GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A West Michigan man’s LEGO design is featured on the cover of the new LEGO Lighting Book by Brian Williams.
Jarren Harkema first fell in love with LEGOs, like many of us, at a young age. It’s when he took up the hobby as an adult that he started to see the medium as an artistic outlet which has led to many great opportunities.
Harkema’s LEGO design room is a space most 5-year-olds dream about, and adult fans of LEGO bricks would be jealous of.
“I decided that this hobby could be more than just an outlet for play, it can be an outlet for creative expression as well," Harkema said.
It’s what inspired him to recreate the historic Kent Theatre in Cedar Springs, a staple of his childhood.
“Historic buildings always capture my interest, especially in the Grand Rapids area, since that’s where I've lived and grown up," Harkema said.
The lighting is what brings the build to life, making you feel like a mini LEGO figurine or even the capped crusader himself—Batman—transported to that location.
“I think the Kent Theatre is my favorite piece. Just because it is kind of my first breakout into custom building LEGO as an adult. It always brings joy to people's faces when they see.”
That common interest in lighting is how Harkema connected with the author of the book.
“Adding a small light in the ticket booth with the person taking the tickets just adds that little extra detail. And then the marquee itself, there's technology called EL wire, which mimics neon lighting," Harkema said.
His design of the historic Grand Rapids City Hall that was torn down in 1969 took three months to put together.
“It was almost a second full time job just because of the timeline of when I had to get it done was so quick. I was working on it every night after work," Harkema said.
Using pieces from his collection of half a million LEGO bricks, his custom castle design is an engineering marvel.
“You think of LEGO as a kid's toy and it can definitely be so much more than that. LEGO, especially the company, has really been pushing into the adult market," Harkema said.
It’s an artistic outlet that spans generations and continues to push the boundaries of what can be accomplished if you let your imagination guide you.
Harkema and his work will be in Chicago this weekend for Brickworld. It's one of the largest LEGO fan conventions in the world.
You can now pre-order the LEGO Lighting Book online. It comes out later this summer.
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