David and G. LEGO Masters Australia has shown how universal t LEGO can be.
Personally, I welcome our new LEGO overlords and await the second coming of LEGO Masters Australia.
Talk about a pack of scruffy looking nerf herders
For those who want to learn more about the skills used in the creations, check out the Official LEGO Masters Australia Facebook page. Ryan “Brickman” McNaught has shared a few mini videos with tip and hints on how to bring out your own creative mastery.
To learn more about the show, LEGO Masters Australia, check out my article on the GeekMom site: LEGO Masters Australia: Reality TV for Geek Families
You can also read this other fantastic article on Roarbots: LEGO Masters Australia: Interview with Ryan “Brickman” McNaught
Categories: Taking Over the World
Evil Genius Mum
Evil Genius Mum
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