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Nick Fickau sets up his LEGO bricks April 19, 2024, at Dickies Arena. Fickau displays his team’s city building chops at the Fort Worth Brick Convention. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)
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LEGO artists from around the world are displaying their own design-and-build creations at the Fort Worth Brick Convention April 20-21 at Dickies Arena. 

The event will feature shops, building activities and artist displays. Attendees will be able to meet artists. Proceeds will support Creations for Charity, an organization that gifts new LEGO sets to children in need.

Amado Canlas Pinlac sets up his award-winning creation “Geonosian Arena” April 19, 2024, at Dickies Arena. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)

Amado Canlas Pinlac — also known as AC Pin— is a LEGO master builder based in New Jersey who started building with the iconic bricks more than 20 years ago. He started building as a way to bond with his three sons when they were young. It became a passion when he started modifying and creating scenes with LEGO Star Wars sets. 

“It’s a teaching tool for kids to be more creative,” said Pinlac. 

Amado Canlas Pinlac puts the final touches on his LEGO creation, “Geonosian Arena,” April 19, 2024, at Dickies Arena. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)

Amado Canlas Pinlac finishes setting up his award-winning LEGO creation, “Geonosian Arena,” April 19, 2024, at Dickies Arena. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)

Nick Fickau, a Plano resident, uses his creations as a form of storytelling; in one of his MOC works — MOC stands for “my own creation” in the LEGO aficionado universe — his attention to detail meant adding Easter eggs from various LEGO sets to his cityscape. 

Fickau said he discovered a sense of community with the art form. He partnered up with his friends and fellow master builders at the Fort Worth Brick Convention. 

His favorite part of LEGO building is sharing his creations with other people. “I enjoy when folks come in and do the WOW thing,” he says. 

Left to right, Dave Wood, Rodney Stubblefield and Nick Fickau set up their LEGO cityscape at the Fort Worth Brick Convention, April 19, 2024, at Dickies Arena. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)

Tom Jacobsen plants a LEGO tree on his creation displayed at the Fort Worth Brick Convention, April 19, 2024, at Dickies Arena. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)

Tom Jacobsen, a master LEGO builder from northwest Florida, believes building with LEGO bricks is an outlet for unleashing your imagination. In his creative process he doesn’t map out or draw anything; he sees a concept in his mind and just builds it. 

 “Whether you’re a master builder like me or you’re 10 years old and just getting started, we all start with the same pile of bricks,” said Jacobsen. “I tell these kids to just go crazy and let their imaginations go wild.” 

Tom Jacobsen sets up his “Welcome Home” LEGO creation April 19, 2024, at Dickies Arena. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)

Tom Jacobsen’s “Welcome Home” LEGO creation April 19, 2024, at Dickies Arena. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)

Camilo Diaz is a multimedia fellow at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at camilo.diaz@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.