Pamela Henry
About you
What is your name?
Pamela Henry
Which country are you from?
USA
How old are you?
I am 60 years old
About your LEGO passion
How did you get into building with LEGO bricks, especially building your own creations?
I played with LEGO bricks often between the ages of about 5 and 10. My “dark ages” (the period where a person takes a break from building with LEGO bricks) were very long. I got back into it after my youngest son, Austen, started building large MOCs (My Own Creations). I felt like I was spending most of my time helping him acquire LEGO bricks in person and online. I finally asked if I could work with him in making LEGO projects and he reluctantly agreed. At first, I would describe my role as his personal servant. Over time, with much negotiating, we became building partners.
He taught me so much about LEGO building. In fact, I don’t think I would be here without him. We started building together when he was 14 and when he turned 18 he went away to college and didn’t have time for building with LEGO bricks. This move forced me to look inside myself and realize that I had the power and ability to build on my own even if it was intimidating.
I have now built many MOCs. Along that journey, I decided to call myself an artist as that is what I am, and LEGO bricks are my medium.
What kind of creations do you love building the most, and why?
I love challenging myself with each new project I take on. To that end I don’t build based on any particular theme but try and find ideas that interest me. For instance, at the last LEGO convention I attended I had MOCs entered in the Star Wars, Art, Space, Dystopian and Mixed themes. One of the things I love about LEGO fan conventions is interacting with the crowd.
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring LEGO builders, what would it be?
I always tell people to just start where they are at and that their first MOC doesn’t have to be big. I believe one of the easiest places to start is to take apart a LEGO set and use the pieces to build something new.
How does it feel to have your work exhibited here at LEGO House - Home of the Brick?
I always put my everything into building each MOC I make. In challenging myself in builds I’m always trying to improve my skillset and, of course, I hope people notice. I guess the highest compliment a builder can receive is LEGO House noticing. Honestly, an invitation to display your LEGO creation at the Masterpiece Gallery is the highest honor a LEGO hobbyist can experience. I am beyond grateful to have my dollhouse chosen to be on display. It’s like a dream come true and I’m thrilled.
What’s next for you in your LEGO journey—any upcoming projects or dreams?
At the time of writing this, I haven’t been building anything new as I have been spending most of my time preparing my LEGO dollhouse to be shipped halfway around the world. I have a list of possible ideas for my next project, or I could think of something entirely new, who knows? I do know that I will continue to express my creativity and artistry through LEGO building. I do dream of building another MOC with my son someday.
Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website or social media profile that you can share?
You can find my creations on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/daybricker/.
About your LEGO creation(s) on display
Title
A Victorian Dollhouse
Can you describe your model and what it represents?
I chose to build a dollhouse out of LEGO bricks because I hadn’t seen one before. It was important to me that the build looked like a hobbyist dollhouse and therefore I chose not to build in Minifigure scale. One of my biggest fears about the project was that a true dollhouse hobbyist would see it and call me out on the “dollhouse” mistakes I had made. Luckily that never happened, and I only got lovely compliments. In fact, an unexpected benefit from displaying my dollhouse was connecting with so many women who reminisced about dollhouses they had had or wanted as children. It was a beautiful and moving experience.
In building this project I had to find a balance between how unique and fancy the dollhouse shell was and how not to have it be the focal point. To me, the stars of the build had to be the furniture and decorations inside. To that end each piece of furniture required rounds of revisions to try and get the smooth curved look of antique wooden furniture without the builds being bulky and square. It was also fun trying to recreate the wallpaper and wainscoting often found in Victorian houses. An added benefit for me was learning about the fascinating history of dollhouses.
How long did it take you to build?
My dollhouse made of LEGO bricks was built mainly between October 2022 and May 2023, when I first had it on display.
Approximately how many LEGO elements did you use?
I honestly don’t know exactly how many pieces it has. I do know this: I made my first order of 1000 masonry profile bricks to start building. I knew I needed a lot of this piece and so I made a ‘big’ order. When they arrived and I started building the first floor, I discovered it wasn’t even enough to finish that section. So, the outside shell of the dollhouse alone is about 3500 bricks.
Are there any hidden details, Easter eggs, or techniques used that fans should look out for?
A fact I find interesting about my build is how many Technic gears and LEGO auto parts I ended up using to make it all work. Another piece I really utilized was the larger bricks with studs on the sides. I don’t think I could have completed the project the way I wanted it to look without those pieces.
In building I always create a backstory to help guide my building of a MOC. In the case of the dollhouse, I decided the family who lived there were explorers. So, when you look around the interiors you’ll see a lot of map tiles. Also, on the third floor you’ll see a science lab with a microscope, tools and a rack of cages with animals supposedly collected on the family’s journeys. This part of the display was meant to be silly and bring levity to an otherwise serious build. Another thing to look for is the use of chinoiserie in the dining room decor and the small cabinet in the parlor. I knew that Victorians loved going to world fairs at that time and they would become obsessed with cultures that had been on display there and I really wanted to use that. Also note that on the third floor in the daughter’s bedroom the decor starts to change as this furniture would have been purchased later and is more in the vein of art nouveau/deco. That is why it is white, lighter in tone and more streamlined.
Lastly, I wanted the attic filled with stuff. I built lots of crates as there were no cardboard boxes at the time. Early in the project I also wanted an old-fashioned treadle Singer sewing machine but ran out of room in the house, so I ended up putting it in the attic with a dress dummy. All in all, I really did get to realize most of the things I wanted to put in the dollhouse from the beginning.
