9 &10 News

16-Year-Old Builds Scale Model of Crooked Tree Arts Center Out of LEGO

Roldan Grace, has a passion for building things and is taking his creations to the next level. He’s expanded his horizons by building scale models out of LEGO bricks! This passionate LEGO artist has created one of his favorite buildings in Petoskey, Crooked Tree Arts Center.

Grace has spent ten years of his life at the arts center, taking part of art classes, plays, and viewing the gallery.

 

Megan DeWindt, President of Cooked Tree Arts Center, says.” I think that this piece is a true tribute to our 50th anniversary celebration. Our theme for the year has been celebrating our roots and growing our future, and Roldan is the future.”

Grace has been working on this project since Spring 2020 and has put in about 240 hours and 6,632 pieces to make this come to life. It makes you wonder if his thumbs hurt from all those pieces!

 

“I designed it in the computer. I went around the building, took pictures. I eventually was able to get on the roof,” says Grace. The craziest part is that all of these LEGO pieces were provided by donations made through a ‘GoFundMe’ with a goal of $2,000.

People were still donating after the goal was met, so Roldan decided to thank the donors by ‘etching’ their names into some ‘bricks’ in the back alley on the model. He even added a little light inside of the building to illuminate the stained glass windows, which are a major part of the arts center.

When we look at the whole picture, the true building blocks aren’t the LEGO — they’re the minds behind it.

 

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