Lego Master Moms

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Fall 2021

utah

Lego Master Moms

Two mothers from American Fork are out to show the world that Lego bricks aren’t just for kids. This summer, the duo competed on season two of Fox’s hit TV show Lego Masters, where their original creations were judged each week against the creations of other Lego enthusiasts.

BY KIERSTYNN KING

Jen Smart has always been a Lego kid, receiving her first set for Christmas when she was 6years old. But when she grew up and started a family, she had to forgo her beloved building bricks for a time. “I packed my Legos away for a bit when I got married and when my kids were little,” she says. “I was just waiting for the time when I could pull them all out and we could play again.”

Susan Earls, on the other hand, didn’t venture into the world of Legos until she started buying them for her 5-year-old son. “I was just buying more and more. At that point, I was just buying them for myself,” she laughs. “That’s really how I got my start.”

BuilDing a FrienDShip

Smart and Earls met through the Utah Lego User Group (ULUG), where they progressed from building Lego sets with their families to merging sets together to creating original masterpieces.

“I think the transition happens when you [go from] building a set you have instructions for to creating something of your own—an image you see in your head,” Smart says. “You’re thinking, ‘Oh, what would this tree look like in Lego? This building? This train?’ Then you’re wondering, ‘Can I do it?’ Then you’re fiddling with the parts trying to see if you can create what you see in your head.”

Earls says that the expert Modular series that Lego creates helped sparked the inspiration for creating her own buildings and trains. Smart has always loved creating landscapes and draws inspiration from the space sets she used to build as a child. She also creates statues and portraits and has been influenced by fellow Lego artists such as Nathan Sawaya and Sean Kenney. Her favorite creation, a 6-foot-tall Wonder Woman statue, was recently displayed at SCERA Center for the Arts inOrem.

For Earls, one of her favorite things about Legos is the colors. “Right now, my favorite kind of Lego color is the bright orange,” she says. “I think in recent years Lego has really expanded on their color palette. They’re making earthier tones, which is great.”

One of Smart’s favorite things about Legos is the infinite possibilities of what she can create. “The colors and shapes are fantastic, but the possibilities just blow my mind,” she says.

Competing on Lego Masters

This season on Lego Masters, Smart and Earls competed against 11 other two-person teams—and they were one of only two female-female teams. The show is hosted by Will Arnett, and judges

Amy Corbett and Jamie Berard evaluate the teams’ creations, eliminating one duo each week. Earl says of the experience, “Sometimes it doesn’t even feel “You’re thinking, ‘Oh, what would this tree real yet. It’s starting to sink in now, but I was just so shocked.” “It’s surreal. It is insane,” look like in Lego? This Smart adds. “It was a great building? This train?’ wave to ride on.” For Earls and Smart, they Then you’re wondering, can spend days, weeks, or even ‘Can I do it?’ Then months creating their indiyou’re fiddling with vidual designs—a luxury that they didn’t have on the show. the parts trying to see “On Lego Masters, you had a if you can create what certain time frame, which is a different element than we’re you see in your head.” used to,” Smart says. “When we’re building, we’re used to being able to take a break and mull things over. On Lego Masters, you have zero time for any of that. You’re all in 100 percent of the time, and you just have to throw those bricks together and hope it works.”

Fall 2021

47

utah

Fall 2021

48

utah

The duo was eliminated in the sixth episode, “Demolition Derby.” The challenge was to create a wild remote-control concept vehicle and battle it out against the other teams’ creations. Judges Amy Corbett and Jamie Berard were looking for aesthetics and strength for this challenge. The teams had six hours to complete their machine, and Earls and Smart created a tractor called “Muscle Sprouts.”

During the challenge, the duo made remarks about their time management and how they weren’t feeling confident in finishing this challenge. After their six hours were up, the judges reviewed each team’s builds before the derby began.

Corbett said that she loved how Earls and Smart’s creation looked like it was taken out of a kids’ toy box. While Berard loved the blade design, he wondered how strong the blades were going to be during the derby portion.

“Visually they look great, but I would be surprised if they didn’t come off fairly “The colors and shapes early,” he said. Ultimately, Earls and Smart are fantastic, but the were eliminated. possibilities just blow “You had a nice overall my mind.” vehicle but were missing some of the details and story touches that we saw in the other teams’

builds,” said Corbett. “The coolest parts of the build were the blades on the front and back of the vehicle, but they were destroyed really quickly in the derby, leaving a more basic build.”

CliCking With the Community

Smart and Earls were able to watch the first episode of the season with their friends, family, and community in one of the theaters at SCERA Center for the Arts. “To see ourselves on that big of a screen was crazy,” Smart says. “Seeing the other contestants on the screen was phenomenal. I was cheering and hollering. It was a lot of fun.”

Outside of Lego Masters, both women are active in the Lego community. In August, they attended Brick Slopes—A Lego Fan Event at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy. “It’s a really awesome community and support network to be a part of,” Smart says.

To see more Lego masterpieces, follow @JenRaineSmart on Instagram and Facebook.

Fall 2021

49

utah