After her kids moved away from Lego, Gabrielle Debruijn found a community of play in Hamilton’s own Lego Enthusiast Group.
Lego has always been in Gabrielle Debruijn’s life. After growing up with her brother’s Lego, she wanted both her children to share the experience she so fondly remembers. Eventually Debruijn’s children would move on from the toy, but she couldn’t.
Gabrielle Debruijn in front of her retro styled Lego display. Photo by Remco Debruijn
Now Debruijn’s passion for the art has grown. What were once toys for her kids are now her own passion, their sets have become her MOCs (My Own Creation) and their memories intertwined with the making of hers.
“I remember when the kids were small once, I was playing with them, and we were having so much fun. I was playing and playing and playing. Then my daughter goes, Mummy, I’m hungry. I hadn’t realised that I’d played for like five hours straight. That’s how into it I was.”
While those memories of playing with her children are part of her love for the toy, Debruijn saw that her daughter used Lego as a form of storytelling, unlike Gabrielle’s own creations. “That’s not how I play. I thought we were bonding, but in actual fact, I was really in my own zone.”
However it wasn’t until the Whangarei council held a Lego building contest to support the opening of the new Hundertwasser Art Centre that Debruijn was shown the possibility of Lego display.
It wasn’t long after winning that competition that Debruijn joined Kirikiriroa’s own Lego Users’ Group, or HamLUG for short.
While the HamLUG is best known for their Brick Shows, where members share their creations for public display with profits going towards charities, they also hold open days and hold buy-sell and swap meets.
“Like any group, it takes a while to kind of crack in and try to find the people who are your people. The cool thing about HamLUG is you discover quite quickly that people tend to have an area of interest. The best part is when you bond with people, and you know what they’re into, that’s where the support comes in.”
Gabrielle Debruijn
There are dozens of LUGs across Aotearoa, all being officially backed by Lego themselves.
“I’ve done four shows in Auckland, and I almost want to move up there. They’re just really lovely, and equally at Napier. There is real camaraderie from all around the country.”
Now Debruijn continues her journey of bright colours and detailed nostalgia as she takes on a recreation of Lego’s 1980’s series Fabuland and a scale depiction of the old Hamilton Bank.
