For the Love of Brick: Interviews with LEGO Enthusiasts – Details, episodes & analysis

It's Father's Day today and we are releasing a special episode dedicated to our late son Alby, who unexpectedly passed away a few weeks ago. Greg shares how LEGO played a role in their relationship and in the weeks after Alby's death.

Greg sits down with Bruce B. Heller, a US AFOL who went from a successful career in animation to building LEGO commissions full-time. He is also the founder of GayFOLs- a global community providing a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQIA+ AFOLs. He discusses some of the discrimination faced by many in the community, and what GayFOLs means to its members. Bruce educates listeners (and Greg) on how they can be allies to the LGBTQIA+ community and shares his hopes for the future of GayFOLs. ***Episode Content Warning: Suicide   Check out Bruce’s bespoke LEGO models through his Cornerstone Brick Designs business: cbdbespoke.com. To join the GayFOLs Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/899536703460398/ Follow GayFOLs on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gayfols/   For our Australian listeners: If you require mental health support, here are some helplines: Lifeline – call 131114 or visit https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Suicide Callback Service – call 1300 659 476 or visit https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/ For our younger listeners, visit Kids Helpline online at https://kidshelpline.com.au/ or call 1800 55 1800 For LGBTIQA+ support – call 1800 184 527 or visit https://qlife.org.au/   For our International listeners, please speak with your doctor for local support services.   --   Thanks for listening :) Don’t forget to subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcast fix. Drop us a line by email (fortheloveofbrick[at]gmail.com) or at our socials if you want to say hi! Twitter: https://twitter.com/4theloveofbrick, IG: https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofbrick/, or FB: https://www.facebook.com/forthelovebrick/.

Greg gets to wear his cultural hat this episode as he chats with US Brick Artist, Kate Hunter, known for her striking mosaics, ranging from recreations of 1960s Pop Art to her own original creations.  Kate shares how creating mosaics was initially a way for her family to cope with COVID lockdown, and how her mosaic sets spread beyond her home, bringing joy and comfort to other members of the local community. Greg and Kate chat about Kate finding LEGO as her art medium and how the LEGO Art range could be broadening the appeal of LEGO to a wider audience.   To check out Kate’s extraordinaire mosaics plus her regular live streams with a fellow AFOL, please visit her IG: https://www.instagram.com/brickhuntress/. And if you fancy having an idea or photograph made into a LEGO mosaic, hit her up by email: brickhuntressmosaics[at]gmail.com   --   Thanks for listening :) Don’t forget to subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcast fix. Drop us a line by email (fortheloveofbrick[at]gmail.com) or at our socials if you want to say hi! Twitter: https://twitter.com/4theloveofbrick, IG: https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofbrick/, or FB: https://www.facebook.com/forthelovebrick/.

Greg chats with British AFOL Chris Smith from FC Brickstand, a brick football club from the Buildersliga. Chris explains his transition from recreating football stadiums with LEGO to the creation of a fully-fledged brick football club, complete with fierce competition with other teams, an enthusiastic fan base and a star striker. Greg also learns about the important work Chris does through Pure Brick Studio, a social enterprise via a bricklink store plus creative LEGO studio for people with disabilities. It’s an all-round wholesome episode!   Follow Chris’ brick football club, FC Brickstand, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/fcbrickstand. To view Chris’ LEGO stadium recreations, visit http://brickstand.com/. And check out his meaningful work with people with disabilities through the Pure Brick Studio: https://www.instagram.com/purebrickstudio/ .                                                                                        --   Thanks for listening :) Don’t forget to subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcast fix. Drop us a line by email (fortheloveofbrick[at]gmail.com) or at our socials if you want to say hi! Twitter: https://twitter.com/4theloveofbrick, IG: https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofbrick/, or FB: https://www.facebook.com/forthelovebrick/.

Greg is introduced to the wonderful world of GBC (great ball contraptions) after chatting with an Aussie GBC expert, Rohan Beckett. Greg learns how GBCs blend fun, engineering and problem-solving together, including some of the ingenious ways GBCs transport balls from point A to B. Rohan shares the joys but also the unique challenges of engaging in this niche LEGO area. Despite GBCs being one of the more popular displays at conventions, Greg hears how exhibiting GBCs can feel like wrangling 100 toddlers!

For a chance to view Rohan’s amazing GBCs, visit his YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoHDc70y6GUu7fM_isgRPxQ.   And if you want to pick Rohan’s brain, you’ll find him at the following Facebook groups: OZLUG: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OZLUGAustralianLegoUserGroup LEGO Technic Australia: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1490126504538763 Australian GBC Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/763230430392160 .                                                                                          --   Thanks for listening :) Don’t forget to subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcast fix. Drop us a line by email (fortheloveofbrick[at]gmail.com) or at our socials if you want to say hi! Twitter: https://twitter.com/4theloveofbrick, IG: https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofbrick/, or FB: https://www.facebook.com/forthelovebrick/.

Welcome to For the Love of Brick’s first episode for 2021! To launch Season 2, we are releasing a special episode in celebration of this week’s Brickvention, Australia’s LEGO fan convention hosted in Melbourne. Greg hears from a collection of AFOLs who share their fondest experiences of Brickvention. Common themes of community, creativity and sharing their love of LEGO with their peers and the wider community are throughout this little episode.

Special thanks for this week’s guests: Bailey Fullarton (flickr.com/photos/bfbricks/) Jay Ong (instagram.com/jayong28/) Rohan Beckett (facebook.com/groups/763230430392160/) Wade Davey (youtube.com/watch?v=VVp_A83k8fo) Jason Cichon (flickr.com/141887484@N05) Sue Ann Barber (bricknerd.com) Steve Reynolds (youtube.com/channel/UC5sSICdD8nQFKT0Tttm_PWg) Richard Jones (instagram.com/ramblingbrick/) Kale Frost (instagram.com/frostbricks/)

If your calendar is clear this weekend, you can visit Brickvention from the comfort of your own home as it’s moved online this year. Definitely worth a look: brickvention.online/

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Thanks for listening :) Don’t forget to subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcast fix. Drop us a line by email (fortheloveofbrick[at]gmail.com) or at our socials if you want to say hi! Twitter: twitter.com/4theloveofbrick, IG: instagram.com/fortheloveofbrick/, or FB: facebook.com/forthelovebrick/.

In this final episode for 2020, our first ever Christmas Special, we finally learn more about our host, Greg McDonald, and why he thought we needed yet another podcast in this world! We hear from previous guests on how LEGO helped them through 2020, including Greg’s own tale of how LEGO helped him survive self-isolation due to a COVID scare. Greg basically thanks the entire world for the podcast… but seriously, thanks to all our guests, listeners and everyone involved in helping make For the Love of Brick come to life. And happy festive season to you all!

Big shout out to this week’s guests: James Pegrum - Brick to the Past: (https://www.instagram.com/bricktothepast/) Megan Lum and Alice Finch - Women’s Brick Initiative: (https://www.instagram.com/thewomensbrick/) Kale Frost – Frost Bricks: (https://www.instagram.com/frostbricks/) Loretta Sanford – UNLEASH: (https://www.instagram.com/littleoldlegolady/) Marco Andre – 100 LEGO Stories: (https://www.instagram.com/100legostories/) )

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Thanks for listening. We’ll be back in January 2021 :) Don’t forget to subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcast fix. Drop us a line by email (fortheloveofbrick[at]gmail.com) or at our socials if you want to say hi! Twitter: https://twitter.com/4theloveofbrick, IG: https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofbrick/, or FB: https://www.facebook.com/forthelovebrick/.

Greg chats with Loretta Sanford from UNLEASH (United Network of LEGO Enthusiasts in Senior Housing) – a program that brings the joy of LEGO into the lives of older citizens residing in senior housing. Greg learns about how this innovative program challenges many of the unhelpful assumptions made about older adults’ capabilities and their interests. Loretta also shares the many benefits citizens gain from participating, and how LEGO can be used as a tool to combat bullying in this group.

To learn more about UNLEASH, visit https://www.unleashcommunity.com/. To see what Loretta and the team have been up to recently, check out Loretta’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/littleoldlegolady/. Loretta is keen for UNLEASH to grow so if you’re interested in running a program local to you, please get in touch via email unleashbuilders[at]gmail.com.

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Thanks for listening :) Don’t forget to subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcast fix. Drop us a line by email (fortheloveofbrick[at]gmail.com) or at our socials if you want to say hi! Twitter: https://twitter.com/4theloveofbrick, IG: https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofbrick/, or FB: https://www.facebook.com/forthelovebrick/.

Greg meets up with fellow Melburnian, Richard Jones, the editor and curator of ‘The Rambling Brick’. Richard shares how his unique take on LEGO eventually resulted in the creation of his long form LEGO blog. Richard introduces us to Bill and Mary- two minifigures first featured in the 6000 Ideas book, and shares his extensively researched speculation about their appearances throughout the years! Richard and Greg discuss their shared enthusiasm for the return of in-person AFOL events.

Check out Richard’s extensive LEGO blog: https://ramblingbrick.com/. Or visit his socials including IG: https://www.instagram.com/ramblingbrick/. Twitter: https://twitter.com/ramblingbrick .

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Thanks for listening :) Don’t forget to subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcast fix. Drop us a line by email (fortheloveofbrick[at]gmail.com) or at our socials if you want to say hi! Twitter: https://twitter.com/4theloveofbrick, IG: https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofbrick/, or FB: https://www.facebook.com/forthelovebrick/.

Greg chats with Shelly Corbett, a fine arts photographer who has made a name for herself in toy photography circles, mostly for her stunning LEGO minifig photographs. Shelly shares with Greg some of the ins and outs of toy photography and why people should consider going on a toy photography adventure themselves! She also enlightens Greg with some very useful tips in transitioning from simply taking photos of plastic toys to capturing photos that make your toys feel alive.

Want to take your toy photography to another level? Check out the Toy Photographers website Shelly co-created, which also features an in-depth podcast: https://toyphotographers.com/. To see Shelly’s gorgeous photos, check out her website: https://shellycorbett.com/. Or try these socials: IG: https://www.instagram.com/shellycorbettphotography/ Flickr: https://live-fts.flickr.com/photos/32309295@N08/ .

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Thanks for listening :) Don’t forget to subscribe to us, wherever you get your podcast fix. Drop us a line by email (fortheloveofbrick[at]gmail.com) or at our socials if you want to say hi! Twitter: https://twitter.com/4theloveofbrick, IG: https://www.instagram.com/fortheloveofbrick/, or FB: https://www.facebook.com/forthelovebrick/.